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First Principles is the podcast that deconstructs the complex, invisible systems shaping our modern world. Ever wonder how a social media algorithm works, how AI really thinks, or how GPS knows your e... more
FAQs about First Principles:How many episodes does First Principles have?The podcast currently has 49 episodes available.
February 13, 2026EP49 - Graphene and the Impossible Physics of the One-Atom-Thick WorldImagine a material two hundred times stronger than steel, more conductive than copper, yet so thin it is technically invisible. We deconstruct the accidental discovery of Graphene to understand how a simple roll of scotch tape and a pencil stump unlocked a new dimension of physics that shouldn't mathematically exist....more26minPlay
February 06, 2026EP48 - The Universal Language Decoding HTTP and the Secret Life of APIsWe tap a button and a car arrives or a flight is booked, but we rarely consider the invisible conversation making it happen. This episode deconstructs the rigid, polite, and surprisingly simple language that allows the world's computers to talk to each other....more25minPlay
January 30, 2026EP47 - The Messenger Code: How mRNA Vaccines Rewrote the Rules of MedicineWe all know the relief of the vaccine rollout, but few of us understand the molecular miracle that happened inside our arms. This episode moves beyond the headlines to decode how scientists turned the human body into a temporary vaccine factory, using a fragile strip of genetic code and a microscopic bubble of fat to change history....more24minPlay
January 23, 2026EP46 - The Silent Engine: Deconstructing Solar Power and the Silicon TrapWe are accustomed to electricity coming from massive, roaring turbines, but a solar panel sits in total silence, motionless, converting sunlight into power. In this episode, we strip away the dark glass exterior to reveal the atomic machinery inside, exploring how a specific arrangement of rock and crystal can trap a photon and force it to do work....more24minPlay
January 16, 2026EP45 - Wiring the Ghost: How Brain-Computer Interfaces Translate Thought into ActionWe often fantasize about telepathy, moving objects with our minds like a Jedi, but for some, this sci-fi dream is becoming a medical reality. In this episode, we deconstruct the "magic" of Brain-Computer Interfaces to reveal how wet biology talks to dry silicon, and how a storm of salty ions can act as a universal remote for the world....more23minPlay
January 09, 2026EP44 - The Planetary Nervous System: Deconstructing the Internet of ThingsIt feels like magic when your watch tracks your sleep or your lights turn on as you enter a room, but how do inanimate objects actually "know" anything? This episode peels back the glossy interface of the smart home to reveal the messy, fascinating reality of sensors, signals, and the physical mechanics that allow the digital world to touch the physical one....more26minPlay
January 02, 2026EP43 - The Possible Worlds Engine: The First Principles of Digital SimulationWe check the 7-day weather forecast without a second thought, trusting it to tell us whether to pack an umbrella. But how does a computer "know" what the sky will do next week? It feels like a guess, but it's one of the most complex calculations on Earth. This episode opens the black box of digital simulation to find the simple, brilliant rules computers use to build a copy of our world... and predict its future....more34minPlay
December 25, 2025EP42 - The Librarians of Everything: Unlocking the DatabaseYou check your bank balance, "like" a photo, or book a flight, and the digital world instantly remembers. It feels like magic, but it's all managed by an invisible, perfectly organized system. What is this system, and how does it *really* keep track of trillions of shifting facts without ever making a mistake?...more32minPlay
December 25, 2025EP41 - The Pixel's Gaze: How Computer Vision Teaches Machines to SeeWe effortlessly unlock our phones with a glance, and our photo apps magically sort faces. It feels like computers just *see* the world like we do. But beneath the surface, it’s a black box. How does a machine transform a meaningless grid of numbers into a recognized face or a bounding box around a cat? This episode deconstructs the surprising journey of computer vision, revealing the mathematical alchemy that teaches artificial intelligence to perceive....more30minPlay
December 11, 2025EP40 - The King's Accord: How Bluetooth Unites Our DevicesYou put in your earbuds, and they just... connect. Your mouse moves the cursor, your watch gets a text, all without wires. We live in a personal bubble of connection, but what is this invisible link? It's not just "weak Wi-Fi." The truth is a high-speed, synchronized dance in a hurricane of radio noise....more32minPlay
FAQs about First Principles:How many episodes does First Principles have?The podcast currently has 49 episodes available.