Night Science

Itai Yanai & Martin Lercher
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Where do ideas come from? In each episode, scientists Itai Yanai and Martin Lercher explore science's creative side with a leading colleague. New episodes come out every second Monday. 

  1. 84 | Every scientist is an artist – Lois Hetland

    13. APR.

    84 | Every scientist is an artist – Lois Hetland

    Professor Lois Hetland, the former chair of art education at the Massachusetts College of Art, joins us to ask: what do artists and scientists truly share? We explore the striking parallels between artistic practice and scientific discovery – between Night Science, the messy and playful mental state where ideas are formed, and her “Studio Habits of Mind”, such as observing closely, envisioning possibilities, and exploring at the edge of the unknown. We converge on a central point: how frustration and insecurity are inherent in the creative process wherever it unfolds. And Lois argues that we can cultivate creativity through the right environment, one that embraces experimentation, mistakes, and sustained engagement – the same topics that many of our scientist guests have brought up. The Night Science Podcast is produced by the Night Science Institute. For more information on Night Science, visit night-science.org .

    41 min.
  2. 83 | How science is secretly driven by analogy – Melanie Mitchell

    16. FEB.

    83 | How science is secretly driven by analogy – Melanie Mitchell

    Melanie Mitchell is a professor at the Santa Fe Institute and a leading thinker on artificial intelligence, analogy, and abstraction. She reflects on how analogy quietly drives creativity and scientific discovery even in the most rigorous fields. Analogies often emerge during moments of mental rest and don’t need to be accurate to nudge you into new avenues of thinking. We discuss how many core scientific concepts began as metaphors, how analogies can both illuminate and mislead, and whether large language models truly grasp abstraction. The conversation ranges from the role of analogies in Einstein’s thought process to evolutionary “landscapes” and the balance between generative night science and critical day science. The Night Science Podcast is produced by the Night Science Institute. For more information on Night Science, visit night-science.org .

    33 min.
  3. 82 | On being alone together – Amy Shyer & Alan Rodrigues

    2. FEB.

    82 | On being alone together – Amy Shyer & Alan Rodrigues

    Amy Shyer & Alan Rodrigues co-direct the Laboratory of Morphogenesis at Rockefeller University. They are also married. Together, we reflect on what it means to think creatively in biology. Amy and Alan discuss the importance of challenging established frameworks, cultivating a “feeling for the organism,” and balancing conceptual imagination with close attention to observable phenomena. They are true science buddies, with their complementarity and partnership allowing them to challenge each other by diving deeper into the ambiguity and loneliness of research. Join our Train-the-Trainer Event to learn how to teach Night Science, April 24th at the New York Academy of Sciences! https://night-science.org/train-the-trainer-workshop/ The Night Science Podcast is produced by the Night Science Institute. For more information on Night Science, visit night-science.org .

    37 min.
  4. 81 | How to find your way by getting lost – Marina Dubova

    12. JAN.

    81 | How to find your way by getting lost – Marina Dubova

    It’s surprising that for centuries, scientists have left the study of how to do science largely to non-scientists. Not anymore – thanks to the young field of cognitive epistemology. In this episode, we discuss the exciting – and surprising – science of doing science with Marina Dubova, a postdoc at the Santa Fe Institute and soon a professor at UC Berkeley. Marina found, for example, that to get the most powerful theories, you should not plan the collection of data with a view to falsify or validate existing hypotheses; instead, try to get as diverse a dataset as possible. It adds a new angle to an idea that we discussed in many previous episodes: that discoveries often arise from exploratory data collection. Based on Marina’s research and her own process, we also discuss how science thrives on diversity at all levels – data, ideas, questions, scientists – and on the use of analogies and metaphors.  The Night Science Podcast is produced by the Night Science Institute. For more information on Night Science, visit night-science.org .

    45 min.
  5. 80 | Why greatness cannot be planned with Kenneth Stanley

    29.12.2025

    80 | Why greatness cannot be planned with Kenneth Stanley

    Ken Stanley is a highly regarded researcher in machine learning and artificial intelligence. After leaving his professorship at the University of Central Florida, he cofounded Geometric Intelligence (now Uber AI Labs), and he is now Senior Vice President of Open-Endedness at LilaSciences. In this episode, Ken explains why ambitious objectives often backfire: the real stepping stones to breakthrough discoveries rarely look like progress toward the goal, so a direct pursuit can blind us to the opportunities that matter most. Together, we connect these ideas to night science, scientific intuition, and the pressure to justify research with hypotheses and deliverables, and we argue for a healthier system that funds exploration, curiosity, and the creation of new “playgrounds” for discovery. The Night Science Podcast is produced by the Night Science Institute. For more information on Night Science, visit night-science.org .

    32 min.
  6. 79 | Maria Leptin and creativity in grant writing

    08.12.2025

    79 | Maria Leptin and creativity in grant writing

    Maria Leptin is the President of the ERC, the European Research Council, and Professor of genetics at the University of Cologne. In this episode, Maria describes her own path as one driven by observation and curiosity rather than long-term planning, and discusses why small, intellectually vibrant institutes often outperform large labs. We discuss how funding agencies can better support bold ideas, and we explore how to evaluate creativity in grant proposals and why a focus on feasibility can stifle innovation. We also consider the role of grant writing in shaping ideas, the differences between academia and industry, and the importance of stable yet non-complacent careers. The Night Science Podcast is produced by the Night Science Institute. For more information on Night Science, visit night-science.org .®

    31 min.
  7. 78 | Stephen Nachmanovitch on free play and chivalry

    10.11.2025

    78 | Stephen Nachmanovitch on free play and chivalry

    Stephen Nachmanovitch is a musician celebrated for his free improvisations, and an educator whose books Free Play and The Art of Is have become classics on the creative process. With his training as an ecologist and his PhD in the history of consciousness, Stephen brings a unique philosophical view on art, science, and life to the podcast. In our discussion, Stephen reflects on how creativity is not a thing but a living process: the art of IS. He draws connections between artistic and scientific practice, emphasizing how both depend on careful attention to the world, openness to mistakes, and dialogue across perspectives. We discuss how fear of error inhibits creativity, and how improvisation can free us from perfectionism. We also touch upon the importance of chivalry in dialogue, the art of advancing each other’s ideas rather than blocking them. The Night Science Podcast is produced by the Night Science Institute. For more information on Night Science, visit night-science.org .

    39 min.
  8. 77 | Akiko Iwasaki and the art of creativity maintenance

    22.09.2025

    77 | Akiko Iwasaki and the art of creativity maintenance

    Akiko Iwasaki, a Yale professor and Howard Hughes Investigator, was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2024. Together, we reflect on how diverse backgrounds enrich research, allowing people to discover different things in the same data. Akiko explains how leading large collaborations requires managing expectations, not micromanaging the research. She compares her work of studying complex conditions to solving multilayered puzzles: each new piece of evidence must be placed in the right layer for the bigger picture to emerge. And she jokes about her own “terrible hairball analogy” and how, at the center of that mess, she searches for hidden gems. The Night Science Podcast is produced by the Night Science Institute. For more information on Night Science, visit night-science.org .

    40 min.
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Om

Where do ideas come from? In each episode, scientists Itai Yanai and Martin Lercher explore science's creative side with a leading colleague. New episodes come out every second Monday. 

Oplysninger

  • Skaber
    Itai Yanai & Martin Lercher
  • Aktive år
    2021 - 2026
  • Episoder
    85
  • Vurdering
    Ikke anstødeligt
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Itai Yanai & Martin Lercher
  • Websted for serie
    Night Science

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