History of Science and Technology Q&A (July 28, 2021)

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qa Questions include: Can you tell about the history of the computer until the creation of Apple 2? - ​What is the fine structure constant, and why was Dirac so interested in it? - Can you recall any "what could have been" moments in the development of computers that could have taken off had the right decisions/factors occurred? - What do you think would happen if Archimedes discovered calculus in 200 BC? Thank you for sharing your amazing knowledge. - Do you agree with the people that physics and science has made minimal progress in last 25 years, compared to before? - Did you ever meet Howard Georgi and Sheldon Glashow? - Did you and John Conway get along? Do you have any stories about him?

Om Podcasten

Stephen Wolfram is the creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha and the Wolfram Language; the author of A New Kind of Science; and the founder and CEO of Wolfram Research. Over the course of nearly four decades, he has been a pioneer in the development and application of computational thinking—and has been responsible for many discoveries, inventions and innovations in science, technology and business. On his podcast, Stephen discusses topics ranging from the history of science to the future of civilization and ethics of AI.