The R42 Podcast - Details, episodes & analysis

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The R42 Podcast

R42 Institute

Science

Frequency: 1 episode/16d. Total Eps: 5

The R42 Podcast explores what’s next at the intersection of AI, longevity science, and venture. Hosted by inventor, entrepreneur, investor, and Stanford professor Ronjon Nag, the show brings together scientists, founders, investors, and other experts to explore emerging ideas, challenge assumptions, and uncover what may matter next.

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https://profiles.stanford.edu/ronjon-nag
3 shares
https://www.r42group.com/
3 shares
https://corticallabs.com/
2 shares
$Podcast Breaking Math Podcast$

https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/RonjonNag
3 shares
https://www.linkedin.com/in/allyhkoh/
3 shares
https://au.linkedin.com/in/alon-loeffler
2 shares

https://www.neuroagetx.com/
1 share

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Score global : 42%

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Human Brain Cells on a Chip Play Pong. Could They Become Conscious? | Alon Loeffler, Cortical Labs

Episode 3

Saturday, October 31, 2026 • Duration 01:05:42

Human brain cells grown on a chip can control a paddle in the video game Pong. What does that reveal about biological learning, and could increasingly complex living computers ever become conscious?

Dr. Alon Loeffler of Cortical Labs joins Ronjon Nag to explore the emerging field of biological computing. Alon describes how a serious neurological illness as a teenager led him into neuroscience, how adult donor cells can be converted into neurons, and how electrical signals allow those neurons to interact with a computer.

They discuss Cortical Labs' CL1 biological computer and Cortical Cloud, the Pong and Doom demonstrations, what biological neurons might offer that conventional AI does not, and the major challenges of memory, scalability, and keeping cell cultures alive. The conversation also explores potential applications in neurological drug discovery and the ethics of consciousness in biological systems.

In this episode:

How researchers grow human neurons and connect them to silicon chips
How electrical feedback allows the cells to control Pong
The CL1 platform and a recent Doom demonstration
Learning, memory, and biological versus artificial neural networks
Potential applications in epilepsy and neurodegenerative disease research
Whether biological computers could ever develop consciousness

Follow The R42 Podcast for conversations where AI, longevity science, and venture intersect.

Learn more: https://r42podcast.lovable.app/
Cortical Labs: https://corticallabs.com/
Alon Loeffler on LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/alon-loeffler

Disclosure: R42 has collaborated with Cortical Labs on student research projects. This discussion is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical or investment advice.

The R42 Podcast - Details, episodes & analysis

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The R42 Podcast - Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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Other6

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