R-Academy

Robert Contofalsky

The R-Academy podcast provides a platform for the democratization of information about highly localized and niche topics. Its host, Robert Contofalsky, firmly believes in the importance of “Open-Access” like platforms where conversations about psychology, history, and science do not have barriers or paywalls behind them. The future of our society depends on the information that we are given at the time, and he believes that this podcast would be a contribution to this overall goal. The topics discussed on this podcast will start where Robert has the most outreach: academia. He has maintained good relations with many professors and, thus, will begin by conversing with professors in Psychology and history, eventually expanding outwards. However, the “limited” faculty list is not a defect of the podcast, these are world-class scholars that he will be talking to, and the conversations will be nothing short of engaging and insightful. Here is a list of topics that will be covered: The nature of consciousness, language, and communication The Psychology of personality, pain, neuroscience, and Culture The heritability of behaviour and intelligence, and its societal implications Medieval history, translational history; the nature of writing The Cold War and American history This podcast will concentrate on academic affairs for the time being, with the hope of expanding outwards into more niche domains of scholarly topics. The potential for topics on this podcast will be infinite as professors are never done talking about their work, and that is the beauty of this podcast, is that it will allow the listeners to understand the work of top-shelf experts in a digestible format, and give them the opportunity to continue their curiosities in the topics that are discussed on this podcast. In sum, the purpose of this podcast is for the host to act like a tourist in the minds and workspace of his guests; it is a zone that is free of judgment, and its primary focus is inquiry.

  1. Adrian Bejan: Constructal Law, Social Systems & Time | R-Academy #13

    11/18/2025

    Adrian Bejan: Constructal Law, Social Systems & Time | R-Academy #13

    My third conversation with Adrian, where we discuss some finer terminological details about constructal law and show how they relate to social systems of control (Communism) versus freedom based systems (Democracy/Individualism), and conclude about talking abotu time and how constructal law has evolved as a theory. 0:00 - 0:00:42 Intro Clip 0:01:00 - 4:22 Defining Constructal law 4:27 - 10:48 Difference between flow and design 10:49 - 21:00 Communism vs Individualism as a flow system 21:01 - 33:31 Communism Through Constructal Theory 33:32 - 37:47 Why does flow engender hierarchy 37:48 - 41:55 Why does nature choose flow? 41:56 - 50:26 Explaining time 50:27 - How has constructal law evolved Amazon Links to Books from Adrian Bejan: Design in Nature 2012: https://tinyurl.com/4ryvsr76 The Physics of Life 2016: https://tinyurl.com/m3jb3p7c Freedom and Evolution 2020: https://tinyurl.com/4p8ummsj Time and Beauty 2022: https://tinyurl.com/y7cd2ujn Shape and Structure, from Engineering to Nature 2000: https://tinyurl.com/5bzmccba Design with Constructal Theory 2008: https://tinyurl.com/3p9asa5v Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics 2016: https://tinyurl.com/yzvmnzpn Convection Heat Transfer 2013: https://tinyurl.com/yc4s8yjm Convection in Porous Media 2017: https://tinyurl.com/mu5wrsus HEAT TRANSFER: Evolution, Design and Performance 2022: https://tinyurl.com/4p3jt7n7 Entropy Generation Through Heat and Fluid Flow 1982: https://tinyurl.com/yc2y97sf Thermal Design and Optimization 1996: https://tinyurl.com/28c3j86h Entropy Generation Minimization 1996: https://tinyurl.com/2sk9xc56 #ConstructalLaw #PhysicsPodcast #Thermodynamics #ScienceCommunication #DesignInNature #FlowSystems #ComplexityScience #EnergyFlow #NaturalDesign #ScientificThinking #AdrianBejan #SciencePodcast #AcademicPodcast #RobertContofalsky #DukeUniversity #RutgersUniversity #andrewhuberman #hubermanlab #lexfridman #joerogan #PhysicsOfLife #HumanMobility #OlympicPerformance #EmpirePhysics #PowerAndFreedom #KnowledgeVsInformation #MeaningOfLife #ElectricityConsumption #TimePhysics #Hierarchy #CivilizationPhysics #SystemDesign #Interview #IntellectualPodcast #MindExpanding #ScienceAndPhilosophy #FlowArchitecture #DeepConversation #InnovationInScience #AcademicConversation #Einstein #SeanCaroll #olympics #olympics #olympic2024 #olympicshooting #worldrecord #video #communism #movement #flow

    1h 1m
  2. Steven Pinker: Common Knowledge & Social Coordination | R-Academy #12

    10/20/2025

    Steven Pinker: Common Knowledge & Social Coordination | R-Academy #12

    My conversation with Prof. Steven Pinker, Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. In this episode we dive into common knowledge - the concept of knowing that everyone knows - and how it shapes human coordination. We discuss its role in personal relationships, financial markets, social norms, collective action, and the subtle ways shared awareness guides our everyday decisions. Purchase Book Here: https://tinyurl.com/5eku3ss8 Timestamps: 0:00 - 0:37 Episode Highlight 0:37 - 1:04 Guest Introduction 1:05 - 1:42 Casual interaction 1:42 - 8:15 What is Common Knowledge 8:16 - 11:43 Game Theory, Social Coordination and Common Knowledge 11:44 - 17:10 Private and Public common knowledge 17:11 - 20:46 iMessage & Texting as coordination games 20:47 - 25:33 Financial markets as common knowledge 25:34 - 32:43 How language drives common knowledge 32:44 - 36:22 Is common knowledge an instinct 36:23 - 40:37 Laughter And elections 40:38 - 48:22 Social media and common knowledge 48:23 - 49:57 How to the mind works and common knowledge 49:58 - 50:12 Outro #StevenPinker #pinker #CommonKnowledge #CognitiveScience #Psychology #SocialCoordination #RationalThinking #BehavioralScience #GameTheory #CollectiveAction #HumanNature #ScienceCommunication #AcademicPodcast #RobertContofalsky #HarvardUniversity #RutgersUniversity #andrewhuberman #hubermanlab #lexfridman #joerogan #Rationality #SocialNorms #CoordinationProblems #PublicKnowledge #DecisionMaking #SocialPsychology #HumanBehavior #Epistemology #IntellectualPodcast #MindExpanding #ScienceAndPhilosophy #Interview #BigIdeas #EnlightenmentNow #BetterAngels #Knowledge #SharedBeliefs #SocialScience #Philosophy #LanguageAndMind #superbowl #apple #macintosh #linguistics #noamchomsky #politics #betterangelsofournature #englightenment #enlightenmentnow #HowTheMindWorks #thoughts #common #commonsense #memes #memestocks #podcast #jordanpeterson #GameTheory #SocialCoordination #CoordinationGames #PrivateKnowledge #PublicKnowledge #iMessage #TextingBehavior #DigitalCommunication #FinancialMarkets #MarketPsychology #StockMarket #LanguageAndMind #Linguistics #HumanInstinct #EvolutionaryPsychology #Laughter #Elections #PoliticalPsychology #VotingBehavior #SocialMedia #DigitalAge #OnlineBehavior #HowTheMindWorks #Cognition #MentalProcesses #Communication #CollectiveBehavior #MarketBehavior #SocialDynamics #PoliticalScience #jonathanhaidt #haidt #anxiousgeneration #gametheory

    50 min
  3. Adrian Bejan: How Physics Explains Life & Civilization | R-Academy #11 | Part 2

    09/27/2025

    Adrian Bejan: How Physics Explains Life & Civilization | R-Academy #11 | Part 2

    My second conversation with Prof. Adrian Bejan. In this episode we go on a deeper dive about Constructal Law's predictions, thermodynamics, human mobility, constructal theory & empire, and the meaning of life. Time Stamps: 0:00 - 0:20 Introduction 0:21 - 10:00 What is thermodynamics? 7:56 - 14:21 Electricity & energy use over time & energy use 14:21 - 23:21 Body Shape & olympics 23:21 - 31:11 Constructal law and human mobility 31:12 - 43:45 Empire and Constructal theory 43:45 - 1:00:06 Animate and inanimate 1:00:06 - 1:09:50 Knowledge vs know how 1:09:50 - End What is life? Amazon Links to Books from Adrian Bejan: Design in Nature 2012: https://tinyurl.com/4ryvsr76 The Physics of Life 2016: https://tinyurl.com/m3jb3p7c Freedom and Evolution 2020: https://tinyurl.com/4p8ummsj Time and Beauty 2022: https://tinyurl.com/y7cd2ujn Shape and Structure, from Engineering to Nature 2000: https://tinyurl.com/5bzmccba Design with Constructal Theory 2008: https://tinyurl.com/3p9asa5v Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics 2016: https://tinyurl.com/yzvmnzpn Convection Heat Transfer 2013: https://tinyurl.com/yc4s8yjm Convection in Porous Media 2017: https://tinyurl.com/mu5wrsus HEAT TRANSFER: Evolution, Design and Performance 2022: https://tinyurl.com/4p3jt7n7 Entropy Generation Through Heat and Fluid Flow 1982: https://tinyurl.com/yc2y97sf Thermal Design and Optimization 1996: https://tinyurl.com/28c3j86h Entropy Generation Minimization 1996: https://tinyurl.com/2sk9xc56

    1h 15m
  4. Soud Al-Kharusi: Astrophysics, Neutrinos & Fundamental Physics | R-Academy #8

    12/18/2024

    Soud Al-Kharusi: Astrophysics, Neutrinos & Fundamental Physics | R-Academy #8

    Chatting with my old roommate three weeks before he defended his Ph.D. in Particle Physics. He is now at Stanford University as a Post-Doctoral Researcher, continuing this line of work. Additionally, he has a side project on surveying the people of the world called readtheroom. I highly recommend you interact with it and support his work. https://readtheroom.site/about 0:00 - 1:00 Introduction 1:01 - 2:18 Background 2:19 - 13:57 Ph.D. Thesis (nEXO Experiment) 13:58 - 18:24 How we Know Neutrinos Have Mass 18:25 - 23:04 What does Neutrino Mass tell us about the universe? 23:05 - 28:35 What is the Matter/Anti-Matter Symmetry Problem? 28:36 - 30:23 Are There Anti-Neutrinos? 30:24 - 35:21 Roles of Neutrinos in the Early Universe 35:22 - 37:27 What Is Energy? 37:28 - 40:50 What is Gravity? 40:51 - 43:43 How is Time A Physical Dimension? 43:44 - 50:55 What Is a Dimension? 50:56 - 54:52 How To Understand Physics Frameworks 54:53 - 56:40 How can PopSci Physics be more representative of real physics? 56:41 - 1:00:34 WHat is the end game of physics? 1:00:35 - 1:02:30 How do different physics frameworks change over time? 1:02:31 - 1:09:20 What is Quantum Physics? 1:09:21 - End What is Next For Doc? #physics #physicspodcast #podcast #quantumphysics #neutrinos #interview #science #experiment #astrophysics #cosmos #space #gravity #QuantumMechanics #theoreticalphysics #particlephysics #darkmatter #BlackHoles #scientificdiscovery #physicscommunity #sciencecommunication #stem #cosmology #relativity #scienceexplained #higgsboson #physicslovers #sciencepodcasts #physicseducation #bigbangtheory #timetravel #astrophysicspodcast #physicsforeveryone

    1h 10m

About

The R-Academy podcast provides a platform for the democratization of information about highly localized and niche topics. Its host, Robert Contofalsky, firmly believes in the importance of “Open-Access” like platforms where conversations about psychology, history, and science do not have barriers or paywalls behind them. The future of our society depends on the information that we are given at the time, and he believes that this podcast would be a contribution to this overall goal. The topics discussed on this podcast will start where Robert has the most outreach: academia. He has maintained good relations with many professors and, thus, will begin by conversing with professors in Psychology and history, eventually expanding outwards. However, the “limited” faculty list is not a defect of the podcast, these are world-class scholars that he will be talking to, and the conversations will be nothing short of engaging and insightful. Here is a list of topics that will be covered: The nature of consciousness, language, and communication The Psychology of personality, pain, neuroscience, and Culture The heritability of behaviour and intelligence, and its societal implications Medieval history, translational history; the nature of writing The Cold War and American history This podcast will concentrate on academic affairs for the time being, with the hope of expanding outwards into more niche domains of scholarly topics. The potential for topics on this podcast will be infinite as professors are never done talking about their work, and that is the beauty of this podcast, is that it will allow the listeners to understand the work of top-shelf experts in a digestible format, and give them the opportunity to continue their curiosities in the topics that are discussed on this podcast. In sum, the purpose of this podcast is for the host to act like a tourist in the minds and workspace of his guests; it is a zone that is free of judgment, and its primary focus is inquiry.