How many people spend more time organizing their “second brains”, instead of leveraging the information within them?  With consumer AI now capable of processing simple language prompts and interfacing with unstructured data, is the landscape of information management on the brink of a transformative evolution? Founders of Mem, Kevin Moody and Dennis Xu, plus writer Nat Eliason, explore what’s gotten in the way of a true second brain, and how AI may finally unlock what “knowledge management” tools have promised for so long.    Topics Covered: 00:00 - A true second brain 02:45 -  Knowledge management 06:01 - Thiago Forte's ‘Building a Second Brain’ 10:24 - Digital hoarding 12:53 - The fun of organizing  14:16 - Levels of utility 19:09 - Can the unstructured nature of AI help? 21:46 - What does a second brain unlock?  25:23 - Time spent  searching for information 31:07: LLMs and technology unlocks 34:22 - Personalization  36:24 - Is the second brain a new PA and EA? 38:57 - Challenges 44:32 - Moats and differentiators    Resources: Link to Mem’s website: https://mem.aiFind Kevin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinfmoodyFind Dennis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DennisHXuFInd Nat on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nateliasonNat’s course on Effortless Output in Roam: https://www.effortlessoutput.com/  Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

From artificial limbs to memory foam, many inventions have emerged from our quest to understand the cosmos.  In this episode we explore cosmic history, space's impact on technology, and the enduring human fascination with space exploration. To take us on this journey is astrophysicist John Mather, a Nobel Prize winner for his work on the COBE satellite and a key figure in the James Webb Space Telescope project. Prepare to be intrigued and left with a sense of wonder about the universe's influence on our world.   Topics Covered: 00:00 –  Innovations through the pursuit of space 03:52– John’s early life  06:44 – Proving The Big Bang Theory  13:30 – The mysteries of quantum mechanics 15:10 –  Leading the James Webb Telescope 17:12 – Images from James Webb 20:32 – Are we alone?  24:20 – New telescopes 25:18 – Engineering in space for earth 29:31 –  What would you like to see solved in your lifetime? 32:24 – What came before The Big Bang?  25:04 – Misconceptions about space 37:17 – Can humans be a multiplanetary species? 38:20 - Private vs public spending in space 40:24 – What’s the future of space exploration?   Resources: COBE satellite imagery: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/cobe_20th.htmlImages from the James Webb Telescope: https://webbtelescope.org/imagesExoplanet transmission spectrum: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/2022/032/01G72VSFW756JW5SXWV1HYMQK4  Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain