How evolution creates problem-solving machines | Michael Levin

Podcast: Big Think (LS 33 · TOP 5% what is this?) Episode: How evolution creates problem-solving machines | Michael Levin Pub date: 2025-10-20 Get Podcast Transcript → powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarization Evolution doesn’t fix things — it reinvents them. Michael Levin, a biologist, explains. Esteemed biologist Michael Levin explores a captivating biological perspective of evolution — one that’s hard for engineers to come to terms with. In their work, making random changes to a system usually makes things worse, not better. But evolution, on the other hand, doesn't just produce specific solutions to specific challenges; instead, it creates what Levin calls "problem-solving machines." These machines are made up of hierarchical biological hardware with incredible adaptability, capable of tackling various challenges without assuming specific environmental conditions. Contrary to commonly held ideas about evolution, it doesn't just search for the best possible physical characteristics in organisms. It also uses signals and behaviors to shape how organisms function, so when things change or get damaged, the different parts of an organism can continue to function. From metabolic to physiological dilemmas, Levin highlights evolution’s remarkable ability to adapt. -------------------- --------------11:08-25 ----------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from bigthink, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.