I work at the intersection of developmental biology, computer science, and cognitive science, seeking answers to ancient philosophical questions about life and mind that lead to practical advances in biomedicine and engineering. I seek general principles of life-as-it-can-be and mind-as-it-can be, using a wide range of natural animal models and novel synthetic and chimeric life forms. My goal is to develop new ways to understand embodied minds that break through limiting ancient categories around the topics of life and intelligence. My lab studies memory, decision-making, and problem-solving (collective intelligence) at scales ranging from the molecular machinery inside cells to that of groups of organisms and everything in between. Advances on these questions will not only lead to essential breakthroughs in regenerative medicine but also help us detect, understand, and ethically relate to truly diverse intelligences around and within us, including cells, tissues, organs, synthetic living constructs, robots, and software-based AIs. As part of this research, I give talks about new results and the implications of the work, and have working meetings with amazing colleagues, all of which will be available here as part of the effort to make fascinating new science available to all.
Professor Michael Levin
Exploring diverse embodiments of mind across living, engineered, and hybrid systems
Welcome to the Thoughtforms Life Podcast — a deep exploration into the frontiers of biology, cognition, regeneration, and emergence.
Hosted by Professor Michael Levin, a pioneer in morphogenesis, bioelectricity, and synthetic life, this podcast invites listeners to examine the hidden architectures of living systems. Through thought-provoking conversations and solo episodes, we uncover how agency and intelligence manifest far beyond the brain — in cells, tissues, and complex morphogenetic fields.
Each episode dives into themes such as:
• How bioelectric networks shape the body and the mind
• The nature of goals and decision-making in non-neural systems
• Philosophical implications of synthetic organisms and reprogrammable life
• The future of regenerative medicine, AI, and consciousness
Whether you’re a scientist, a systems thinker, or just someone captivated by the deep questions of life, Thoughtforms Life offers a window into a radically new understanding of intelligence — one that’s not limited to neurons.
Join us as we follow the sparks of bioelectricity, across disciplines and species, in search of what it truly means to be alive.
