Claude-shaped science

This post introduces 'BootLoops', a toolkit designed to harness LLM capabilities for exact calculations in quantitative science. It details how the author collaborated with Claude to identify and solve 'Claude-shaped' problems, which are problems well-suited to LLM strengths like broad knowledge, coding proficiency, and mathematical/statistical abilities. The work demonstrates the application of BootLoops to diverse fields beyond physics, including ecology and population genetics, by mapping mathematical and computational techniques across disciplines. The post highlights the iterative process of tool development and problem-solving, emphasizing the need for domain experts to steer LLM-generated insights towards scientifically significant questions. It also discusses the 'impedance mismatch' between human scientific workflows and current LLM capabilities, and proposes BootLoops as a solution to bridge this gap.