Claude-Shaped Science

Professor Matthew Schwartz developed BootLoops, a toolkit for exact calculations in quantitative science, by allowing Claude to identify "Claude-shaped" problems best suited for LLM tools. Claude found connections between these calculations and diverse fields like ecology and population genetics. While initial connections were technically correct but scientifically unremarkable, Schwartz collaborated with domain experts to refine BootLoops, steering it towards addressing questions relevant to those fields. This approach leverages the recurring nature of mathematical forms, such as the diffusion equation, across various scientific disciplines.