Intellectually Curious
Intellectually Curious is a podcast by Mike Breault featuring over 1,600 AI-powered explorations across science, mathematics, philosophy, and personal growth. Each short-form episode is generated, refined, and published with the help of large language models—turning curiosity into an ongoing audio encyclopedia. Designed for anyone who loves learning, it offers quick dives into everything from combinatorics and cryptography to systems thinking and psychology.
Inspiration for this podcast:
"Muad'Dib learned rapidly because his first training was in how to learn. And the first lesson of all was the basic trust that he could learn. It's shocking to find how many people do not believe they can learn, and how many more believe learning to be difficult. Muad'Dib knew that every experience carries its lesson."
― Frank Herbert, Dune
Note: These podcasts were made with NotebookLM. AI can make mistakes. Please double-check any critical information.
Intellectually Curious
The Theory of a Superionic Core at the Center of the Earth
What if Earth’s inner core isn’t a simple solid ball of iron at all? In this episode we explore the idea that the core could be in a superionic state—iron lattices that stay solid while carbon atoms flow through them like dancers in a square—making the core both structured and surprisingly soft. We’ll unpack how this explains seismic data, how such a “frozen yet flowing” core could slow seismic waves without melting, and how this dynamic interior powers the geodynamo that shields our planet. Plus, what this could mean for rocky exoplanets and our broader understanding of planetary cores.
Note: This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes. Please double-check any critical information.
Sponsored by Embersilk LLC