Comment by NikolaNovak

I've enjoyed Peter Watts in kind of similar way I enjoy qntm. It's nerdy, explores interesting ideas, and written by a professional in a field who draws on their education, skills and interests. Premier work is probably Blindsight but the Sunflower cycle stories are likely easier to start. Like qntm, a lot of his works are online for free:

https://rifters.com/real/shorts.htm