Michael Levin

Would it be fair to say, in physics, CS, maths etc there are indeed some topics more difficult than others, but the smartest of us manage to overcome them. In biology, it's ultimately all so complex, that no one really has it figured out (I'm not a biologist, just guessing :P)

Quite possibly. In math & physics, easy to find people operating at a different level, mentally - an IQ ladder is apparent. Are there true *biology* geniuses? Some are more successful than others, but is this really due to towering intellect? Flatter range in the biosciences?

Ideas or problems? An important distinction. There are very few difficult ideas to grasp in current biology, because we are generally avoiding the hard problems. Figuring out what makes a system alive is probably one of the hardest problems in science today.

Ideas. Was referring not to actual problems (no doubt as hard or harder than other disciplines) but to current body of work in the field (the ideas, theories). I agree, we haven't hit them yet, but hopefully will. Also agreed that population genetics/evo is probably top so far.

You are conflating complexity with material that in itself is difficult to understand. Once you give me the pathway I can understand it. Give me a very novel math proof and I might still struggle. And before people come dunk on me - one of my majors was biology

'A star is simpler than even the smallest insect...' ~ Astronomer Royal Lord Martin Rees

Probably simpler than a single cell?