First Principles with Christian Keil

Christian Keil
First Principles with Christian Keil

On First Principles, Christian Keil, Host and Chief of Staff at Astranis, dives into the heart of innovation, making the complex world of deep tech startups approachable without needing a PhD.

  1. NOV 24

    Is It Possible to Build SAFE Nuclear Reactors? | Matt Loszak, Aalo Atomics

    Matt Loszak is building a nuclear reactor factory for a new kind of reactor: one that is almost impossible to melt down.

    52 min

  2. SEP 2

    The World's Safest Humanoid Robots

    1X Technologies is building the world's safest autonomous, humanoid robots. And they want to start selling robots into consumer homes next year.  How do you make a robot safe for humans? The answer is complicated — so I went to 1X HQ in Sunnyvale, CA to find out.

    49 min

  3. AUG 29

    The World's Quietest Electric Engine | Ian Villa, Whisper Aero

    Engines are loud — Whisper Aero is changing that.

    55 min

  4. AUG 7

    How To Build a 1-Terawatt, 600,000 Amp Pulsed Power Generator | JC Btaiche, Fuse Energy

    Season 2, Episode 1: JC Btaiche, Fuse Energy ====== Links:ElectroBOOM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PcBgym21TAFuse's Paper in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-67774-4Fuse — https://www.f.energy People:JC Btaiche — https://x.com/JCBtaiche10Christian Keil — https://x.com/pronounced_kyle

    1h 1m

  5. JUN 19

    #15: The First Principles Approach to Not Dying | Bryan Johnson

    Today’s episode is brought to you by Strata. Modernize your IAM with Identity Orchestration. Visit https://strata.io/firstprinciples to learn more! ====== Episode 15: Bryan Johnson spends $2m/year to not die. But this is more than just a health craze — it’s the birth of a new, secular religious movement. Here’s what Bryan believes. ====== (00:00) - Introduction(01:13) - Zeroth Principles Thinking: Going Beyond First Principles(04:05) - The Journey to "Don't Die": Bryan's Thought Experiments and Realizations(07:28) - Is "Don't Die" a Religion? Examining the Parallels(10:40) - Bryan's Roles in "Don't Die": Philosopher, Embodiment, Message Bearer(13:05) - Sponsor Break(14:08) - Quantifying Death: Introducing "Die Scores" for Behaviors and Choices(17:03) - What is Death and What is Aging? A First Principles Perspective(19:40) - Measuring Biological Age: Organ by Organ Analysis of Bryan's Body(23:48) - The Penis as a Marker of Overall Health and Vitality(26:33) - Epigenetic Clocks and the Pace of Aging Calculated Tests(30:18) - Bryan's Experience with Follistatin Gene Therapy(32:25) - Kernel: Building a Mass Market Brain Interface with Time-Domain FNIRS(36:48) - The Power Law Interventions: Identifying the Most Effective Longevity Levers(39:22) - Assembling a Team of Scientific Misfits to Tackle Aging(41:05) - Dreaming Up Ideas: Bryan's Nocturnal Creativity(42:15) - Telomeres and the Risks of Telomerase Gene Therapy(44:38) - Reflections on the Challenges of Commercializing Deep Tech(46:29) - Conclusion: Banding Together to Build an Amazing Future ====== Links: Christian Keil – https://twitter.com/pronounced_kyleBryan Johnson - https://x.com/bryan_johnsonBryan Johnson Personal Website - https://www.bryanjohnson.com/Blueprint - https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.com/ ====== Production and marketing by The Deep View (https://thedeepview.co). For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email team@firstprinciples.fm ====== Checkout the video version here → http://tinyurl.com/4fh497n9 🔔 Follow to stay updated with new uploads

    47 min

  6. JUN 13

    #14: Quantum Computing Isn’t Dead Yet | César Rodríguez, Commutator Studios

    Today’s episode is brought to you by Coda. If you want a platform that empowers your team to collaborate effectively and focus on shared goals, you can get started with Coda today for FREE. Head over to https://coda.io/fp ====== Episode 14: César Rodríguez has dedicated his career to quantum computing. Why? Because they have incredible potential — but that potential has not yet been unlocked. ====== (00:00) - Introduction: Meeting a Quantum Computing Visionary(02:45) - Quantum Computing 101: Harnessing the Weird World of Quantum Mechanics(06:00) - The No-Cloning Theorem: Why Quantum Information is So Fragile(08:50) - Schrödinger's Universe: Bridging the Quantum-Classical Divide(12:17) - Sponsor Break: Keeping Your Data Secure in a Quantum World(13:18) - Quantum Gates and Algorithms: Building Blocks of a Quantum Revolution(17:36) - The Race for Quantum Supremacy: Milestone or Mirage?(21:25) - Physical vs Logical Qubits: Quality, Quantity, and Qubit Scaling(23:12) - Fighting Decoherence: The Art of Quantum Error Correction(27:00) - Pulse-Level Tactics: Error Mitigation on the Frontlines(30:02) - Computator's Secret Weapon: Outwitting Emergent Algorithmic Errors(36:03) - Quantum Error Management: A Multi-Pronged, Collaborative Approach(38:11) - Beyond Bits: The Pros and Cons of Probabilistic Computing(41:08) - Why Quantum Matters: Cesar's Case for the Next Computing Revolution(43:40) - Riding the Hype Cycle: Navigating Quantum Winters and Summers(46:15) - The Quantum Computing Menagerie: Atoms, Ions, and Superconductors(49:33) - Scaling the Quantum Heights: Engineering Challenges and Triumphs(54:15) - Killer Apps: From Quantum Search and Factoring to Exotic Chemistry(59:02) - Quantum Now: A Global Snapshot of the Current Computing Landscape(1:03:40) - Quantum Leap: Visions of a World Transformed by Quantum Computers(1:09:40) - Quantum Development, Reimagined: New Paradigms, Tools, and Workflows(1:12:40) - Conclusion: Cesar's Call to Join the Quantum Revolution ====== Links: Christian Keil – https://twitter.com/pronounced_kyleCésar Rodríguez - https://twitter.com/cesarquantumCommutator Studios - https://www.commutatorstudios.com/ ====== Production and marketing by The Deep View (https://thedeepview.co). For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email team@firstprinciples.fm ====== Checkout the video version here → http://tinyurl.com/4fh497n9 🔔 Follow to stay updated with new uploads

    1h 14m

  7. JUN 6

    #13: Simon Pickup - Exploring Use Cases for Hydrogen Fuel | Teralta

    Today’s episode is brought to you by Strata. Elevate your enterprise identity with Strata today. Visit https://strata.io/firstprinciples to learn more! ====== Episode 13: The most abundant element in the universe also has the highest energy content of any common fuel by mass. Teralta helps industrial buyers get hydrogen when and where they need it. ====== (00:00) - Introduction(01:08) - What Teralta Does: Making Hydrogen Simple for Industrial Customers(03:10) - Why Simon Became Passionate About Hydrogen's Potential(04:42) - What is Hydrogen and How is it Produced Today?(06:50) - The Difference Between Clean and Dirty Hydrogen Production Methods(09:38) - Hydrogen's Volumetric Density Challenge and Storage Methods(11:57) - The Mental Model for When to Use Hydrogen vs Alternatives(14:36) - Transportation Use Cases: Hydrogen Unlikely to Beat Batteries for Cars(16:40) - Using Hydrogen for Synthetic Fuels to Enable Faster Decarbonization(20:02) - Financing Hydrogen Projects: The Importance of Offtake Agreements(23:37) - The Challenge of Lining Up All the Pieces for Hydrogen Project FID(25:30) - Only 4% of Announced Hydrogen Projects Reach Final Investment Decision(27:50) - Other Major Hydrogen Applications: Chemicals, Heating, Transportation(29:27) - Common Misconceptions About Hydrogen: Hindenburg, Water, Free Energy(32:50) - Example Project: Delivering Pure Hydrogen to a Pulp Mill via Pipeline(35:08) - Technologies to Accelerate Hydrogen Adoption: Storage and Grid Capacity(37:04) - Why Now is a Unique Moment for Hydrogen to Finally Take Off(39:58) - The Hydrogen Rainbow: Moving Beyond Color Labels to Carbon Intensity(42:11) - How Policy Support like the Inflation Reduction Act Changes the Game(44:38) - Hydrogen Use in Ammonia Production and Its Importance for Agriculture(46:24) - The Hydrogen Ladder: Ranking Applications by Substitution Potential(48:35) - Teralta's Focus on Vertically Integrating to Speed Up Project Delivery(51:08) - The Existence of an Actual Hydrogen Council of Industry Players(53:12) - Conclusion: Supply and Demand Factors Finally Aligning for Hydroge ====== Links: Christian Keil – https://twitter.com/pronounced_kyleSimon Pickup - https://x.com/pickupsimonTeralta - https://teralta.com/ ====== Production and marketing by The Deep View (https://thedeepview.co). For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email team@firstprinciples.fm ====== Checkout the video version here → http://tinyurl.com/4fh497n9 🔔 Follow to stay updated with new uploads

    56 min

  8. MAY 29

    #12: Deep Prasad - How to Build a Physics-Fluent AI System

    Brought to you by NordVPN. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/firstprinciples. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! ====== Episode 12: Discovering new materials is how we unlock new branches of the tech tree. But there is no way for the world’s most powerful AI tools to help us do that discovery – until now.  ====== (00:00) - Intro (01:08) - GenMat's Goal: Building an AI System Smarter Than Humans at Physics (02:17) - Why It's Hard for AI to Understand Physics Like Humans Do (05:39) - How GenMat Models Atomic Level Activity to Optimize Materials (09:35) - The Trial and Error Process of Traditional Materials Discovery (11:28) - Materials Science 101: What Makes a Material and Its Key Properties (15:00) - Perovskites: A Promising and Complex Material Family (17:37) - How GenMat Helps Labs Discover and Optimize New Materials (19:43) - The Challenges of Data, Representations and Feedback in Physics AI (23:18) - Why GenMat Chose a Broad vs Narrow Focus Across Materials Domains (25:32) - Expanding Into Geophysics to Find Critical Materials Using Satellites (28:48) - The Experience of Launching GenMat's First Satellite with SpaceX (30:58) - Overlap Between GenMat's Materials and Geophysics AI Models (32:42) - GenMat's Progress: Team Size, Funding, Patents, Customers, Results (35:46) - The Future 'Yug-Cyberia' Civilization Enabled by Advanced Physics AI (38:54) - How Materials Breakthroughs Can Accelerate Mars and Space Exploration (42:10) - The Difficulty of Communicating Complex Technical Work to Others (44:48) - Breaking Down GenMat's AI Techniques: CDVAEs Explained (48:55) - Why GenMat Uses Classical Deep Learning vs Quantum Computing Today (51:37) - The Origins of GenMat: From Quantum Deep Learning to Classical AI (54:02) - How GenMat Gets People Excited About the Potential of Materials (56:11) - Rapid Fire Questions: Focus vs Breadth, Challenges, Surprises (59:40) - Mapping Out a Future with Intelligent Matter and Interstellar Travel (01:03:50) - The Meaning and Origins of the Term 'Yug-Cyberia' (01:05:15) - Conclusion: Advanced Physics AI Can Get Us to Mars and Beyond ====== Links: Christian Keil – https://twitter.com/pronounced_kyleDeep Prasad - https://x.com/DeepneuronGenMat - https://www.genmat.xyz/ ====== Production and marketing by The Deep View (https://thedeepview.co). For inquiries about sponsoring this podcast, email team@firstprinciples.fm ====== Checkout the video version here → http://tinyurl.com/4fh497n9 🔔 Follow to stay updated with new uploads

    1h 7m
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On First Principles, Christian Keil, Host and Chief of Staff at Astranis, dives into the heart of innovation, making the complex world of deep tech startups approachable without needing a PhD.

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