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In this week’s episode, I discuss the process for solving impossible problems and the benefits of developing a “math mind” with mathematical physicist Dr. Spiros Michalakis. We also discuss his collaboration with Hollywood in creating the Quantum Realm for the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Ant-Man. He has excellent advice for writers seeking to work with scientists on their story research, and you’ll get to hear me model this type of creative collaboration at the end of the episode.
We start off discussing Spiros’ incredible work with on the Quantum Hall Effect problem — one of the 13 unsolved Millennium problems in mathematical physics. He tells the story of how he worked on this problem and finally solved it while working as a postdoc fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2008. We discuss the incredible similarities between tackling complex problems in mathematics and science and wrestling with creative challenges in fields like writing and art.
Spiros and I also discuss the merits of developing a “math mind” — which doesn’t mean that you have to go back to school and tackle Algebra or Calculus again. Instead, it involves a respect for following the process and developing integrity.
He also noted how his experience in sports helped him to have the mental toughness to keep working on this single problem for months. It also helped him to change his attitude from one of antagonism (the problem is the enemy) to one of cooperation. It sounds crazy at first to think about collaborating with a math problem — or with characters in a story — but there is a very real sense in which this is exactly what happens.
We also talk about the importance of the exchange between the sciences and the creative arts — his work, specifically, is in consulting on film projects for Hollywood. Spiros advocates for a collaborative relationship between writers and scientists, in which mutual respect and an openness to conversation is key. Writers shouldn’t just treat scientists like a live version of Wikipedia — and scientists, he says, shouldn’t be assholes when approached by writers with creative questions. For writers who might be afraid to approach a scientist with their questions, his advice is “Just breathe”…and then do it.
To model this type of collaboration, Spiros and I round out our conversation by discussing a story problem from one of my own works in progress. We talk about modes of faster-than-light travel and he gives me some brand new ways of looking at my story concept.
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