Explore our series on the origins of life

Can network science transform health and nutrition?; Do AI models know what they're thinking about?; New math and AI news

Math and Science News from Quanta Magazine View this email in your browser ORIGINS OF LIFE | ALL TOPICS   The Evolving Story of How Chemistry Became Biology By YASEMIN SAPLAKOGLU After decades of bickering about which molecules came first, a new generation of scientists is rethinking what life was, is, and could be. Read the article THE JOY OF WHY   Can Network Science Transform Health and Nutrition? Podcast hosted by STEVE STROGATZ with ALBERT-LÁZLÓ BARABÁSI We’re traveling back in time to the ’90s on this week’s episode to dig into the old party game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon and how the math behind it (called network science) could have big implications for the future of nutrition.  Listen (Apple) | Listen (Spotify) Read the article THE QUANTA PODCAST   Do AI Models Know What They're Thinking About? Podcast hosted by SAMIR PATEL with BEN BRUBAKER Researchers have studied the phenomenon of introspection in humans and animals for over a century — and now they’re turning their attention to new subjects: large language models. Can they also look inside themselves? Listen (Apple) | Listen (Spotify) Read the article TRANSFORMATION   AI’s ability to ‘autoformalize’ proofs is changing math By KONSTANTIN KAKAES Last week, an AI startup announced four autoformalization results, which independent experts say they are satisfied with. It now seems a question not of if, but when, all of human mathematical knowledge will be formalized by AI. Read the article Follow Quanta Unsubscribe | About Quanta | My Bookmarks Privacy Policy | Terms | Contact Us   Copyright © 2026 Quanta Magazine, an editorially independent division of the Simons Foundation Simons Foundation 160 5th Avenue, 7th Floor New York, NY 10010