Science & Technology Q&A for Kids (and others) [April 18, 2025]

The Stephen Wolfram Podcast

Stephen Wolfram answers general questions from his viewers about science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qa

Questions include: Books have been relatively unchanged—would you say that's a "technology" that has been mastered? - My son asks: Given there's a max amount of information you can store in a given region of space, how can we simulate complex systems (like brains or universes) without exceeding physical limits? - We're taught science discovers truth through observation and experiment. But in practice, I see science building mathematical models that work—sometimes treated as exact reality. How do you, as a scientist, separate calculation tools from physical truth in your actual work? Where does experience draw that line? - What lessons can we learn from the evolution of flight? Beyond the mechanics, Dawkins reflects In the book Flights of Fancy on the broader implications of flight evolution, considering what it reveals about natural selection, adaptation and the interconnectedness of life.