Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Why This Universe?
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93 - The Moment Dark Energy Appeared (Ft. Adam Riess) | 15 Sep 2025 | 00:41:11 | |
Adam Riess recounts the moments of his Nobel prize-winning discovery that our universe is expanding at an accelerating rate, powered by a mysterious energy source called dark energy. For ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverse Our merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universe Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| AUA: Changing Dark Energy, Twin Paradox, and What's Next for CERN | 02 May 2025 | 00:55:24 | |
We answer your questions. To listen to our backlog of ask-us-anything episodes for free, head to our Patreon, or join for $3/month to submit your questions: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverse Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 86 - The Life and Death of Stars | 02 Jul 2024 | 00:41:40 | |
We explore the diverse world of stars in the universe, from those similar to our Sun to those totally unrecognizable.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeCrew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 7 - Could Black Holes Be the Dark Matter? | 24 Aug 2020 | 00:24:19 | |
Dark matter has eluded physicists for years - all we know is that it's some kind of matter that doesn't interact with light. Does that sound like a black hole to you? Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 6 - Your Tour Through Quantum Weirdness | 17 Aug 2020 | 00:30:05 | |
Entanglement, wave-particle duality, and uncertainty - here's a breakdown of the weirdest and wildest things about quantum mechanics. Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 5 - How Dan Lost a Bet With Dark Matter | 10 Aug 2020 | 00:28:37 | |
We revisit some of Dan's early predictions about dark matter, and talk about the biggest dark matter ideas and experiments of the last decade. Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 4 - Where Did the Antimatter Go? | 03 Aug 2020 | 00:26:54 | |
Every time a particle of matter is made, a particle of antimatter is also made. So it seems like all matter ever created should have annihilated with antimatter, leaving behind an empty universe. But then... why is our universe filled with matter? Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 3 - What in the World Is Antimatter? | 26 Jul 2020 | 00:15:31 | |
Learn how special relativity and quantum mechanics come together to make an odd prediction about matter. | |||
| 2 - What's It Like to Discover Quantum Mechanics? | 20 Jul 2020 | 00:33:12 | |
Quantum mechanics revolutionized our understanding of the universe. But have you ever wondered how it was first discovered? What's it like to live through such a dramatic scientific moment? Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 1 - Why Are We So Sure About Dark Matter? | 13 Jul 2020 | 00:20:47 | |
Dark matter sounds as mysterious as it is - an invisible form of matter that permeates our universe that physicists have not yet been able to detect! And yet, most physicists are extremely confident that it exists. Learn why! | |||
| 0 - Welcome to Why This Universe! | 13 Jul 2020 | 00:04:49 | |
Learn more about the co-hosts, what this podcast is all about, and why we are making it! | |||
| 85 - Our Sun: Present, Past and Future | 17 Jun 2024 | 00:38:11 | |
Today's episode is all about the star in our front yard - the sun. Learn how it came to be, how it has changed, and how will it change in the future.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeCrew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 84 - The Search For New Worlds (ft. Josh Winn) | 03 Jun 2024 | 00:46:02 | |
Hear how the search for exoplanets has developed, and what surprises it has brought so far.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeCrew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 83 - Witnessing a Revolution in Particle Physics (Ft. Chris Quigg) | 13 May 2024 | 00:32:32 | |
Today we hear from someone who bore witness to the so-called “November Revolution” of particle physics in 1974.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universe Crew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 82 - Science Vs. Pseudoscience | 29 Apr 2024 | 00:36:27 | |
Pseudoscience can sometimes be hard to distinguish from the real thing. Today we discuss how philosophers of science have thought about this problem.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeCrew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 81 - Ancient Greek Astronomy | 15 Apr 2024 | 00:44:13 | |
The first episode in a new mini-series on philosophical problems in cosmology - Today we start with the origins of Western science and learn what the ancient Greeks thought about the cosmos.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeCrew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 80 - (April Fools 2024) A Surprising Discovery Shaking Up Modern Cosmology | 01 Apr 2024 | 00:16:48 | |
Hear how a recent discovery of the motions of galaxies is changing how cosmologists are thinking about our universe.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universe | |||
| 79 - NanoGRAV's Big Gravitational Wave Discovery (Ft. Chiara Mingarelli) | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:41:51 | |
Last year, an experiment called NanoGRAV made a surprising discovery of gravitational waves using pulsars around the universe. Special guest Chiara Mingarelli explains.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeCrew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 78 - The Life of a Science Journalist (Ft. Katrina Miller) | 04 Mar 2024 | 00:39:18 | |
What's it like bringing science to the most general public audiences? How do you distill complex results into short news-worthy articles without getting lost in clickbait? Today we hear the perspective of New York Times science journalist Katrina Miller. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 77 - All About Quantum Computing (Ft. Henry Lamm) | 05 Feb 2024 | 00:41:18 | |
Quantum computing makes big promises, but how does it work? What is the real state of quantum computing today? Special guest Henry Lamm answers our questions. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| AUA: The Early Universe, Quantum Interpretations, and Asteroids | 09 Mar 2025 | 00:29:53 | |
To listen to our backlog of past ask-us-anything episodes for free, head to our Patreon, or join for $3/month to ask us questions: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverse Crew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 76 - Do We Live in a Simulation? | 22 Jan 2024 | 00:38:46 | |
Is the world around us real, or are we living in someone's computer program? A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 75 - Physics in Extreme Locations (Ft. Daniel Baxter & Alexandra Rahlin) | 08 Jan 2024 | 00:42:49 | |
We hear two physicists describe their lives collecting data in remote locations, from deep underground in an active mine and from the South Pole. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 8 - Is Space Flat or Curved? | 18 Dec 2023 | 00:25:11 | |
Learn how the geometry of space defies our intuition, and why it gave Einstein so much anxiety. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 74 - The Copernican Revolution (Ft. Aviva Rothman) | 04 Dec 2023 | 00:59:17 | |
Today we visit a turning point in the history of science: the discovery that the Earth is not at the center of the cosmos. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 73 - Life Beyond Earth (Ft. Avi Loeb and Garrett Graff at the Chicago Humanities Festival) | 20 Nov 2023 | 01:09:29 | |
Dan moderates a lively discussion on extraterrestrial life at the Chicago Humanities Festival. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 72 - The Physics Of Music (Ft. Tim Cohen) | 06 Nov 2023 | 00:44:19 | |
Where does the musical octave come from? What makes a C note a C? Why do different instruments sound different? Special guest Tim Cohen comes on to answer these questions and more. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 71 - How the Universe Got Its Structure | 23 Oct 2023 | 00:20:20 | |
We tell the story of how the Universe developed large scale structure, starting from the Big Bang to today. It could have all turned out very differently, if not for some key players. | |||
| 70 - WTU Live: Will Intelligent Life Persist in the Universe? (ft. Daniel Holz and Diana Powell) | 10 Oct 2023 | 00:58:42 | |
Why This Universe hosts it's first ever live episode taping featuring guests Daniel Holz and Diana Powell. We discuss the possibility of intelligent life out in the Universe, the existential risks faced by humans on Earth, and the chance the intelligent life can persist in the Universe. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| Special Announcement + ChatGPT On Unifying Quantum Mechanics and Relativity | 28 Sep 2023 | 00:09:56 | |
CORRECTION: We misspeak about the time of the event in the episode, we are really on at 3-4 pm CST! Apologies! | |||
| 69 - An Update on Modified Gravity (MOND) | 28 Aug 2023 | 00:48:08 | |
While physicists overwhelmingly agree about the existence of dark matter, a select group of people aren't convinced. Instead, they believe we must be wrong about gravity, and claim we need a theory of modified gravity (MOND) instead. Recent press releases have claimed "smoking gun" evidence for this underdog theory, should we take them seriously? A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 92 - What Cosmology Has in Store for 2025 (Ft. Dan Scolnic) | 13 Jan 2025 | 00:47:02 | |
Learn what exciting cosmology results and potential discoveries await us in 2025!For exclusive ask-us-anything episodes, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverse. Our merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeCrew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 68 - The Age of the Universe | 14 Aug 2023 | 00:30:14 | |
Today we are debunking the recent paper that claims our universe is much older than previously thought. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 6 - Your Tour Through Quantum Weirdness (Rebroadcast) | 31 Jul 2023 | 00:31:02 | |
We are celebrating our 3 year anniversary with a throwback to one of our earliest episodes! Entanglement, wave-particle duality, and uncertainty - here's a breakdown of the weirdest and wildest things about quantum mechanics. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 67 - When Science Meets Spirituality (Ft. Alan Lightman) | 17 Jul 2023 | 00:43:36 | |
Special guest Alan Lightman takes us through a fascinating discussion of consciousness, and tells us how he reconciles spirituality with his materialist views. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 66 - When Space Was Filled With Music | 03 Jul 2023 | 00:26:21 | |
Shortly after the Big Bang, space was densely packed with enough stuff for sound to travel through it. What was producing sound in this era, and how can we hear it today? A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 65 - Should We Build a Muon Collider? (Ft. Cari Cesarotti) | 22 May 2023 | 00:43:06 | |
Special guest Cari Cesarotti tells us why so many particle physicists are itching to build a whole new type of particle collider. Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 64 - The Journey to the Big Bang | 08 May 2023 | 00:30:58 | |
The Big Bang is well accepted today as the leading theory of how our universe evolved over time - but in today's episode, we talk through all the very wrong theories that came before it. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 63 - The Question of Consciousness (Ft. David Chalmers) | 17 Apr 2023 | 00:51:14 | |
Can consciousness be explained by physics, or does it appeal to something beyond materialism? Philosopher guest star David Chalmers talks to us about how we can think about consciousness from a philosophical and scientific perspective. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 47 - Boltzmann Brains: Could Reality Be An Illusion? (Rebroadcast) | 27 Mar 2023 | 00:28:50 | |
A whirlwind of questions brings us to an odd conclusion: could reality be an illusion created by a quantum fluctuation of a brain? This is a rebroadcast of a past favorite. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 62 - JWST and the Earliest Galaxies in the Universe (ft. Mike Boylan-Kolchin) | 13 Mar 2023 | 00:24:49 | |
Astronomers' newest telescope, JWST, just discovered galaxies that formed earlier than previously thought possible. What does this discovery mean for our understanding of the early universe? A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 61 - Could the Large Hadron Collider Destroy the World? | 27 Feb 2023 | 00:24:25 | |
Before the LHC turned on in 2008, many feared that it would create a dangerous black hole that would destroy the world. Were any of those fears well-founded, and how seriously did scientists take these claims? Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 91 - What Neutrinos Reveal About the Milky Way | 23 Dec 2024 | 00:31:45 | |
A discovery last year reveals our galaxy in a whole new light - except it's not light, it's neutrinos! Learn what this discovery can teach us about the Milky Way and beyond.For exclusive ask-us-anything episodes, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverse. Our merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universe Crew Collective A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 60 - The Search for Extra Dimensions | 13 Feb 2023 | 00:24:37 | |
Learn how extra dimensions of space might appear to us, and what physicists have done to try to find them. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 59 - The End of Everything (Ft. Katie Mack) | 09 Jan 2023 | 00:41:37 | |
Special guest Katie Mack talks to us about how the universe might end. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 58 - The Risks of Science Populism | 12 Dec 2022 | 00:14:20 | |
In today's different type of episode, we talk about the risks of a subtle kind of scientific misinformation. | |||
| 57 - String Theory Part 3: Duality | 21 Nov 2022 | 00:24:49 | |
This episode will hurt your brain, or your money back. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 56 - An Icy Neutrino Interruption | 07 Nov 2022 | 00:29:43 | |
We interrupt our regular episodes to cover the exciting new discovery that the IceCube Neutrino Observatory announced on November 3rd, 2022. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 55 - String Theory Part 2: The First Superstring Revolution | 24 Oct 2022 | 00:28:57 | |
We pick up the story of string theory and explore the explosion of interest it experienced in the mid 1980s. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||
| 54 - String Theory Part 1: What Is It? | 03 Oct 2022 | 00:26:13 | |
Last time, we introduced the biggest open problem in theoretical physics - the problem of combining gravity with quantum mechanics. In this first part of a three-part series, we introduce the leading candidate for how to do that: String Theory. A podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | |||