What I Read This Week (2/23/25)
Wisdom from Rumi, AI Trained on DNA Predicts and Cures Diseases, Market Volatility & Drama, Invited to Speak at a Conference, Seeing Myself From the Outside
Every week, I like to share what caught my attention. This is from 2/15/25 to 2/23/25.
Timeless Ideas💡
Wisdom from Rumi
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” - Rumi
When I was younger, I had a deep desire to improve the world. I was constantly aware of its flaws—how cold and broken it seemed. With boldness and intellect, I believed the best use of my abilities was to fix what was wrong around me.
After more than a decade of holding that perspective, I’ve realized that changing myself is not only easier but also far more effective.
By focusing on my own growth, I have a greater impact on the world around me. The changes I make within myself ripple outward in a tangible and meaningful way.
When I work on becoming better, I naturally improve my corner of the world.
New Idea 🌟
AI Trained on DNA Predicts and Cures Diseases
Similar to how ChatGPT and other large language models are trained words and language. Evo 2 is trained on DNA.
It’s a groundbreaking artificial intelligence built by the Arc Institute and NVIDIA.
It’s trained on 9 trillion genetic building blocks from plants, bacteria, and humans, allowing it to detect genetic issues without being explicitly told what to look for.
I think this is a potential game-changer in our fight against some of the world’s most challenging diseases.
What makes Evo 2 so promising is its capacity to generalize from a single human sample and all life’s DNA to detect disease mechanisms never explicitly shown to it. It’s like the model has internalized the "grammar" of life, spotting errors and suggesting fixes based on first principles. For instance, it can predict how a mutation ripples through DNA, RNA, and protein interactions—crucial for diseases where these layers interact, like cancer or Alzheimer’s.
How It Works
Think of DNA as a recipe book for the body. Sometimes, tiny typos in that book lead to diseases. Evo 2 acts like an expert proofreader who has read every recipe. It can spot these mistakes, even the subtle ones we might otherwise miss because it understands the deep rules of how life is structured.
Evo 2 doesn’t need to see a specific disease to detect a problem—it just gets DNA like no other technology before.
What Could It Help With?
Evo 2 can predict how gene combinations interact, even if it has never seen that exact pattern. This gives it an unprecedented understanding of life's building blocks and a powerful edge in disease research.
Biologists are also exploring Evo 2’s ability to model protein structures, meaning it doesn’t just understand DNA—it can predict the structures DNA creates. Researchers are now working on training even larger AI models to build on this foundation, scaling up from DNA to higher levels of biological complexity. The goal is to develop AI that first understands organelles, then entire cells, and eventually, whole multicellular organisms.
Here are three ways Evo 2 might change the game:
Breast Cancer – A broken BRCA1 gene dramatically increases cancer risk. Evo 2 can identify harmful mutations in BRCA1 with over 90% accuracy, potentially allowing for earlier detection and new treatment strategies.
Cystic Fibrosis – This disease causes thick mucus to clog the lungs due to a faulty gene. Evo 2 could pinpoint additional hidden mutations that worsen symptoms, paving the way for more precise therapies.
Alzheimer’s – A complex disease with multiple genetic components. Evo 2 can analyze how different parts of DNA influence the brain, uncovering risk factors and potential ways to slow progression.
Why This Matters
Evo 2 doesn’t just identify genetic errors—it’s trying to solve them.
Identifying genetic problems means researchers can develop targeted treatments faster.
Evo 2 could help design precise DNA edits to repair faulty genes.
By identifying risks early, we might be able to stop diseases before they start.
What’s Already Happening?
Scientists are using Evo 2 to predict harmful DNA changes more accurately than ever.
It can analyze how DNA affects the entire body—far beyond what traditional tools could do.
Researchers have even used it to design new genomes from scratch, proving that Evo 2 isn’t just reading life’s code—it’s beginning to rewrite it.
The Future of AI and Medicine
Researchers hope this deep learning will translate into cures by speeding up drug discovery (e.g., targeting specific mutations), enhancing gene therapies (e.g., designing repair sequences), and even preventing diseases before they manifest.
If Evo 2 continues to evolve, it could become a cornerstone in curing all genetic diseases, turning the dream of precision medicine into reality.
You can read more about it from Nature and Stanford.
What I See In Markets 📈
Market Volatility & Drama
Honestly, to me, this wasn’t an eventful or notable week.
Markets fell a little, probably because of:
Fed Signals: That “no cuts till Q3” comment could’ve spooked investors, pushing bond yields up and stocks down.
Tariffs: Trump’s tariff threats (e.g., on Mexico, Canada, and China) might have flared up, especially if Friday’s drop was tied to a policy update.
Earnings: Late February isn’t peak earnings season, but a big player's (e.g., Nvidia, Amazon) missing estimates could have triggered Friday’s slide.
Global Noise: tensions and weather—could be background factors.
As usual, stocks go down, and I see it as a great opportunity to buy.
Drama comes and goes; what matters is that I am building.
Alex Karp is Selling $1.3B of PLTR
I also noticed Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir, released that he is selling $1.3B of his company’s stock. That is downward pressure on top of the already high valuation.
To maintain this valuation, Palantir needs to increase its growth rate above 40% per year for the next few years. It’s possible, but in my opinion, unlikely.
I’m glad I sold part of my position when I did, but like I’ve said before, my position is house money, and I’m happy wherever it goes.
Personal Update 💙
Invited to Speak at a Conference
I was recently invited to speak at the School Climate Conference on April 25th. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about this, but I have learned this feeling means I need to prepare more.
It’s so cool to take a step back and see how far I’ve come since writing my little blog on education back in 2018.
I keep learning that growth and change happen slowly and then all at once.
Just a few years ago, I remember walking into my first staff meeting, being scared and intimidated by all these professionals and hoping I could do a good enough job.
Now, I’m signing books and speaking at a conference?! It is pretty unbelievable.
Seeing Myself From the Outside
Admittedly, I struggle with not feeling as successful as I want. But this week, I took a step back and saw my role in the grand scheme of things. I observed my life from a bird's-eye view, not the first-person perspective I usually use.
I took on a perspective of “turning the sound off.”
If I was watching my life like a movie without sound, what was I doing? What kind of movie would it be? What am I like as a character in that movie?
This exercise helped me realize a lot of things.
For the first time, I realized that I am truly a different person than I used to be.
Here are some of the changes I’ve recently noticed:
People suddenly take me seriously. They listen when I speak and look to me for solutions. I rarely have them, but I can help them find their answers.
I have written a book and give copies to students who want more out of their lives. It’s a pretty special experience that I created and will be something I can always look back on with pride.
I’m spending more time creating workshops for people to learn. All of a sudden, I’m an expert. I still feel like that angsty 23-year-old who just graduated college, but I’m definitely not.
People ask me if I am working on my next book…and I am! (I still can’t believe I wrote one, but I’m also compulsively creative.) My writing process for my next book is very different from how I wrote my first one.
People have told me they hope to be as successful as I am one day. Every time I hear that, I think, “But I’m not successful yet.” Maybe that’s a lie, I tell myself. Perhaps success is not binary but a continuum. The right question is not “Are you successful?” but “How successful are you?”
I’m starting to see that I can only feel successful if I consistently work towards a better future AND take the time to slow down and admire how things have changed.
I’m pretty damn good at working towards a better future. I’m much worse at recognizing when I get there.
Regardless, taking the time to reflect has made me feel much better about myself and helped me see my role. I always say the most significant wins come from reflection, but I rarely take the time to reflect seriously. It’s a lesson I’ve needed to learn over and over again.