Can AI Crack The Biology Code?

Short Wave

NPR

Daily News, Nature, Life Sciences, Astronomy, Science, News

4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 3 June 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As artificial intelligence seeps into some realms of society, it rushes into others. One area it's making a big difference is protein science — as in the "building blocks of life," proteins! Producer Berly McCoy talks to host Emily Kwong about the newest advance in protein science: AlphaFold3, an AI program from Google DeepMind. Plus, they talk about the wider field of AI protein science and why researchers hope it will solve a range of problems, from disease to the climate.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This message comes from NPR sponsor, Subaru.
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0:17.6	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:23.2	Hey, hey, shortwaver.
0:24.5	Emily Kwong here with producer Burley McCoy.
0:27.2	What's up, Burley?
0:28.0	Hey, Emily.
0:28.9	Hello, what do you have for us today?
0:30.5	Okay, so Emily, today I want to dig into how AI has shaken up the field of protein science, as in the fundamental building blocks of life proteins.
0:40.6	I've heard of them. Yeah. I mean, this is like what you studied back in your scientist days.
0:45.5	Yes, yes. I love proteins.
0:47.5	Oh, we love that you love them. How has AI moved the needle in this field, though?
0:51.5	Well, scientists have used it to dig into a problem that protein scientists have struggled
0:56.2	with for more than 60 years.
0:58.5	And that is, what do these building blocks of which there are millions look like?
1:03.9	Like their shape?
1:04.9	Like their shape.
1:05.7	Yeah, exactly.
1:06.7	Why is that so important?
	...

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