From First Principles27 Nov 2025

3I/ATLAS Explained, Forensic Fingerprints & Alzheimer’s Breakthrough (EP. 18)

Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, this episode spans astrophysics, forensic chemistry, and neuroimmunology. We begin with a deep dive into 3I/ATLAS, only the third confirmed interstellar object to ever pass through our solar system — larger and stranger than ‘Oumuamua and Borisov, with new imagery released as NASA reopened operations. Then we break down a true-crime forensic breakthrough from Maynooth University that reveals how to recover fingerprints from fired bullet casings — a technique that could radically accelerate criminal investigations. And we close with a Max Planck Institute discovery identifying a regulatory microglial state in the brain that may finally clarify why Alzheimer’s develops — and how immune dysfunction, not just plaques, drives the disease.

Summary

The third interstellar visitor — 3I/ATLAS joins ‘Oumuamua and Borisov as only the third object ever observed entering the solar system from interstellar space, with new NASA imagery revealing structure, trajectory, and compositional clues.

A forensic chemistry breakthrough — researchers at Maynooth University develop a technique to retrieve latent fingerprints from fired shell casings, combining heat-stable organic residues with spectroscopic imaging.

A new model of Alzheimer’s — Max Planck Institute scientists uncover a microglial “regulatory” state (a T-reg–like analogue) activated through CD28-dependent pathways, reshaping how the field thinks about plaques, neuroinflammation, and therapeutic targets.

Show Notes

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(52)

The Amazon’s Hidden Civilization (One Year Anniversary) (EP 52)

In this anniversary episode, Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary look back at how two longtime friends turned their regular conversations about science into a show now shared by millions of people aroun...

6 Aug 1h 47min

The Tech Elon Has Been Waiting For (EP 51)

What happens when electronics can operate at temperatures hot enough to melt aluminum?In this deep-dive episode, Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary examine a new high-temperature memory device develope...

31 Juli 1h 44min

AI Breaks a 90-Year Math Problem, Life’s Alphabet in Space, and Science Funding (EP 50)

Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, this episode moves from astrobiology to science policy to the rapidly changing frontier of artificial intelligence and mathematics.First, researchers analy...

23 Juli 1h 52min

FIFA Data Scientists Explain Match Momentum (EP 49)

In this special interview episode, Lester Nare speaks with Juan Busso, Senior Football Data Scientist at FIFA, and Arron Ackerman, FIFA’s Team Lead for Football Performance Analysis, about the data sc...

17 Juli 39min

Black Hole Movies, Digital Heart Twins, and World Cup Tech (EP 48)

Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, this episode returns to the FFP science rundown with stories spanning astrophysics, precision medicine, medical imaging, artificial intelligence, and World...

14 Juli 1h 48min

America 250: The Breakthroughs That Built American Science — Part 2 (EP 47)

Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, this episode is part two of our July 4th America 250 special: a celebration of the scientific, technological, institutional, and cultural breakthroughs tha...

3 Juli 2h 21min

America 250: The Breakthroughs That Built American Science — Part 1 (EP 46)

Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, this episode is part one of our July 4th America 250 special: a celebration of the scientific, technological, institutional, and cultural innovations that ...

2 Juli 1h 50min

The Physics of the World Cup: VAR, Smart Balls, and Soccer Aerodynamics (EP 45)

Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, this episode is our World Cup special — a deep dive into the science, physics, engineering, and data behind the beautiful game.We start with the offside ru...

29 Juni 59min