A String Theory Problem Stuck for Half a Year, Claude Solved It Overnight, UTokyo Professor Shocked into Deleting Tweet
A theoretical physics problem that had stumped researchers for six months was reportedly solved overnight by the AI Claude Fable. Professor Yuji Tachikawa, a mathematical physicist at the University of Tokyo specializing in quantum field theory and string theory, shared that he input his stalled research notes into the AI on a whim. To his surprise, Claude not only provided a crucial insight that broke the impasse but also proactively used SymPy to write code and verify its own predictions. Professor Tachikawa noted the AI seemed to genuinely understand string theory and possess intuition, even remarking it might know more algebraic topology than he does.
In a parallel development, Stanford geneticist and cardiologist Euan Ashley had Claude analyze his own genome. The AI completed the task in 30 minutes—a process that took his 31-person team nine months in 2010—correctly identifying an Alzheimer's disease risk allele and several gene variants affecting drug metabolism at a minimal cost. These incidents, involving both theoretical physics and clinical genomics, suggest AI is transitioning from a mere tool to a collaborative partner in scientific discovery, potentially heralding an unpredictable acceleration in research.
marsbit07/14 13:56
