From DNA to AI: The Evolution of Intelligence

In this talk, physicist Bill Dixon leaves the realms of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics to explore a very different frontier: the evolution of intelligence.

From wriggling worms and slave-making ants – to bears, chimpanzees and the extraordinary complexity of human culture – nature reveals a remarkable spectrum of behavior. How did it arise? How is it shaped by Darwinian evolution?

More intriguing is the question of evolution beyond ourselves and where that might take us. Could intelligence evolve into something greater than our own: in machines – future forms of humanity – or elsewhere in the universe?

Join Bill Dixon, one of Madrid’s best-known educators, for a stimulating journey through evolution, intelligence and the possibilities that lie ahead. There may be more questions than answers, but that’s where the fun begins.

About Bill Dixon

Bill Dixon is a physicist, educator, and visiting university lecturer with over 20 years of experience teaching physics and mathematics across Europe. He studied Natural Sciences at Pembroke College, Cambridge and completed his teacher training at King’s College London.

He has taught at leading international schools, including International School of The Hague, and has served as a Visiting Lecturer and Academic Tutor at the University of Karlsruhe. Bill is known for making modern physics accessible without losing its depth, helping audiences engage with profound questions about reality, time, and measurement.