Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Why This Universe?
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96 - The Making of Particle Fever (Ft. David Kaplan) | 24 Nov 2025 | 00:53:24 | |
In the years leading up to the Large Hadron Collider turning on, the physics community was buzzing with curiosity and excitement about what they were about to discover. These moments were captured in the documentary Particle Fever, created by the particle physicist David Kaplan. On today's episode, he recounts these historic years from the perspective of both physicist and filmmaker. For ad-free episodes and exclusive ask-us-anything segments, 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 | |||
| 95 - Would Aliens Have the Same Physics? (Ft. Daniel Whiteson) | 04 Nov 2025 | 00:43:10 | |
If we met aliens, could we communicate through physics? Daniel Whiteson explores this question on today's episode. For more, check out his new book, Do Aliens Speak Physics? For ad-free episodes and exclusive ask-us-anything segments, 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 | |||
| 89 - A Dark Matter Vibe Check | 14 Oct 2024 | 00:37:14 | |
Dan and Shalma have a candid conversation about the state of dark matter research, and the ways the field has changed over the last few years.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 | |||
| 11 - Discovery Alert! Let's Talk About Gravitational Waves | 21 Sep 2020 | 00:26:43 | |
You may have heard of the new gravitational wave discovery of September 2020. Here's everything you need to know to understand what this detection means for physics! | |||
| 10 - What is Dark Energy? | 14 Sep 2020 | 00:28:03 | |
Get introduced to one of the most mysterious characters in physics. | |||
| 9 - Is Space Expanding? | 07 Sep 2020 | 00:22:56 | |
Here's how a heated debate about whether our Milky Way galaxy is the entire universe led to the discovery of expanding space. | |||
| 8 - Is Space Flat or Curved? | 31 Aug 2020 | 00:23:22 | |
Learn how the geometry of space defies our intuition, and why it gave Einstein so much anxiety. | |||
| 7 - Could Black Holes Be the Dark Matter? | 24 Aug 2020 | 00:23:31 | |
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? | |||
| 6 - Your Tour Through Quantum Weirdness | 17 Aug 2020 | 00:29:17 | |
Entanglement, wave-particle duality, and uncertainty - here's a breakdown of the weirdest and wildest things about quantum mechanics. | |||
| 5 - How Dan Lost a Bet With Dark Matter | 10 Aug 2020 | 00:27:49 | |
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. | |||
| 4 - Where Did the Antimatter Go? | 03 Aug 2020 | 00:26:06 | |
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? | |||
| 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 | 00:32:24 | |
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? | |||
| 88 - Why Does Our Universe Exist At All? (Ft. Sean Carroll) | 23 Sep 2024 | 00:28:01 | |
Why does something exist, rather than nothing? Special guest Sean Carroll helps us explore this deep philosophical question.For ad free episodes 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 | |||
| 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! | |||
| 87 - The Good and the Bad of Peer Review | 02 Sep 2024 | 00:39:39 | |
There has been some criticism of the process scientists use to check each other's work. Today we take a deep dive into peer review to determine how broken it really is.For ad free episodes 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 | |||
| 28 - How Noether's Theorem Changed Physics (Rerun) | 05 Aug 2024 | 00:24:21 | |
Learn how Noether's profound mathematical theorem relating symmetries to conservation laws is deeply woven into the physics of the universe. Enjoy this rerun of an earlier episode as we take our summer break.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 | |||
| 86 - The Life and Death of Stars | 02 Jul 2024 | 00:40:52 | |
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-universe | |||
| 85 - Our Sun: Present, Past and Future | 17 Jun 2024 | 00:37:23 | |
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-universe | |||
| 84 - The Search For New Worlds (ft. Josh Winn) | 03 Jun 2024 | 00:45:14 | |
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-universe | |||
| 83 - Witnessing a Revolution in Particle Physics (Ft. Chris Quigg) | 13 May 2024 | 00:31:44 | |
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 | |||
| 82 - Science Vs. Pseudoscience | 29 Apr 2024 | 00:35:40 | |
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-universe | |||
| 81 - Ancient Greek Astronomy | 15 Apr 2024 | 00:43:25 | |
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-universe | |||
| 38 - The Nobel Prize's Greatest Misses (2025 Update) | 13 Oct 2025 | 00:34:29 | |
In honor of Nobel prize season, we remember some people whose important work in the past has been overlooked by the Nobel committee. Our merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universe | |||
| 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 | 00:41:03 | |
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-universe | |||
| 78 - The Life of a Science Journalist (Ft. Katrina Miller) | 04 Mar 2024 | 00:38:30 | |
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. | |||
| 77 - All About Quantum Computing (Ft. Henry Lamm) | 05 Feb 2024 | 00:40:31 | |
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. | |||
| 76 - Do We Live in a Simulation? | 22 Jan 2024 | 00:37:59 | |
Is the world around us real, or are we living in someone's computer program? | |||
| 75 - Physics in Extreme Locations (Ft. Daniel Baxter & Alexandra Rahlin) | 08 Jan 2024 | 00:42:01 | |
We hear two physicists describe their lives collecting data in remote locations, from deep underground in an active mine and from the South Pole. | |||
| 8 - Is Space Flat or Curved? | 18 Dec 2023 | 00:24:23 | |
Learn how the geometry of space defies our intuition, and why it gave Einstein so much anxiety. | |||
| 74 - The Copernican Revolution (Ft. Aviva Rothman) | 04 Dec 2023 | 00:58:30 | |
Today we visit a turning point in the history of science: the discovery that the Earth is not at the center of the cosmos. | |||
| 73 - Life Beyond Earth (Ft. Avi Loeb and Garrett Graff at the Chicago Humanities Festival) | 20 Nov 2023 | 01:08:41 | |
Dan moderates a lively discussion on extraterrestrial life at the Chicago Humanities Festival. | |||
| 72 - The Physics Of Music (Ft. Tim Cohen) | 06 Nov 2023 | 00:43:31 | |
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. | |||
| 94 - Inside the Hubble Tension (Ft. Adam Riess) | 29 Sep 2025 | 00:31:55 | |
Our universe is expanding. But when physicists measure how fast this expansion rate is, they get two different answers. Hear what this crisis means from Nobel Prize winner Adam Riess. 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 | |||
| 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 | 00:57:55 | |
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. | |||
| 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 | 00:47:20 | |
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? | |||
| 68 - The Age of the Universe | 14 Aug 2023 | 00:29:26 | |
Today we are debunking the recent paper that claims our universe is much older than previously thought. | |||
| 6 - Your Tour Through Quantum Weirdness (Rebroadcast) | 31 Jul 2023 | 00:30:14 | |
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. | |||
| 67 - When Science Meets Spirituality (Ft. Alan Lightman) | 17 Jul 2023 | 00:42:48 | |
Special guest Alan Lightman takes us through a fascinating discussion of consciousness, and tells us how he reconciles spirituality with his materialist views. | |||
| 66 - When Space Was Filled With Music | 03 Jul 2023 | 00:25:33 | |
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? | |||
| 65 - Should We Build a Muon Collider? (Ft. Cari Cesarotti) | 22 May 2023 | 00:42:18 | |
Special guest Cari Cesarotti tells us why so many particle physicists are itching to build a whole new type of particle collider. | |||
| 64 - The Journey to the Big Bang | 08 May 2023 | 00:30:10 | |
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. | |||
| 93 - The Moment Dark Energy Appeared (Ft. Adam Riess) | 15 Sep 2025 | 00:40:23 | |
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 | |||
| 63 - The Question of Consciousness (Ft. David Chalmers) | 17 Apr 2023 | 00:50:26 | |
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. | |||
| 47 - Boltzmann Brains: Could Reality Be An Illusion? (Rebroadcast) | 27 Mar 2023 | 00:28:02 | |
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. | |||
| 62 - JWST and the Earliest Galaxies in the Universe (ft. Mike Boylan-Kolchin) | 13 Mar 2023 | 00:24:01 | |
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? | |||