What if intelligence doesn’t require a brain? Biologist Michael Levin argues that intelligence is not confined to neurons, but exists on a continuum of goal-directed behavior and problem-solving across a wide range of species and systems. Using a framework he calls the “cognitive light cone,” Levin explores diverse forms of intelligence extending all the way down to the cellular level. His research suggests that cells communicate through electrical networks, enabling them to make collective decisions and adapt to unexpected challenges, evidenced by engineered tadpoles capable of seeing through eyes located on their tails. Levin radically challenges the conventional wisdom even further, proposing that forms of intelligence may extend beyond biology to molecular systems and maybe even the weather.
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00:00 What is intelligence?
01:03 The field of diverse intelligence
01:33 Intelligence at the cellular level
02:08 The cognitive light cone
03:01 The intelligence of groups of cells
03:52 The bioelectric language of cells
04:20 The mind of the body
04:23 Cells that solve problems
05:17 The tadpole experiment
06:25 The cognitive spectrum
06:48 Can you train a hurricane?
07:03 A new science of intelligence
07:28 Beyond human biases
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