Episode · The Tim Ferriss Show · 2026-01-21

Tim Ferriss & Dr. Michael Levin: books mentioned on The Tim Ferriss Show #849

#849: Dr. Michael Levin — Reprogramming Bioelectricity, Updating "Software" for Anti-Aging, Treating Cancer Without Drugs, Cognition of Cells, and Much More

2 books · With Dr. Michael Levin · Listen · Watch on YouTube

Dr. Michael Levin (@drmichaellevin) is the Vannevar Bush Distinguished Professor of Biology at Tufts University and director of the Allen Discovery Center. He is primarily interested in how intelligence self-organizes in a diverse range of natural, engineered, and hybrid embodiments.

Tim Ferriss discussed The Body Electric by Robert O. Becker and others and The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee.

Books mentioned, in the order they came up

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  1. The Body Electric

    Robert O. Becker; Gary Sheldon · at 0:48

    The Body Electric by Robert O. Becker and Gary Sheldon is a seminal work exploring bioelectricity and pioneering concepts in biological regeneration and healing.

    Discussed
    “We have lots of ground to explore and I thought we would begin with a book that had a spot on my bookshelf when I was a kid. It seems like you and I may have found it at the same time, but you did a lot more with it than I did. The author is Robert O. Becker. Is”
    Where to get it
  2. The Gene

    Siddhartha Mukherjee · at 6:33

    The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee is a comprehensive non-fiction exploration of the history, discovery, and future implications of genetics.

    Discussed
    “I every once in a while I'll share a resource like I did recently this multi-part series called the gene. This is a Ken Burns produced documentary about genetics, the history of genetics starting with Mendle and so on working all the way up to modern biotech.”
    Where to get it