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Explore every episode of the podcast The Quanta Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for The Quanta Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Introducing The Quanta Podcast13 May 202500:12:24

The Quanta Podcast is your weekly dispatch from the frontiers of science and mathematics. In each episode, editor in chief Samir Patel will talk to the writers and editors behind our most popular, interesting and thought-provoking stories. 

The first episode of The Quanta Podcast will be live on May 20. In this trailer episode, Patel talks to executive editor Michael Moyer about what Quanta covers, how it has changed over time and our recent special series on “Science, Promise and Peril in the Age of AI.”

Join us every Tuesday for stimulating conversations and insights about the biggest ideas in basic science and mathematics.

Quantum Computers Cross Critical Error Threshold08 May 202500:19:09
In a first, researchers have shown that adding more “qubits” to a quantum computer can make it more resilient. It’s an essential step on the long road to practical applications.

The post Quantum Computers Cross Critical Error Threshold first appeared on Quanta Magazine

What Happens in a Mind That Can't 'See' Mental Images11 Dec 202400:20:35
Neuroscience research into people with aphantasia, who don’t experience mental imagery, is revealing how imagination works and demonstrating the sweeping variety in our subjective experiences.

The post What Happens in a Mind That Can’t ‘See’ Mental Images first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Statistics Postdoc Tames Decades-Old Geometry Problem24 Jun 202100:21:34
To the surprise of experts in the field, a postdoctoral statistician has solved one of the most important problems in high-dimensional convex geometry.

The post Statistics Postdoc Tames Decades-Old Geometry Problem first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Mathematicians Set Numbers in Motion to Unlock Their Secrets10 Jun 202100:26:15
A new proof demonstrates the power of arithmetic dynamics, an emerging discipline that combines insights from number theory and dynamical systems.

The post Mathematicians Set Numbers in Motion to Unlock Their Secrets first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Artificial Neural Nets Finally Yield Clues to How Brains Learn27 May 202100:20:23
The learning algorithm that enables the runaway success of deep neural networks doesn’t work in biological brains, but researchers are finding alternatives that could.

The post Artificial Neural Nets Finally Yield Clues to How Brains Learn first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Brain’s ‘Background Noise’ May Hold Clues to Persistent Mysteries13 May 202100:28:33
By digging out signals hidden within the brain’s electrical chatter, scientists are getting new insights into sleep, aging and more.

The post Brain’s ‘Background Noise’ May Hold Clues to Persistent Mysteries first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Rumbles on Mars Raise Hopes of Underground Magma Flows29 Apr 202100:22:30
Small and cold, Mars has long been considered a dead planet. But a series of recent discoveries has forced scientists to rethink how recently its insides stopped churning — if they ever stopped at all.

The post Rumbles on Mars Raise Hopes of Underground Magma Flows first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Mathematicians Resurrect Hilbert’s 13th Problem15 Apr 202100:20:12
Long considered solved, David Hilbert’s question about seventh-degree polynomials is leading researchers to a new web of mathematical connections.

The post Mathematicians Resurrect Hilbert’s 13th Problem first appeared on Quanta Magazine

A Newfound Source of Cellular Order in the Chemistry of Life01 Apr 202100:28:11
Inside cells, droplets of biomolecules called condensates merge, divide and dissolve. Their dance may regulate vital processes.

The post A Newfound Source of Cellular Order in the Chemistry of Life first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The Mystery of Mistletoe’s Missing Genes18 Mar 202100:12:51
Mistletoes have all but shut down the powerhouses of their cells. Scientists are still trying to understand the plants’ unorthodox survival strategy.

The post The Mystery of Mistletoe’s Missing Genes first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The New History of the Milky Way04 Mar 202100:16:18
Over the past two years, astronomers have rewritten the story of our galaxy.

The post The New History of the Milky Way first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Scientists Uncover the Universal Geometry of Geology18 Feb 202100:23:17
An exercise in pure mathematics has led to a wide-ranging theory of how the world comes together.

The post Scientists Uncover the Universal Geometry of Geology first appeared on Quanta Magazine

What Could Explain the Gallium Anomaly?26 Nov 202400:14:00
Physicists have ruled out a mundane explanation for the strange findings of an old Soviet experiment, leaving open the possibility that the results point to a new fundamental particle.

The post What Could Explain the Gallium Anomaly? first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The Most Famous Paradox in Physics Nears Its End04 Feb 202100:37:36
In a landmark series of calculations, physicists have proved that black holes can shed information.

The post The Most Famous Paradox in Physics Nears Its End first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Quantum Tunnels Show How Particles Can Break the Speed of Light21 Jan 202100:22:39
Recent experiments show that particles should be able to go faster than light when they quantum mechanically “tunnel” through walls.

The post Quantum Tunnels Show How Particles Can Break the Speed of Light first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record07 Jan 202100:19:12
After 44 years, there’s finally a better way to find approximate solutions to the notoriously difficult traveling salesperson problem.

The post Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Mitochondria May Hold Keys to Anxiety and Mental Health16 Dec 202000:17:58
Research hints that the energy-generating organelles of cells may play a surprisingly pivotal role in mediating anxiety and depression.

The post Mitochondria May Hold Keys to Anxiety and Mental Health first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The Hidden Magnetic Universe Begins to Come Into View03 Dec 202000:22:17
Astronomers are discovering that magnetic fields permeate much of the cosmos. If these fields date back to the Big Bang, they could solve a major cosmological mystery.

The post The Hidden Magnetic Universe Begins to Come Into View first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Graduate Student Solves Decades-Old Conway Knot Problem19 Nov 202000:16:41
It took Lisa Piccirillo less than a week to answer a long-standing question about a strange knot discovered over half a century ago by the legendary John Conway.

The post Graduate Student Solves Decades-Old Conway Knot Problem first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The Grand Unified Theory of Rogue Waves05 Nov 202000:19:01
Rogue waves — enigmatic giants of the sea — were thought to be caused by two different mechanisms. But a new idea that borrows from the hinterlands of probability theory has the potential to predict them all.

The post The Grand Unified Theory of Rogue Waves first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Hidden Computational Power Found in the Arms of Neurons22 Oct 202000:17:17
The dendritic arms of some human neurons can perform logic operations that once seemed to require whole neural networks.

The post Hidden Computational Power Found in the Arms of Neurons first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Neutrinos Lead to Unexpected Discovery in Basic Math08 Oct 202000:17:47
Three physicists stumbled across an unexpected relationship between some of the most ubiquitous objects in math.

The post Neutrinos Lead to Unexpected Discovery in Basic Math first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Machines Beat Humans on a Reading Test. But Do They Understand?24 Sep 202000:31:26
A tool known as BERT can now beat humans on advanced reading-comprehension tests. But it's also revealed how far AI has to go.

The post Machines Beat Humans on a Reading Test. But Do They Understand? first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Cryptographers Discover a New Foundation for Quantum Secrecy13 Nov 202400:20:11
Researchers have proved that secure quantum encryption is possible in a world without hard problems.

The post Cryptographers Discover a New Foundation for Quantum Secrecy first appeared on Quanta Magazine

How Jurassic Plankton Stole Control of the Ocean’s Chemistry10 Sep 202000:16:24
Only 170 million years ago, new plankton evolved. Their demand for carbon and calcium permanently transformed the seas as homes for life.

The post How Jurassic Plankton Stole Control of the Ocean’s Chemistry first appeared on Quanta Magazine

To Pay Attention, the Brain Uses Filters, Not a Spotlight27 Aug 202000:19:19
A brain circuit that suppresses distracting sensory information holds important clues about attention and other cognitive processes.

The post To Pay Attention, the Brain Uses Filters, Not a Spotlight first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Fossil DNA Reveals New Twists in Modern Human Origins13 Aug 202000:20:28
Modern humans and more ancient hominins interbred many times throughout Eurasia and Africa, and the genetic flow went both ways.

The post Fossil DNA Reveals New Twists in Modern Human Origins first appeared on Quanta Magazine

For Embryo's Cells, Size Can Determine Fate30 Jul 202000:15:35
Modeling suggests that many embryonic cells commit to a developmental fate when they become too small to divide unevenly anymore.

The post For Embryo’s Cells, Size Can Determine Fate first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Scientists Debate the Origin of Cell Types in the First Animals16 Jul 202000:18:42
Theories about how animals became multicellular are shifting as researchers find greater complexity in our single-celled ancestors.

The post Scientists Debate the Origin of Cell Types in the First Animals first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Wandering Space Rocks Help Solve Mysteries of Planet Formation02 Jul 202000:15:03
After an interstellar asteroid shot past the sun, scientists realized that there’s probably a lot of itinerant rocks out there.

The post Wandering Space Rocks Help Solve Mysteries of Planet Formation first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Random Surfaces Hide an Intricate Order18 Jun 202000:12:28
Mathematicians have proved that a random process applied to a random surface will yield consistent patterns.

The post Random Surfaces Hide an Intricate Order first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Where We See Shapes, AI Sees Textures04 Jun 202000:16:00
To researchers’ surprise, deep learning vision algorithms often fail at classifying images because they mostly take cues from textures, not shapes.

The post Where We See Shapes, AI Sees Textures first appeared on Quanta Magazine

What’s in a Name? Taxonomy Problems Vex Biologists21 May 202000:25:05
Researchers struggle to incorporate ongoing evolutionary discoveries into an animal classification scheme older than Darwin.

The post What’s in a Name? Taxonomy Problems Vex Biologists first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Bacterial Complexity Revises Ideas About ‘Which Came First?’07 May 202000:20:46
Contrary to popular belief, bacteria have organelles too. Scientists are now studying them for insights into how complex cells evolved.

The post Bacterial Complexity Revises Ideas About ‘Which Came First?’ first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Electric 'Ripples' in the Resting Brain Tag Memories for Storage30 Oct 202400:19:08

New experiments reveal how the brain chooses which memories to save and add credence to advice about the importance of rest.

Ancient DNA Yields Snapshots of Vanished Ecosystems23 Apr 202000:24:18
Surviving fragments of genetic material preserved in sediments allow scientists to see the full diversity of past life — even microbes.

The post Ancient DNA Yields Snapshots of Vanished Ecosystems first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Computer Scientists Expand the Frontier of Verifiable Knowledge09 Apr 202000:17:00
The universe of problems that a computer can check has grown. The researchers’ secret ingredient? Quantum entanglement.

The post Computer Scientists Expand the Frontier of Verifiable Knowledge first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The Hidden Heroines of Chaos26 Mar 202000:19:30

Two women programmers played a pivotal role in the birth of chaos theory. Their previously untold story illustrates the changing status of computation in science.  Read more at quantamagazine.org. Music is “Clover 3” by Vibe Mountain.

Heat-Loving Microbes, Once Dormant, Thrive Over Decades-Old Fire12 Mar 202000:28:07
In harsh ecosystems around the world, microbiologists are finding evidence that “microbial seed banks” protect biodiversity from changing conditions.

The post Heat-Loving Microbes, Once Dormant, Thrive Over Decades-Old Fire first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Scientists Discover Exotic New Patterns of Synchronization27 Feb 202000:23:34
In a world seemingly filled with chaos, physicists have discovered new forms of synchronization and are learning how to predict and control them.

The post Scientists Discover Exotic New Patterns of Synchronization first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Cryptography That Is Provably Secure06 Feb 202000:11:58
Researchers have just released hacker-proof cryptographic code — programs with the same level of invincibility as a mathematical proof.

The post Cryptography That Is Provably Secure first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The Math That Tells Cells What They Are30 Jan 202000:17:22
During development, cells seem to decode their fate through optimal information processing, which could hint at a more general principle of life.

The post The Math That Tells Cells What They Are first appeared on Quanta Magazine

How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Science16 Jan 202000:22:24
The latest AI algorithms are probing the evolution of galaxies, calculating quantum wave functions, discovering new chemical compounds and more. Is there anything that scientists do that can’t be automated?

The post How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Science first appeared on Quanta Magazine

A World Without Clouds02 Jan 202000:26:19
A state-of-the-art supercomputer simulation indicates that a feedback loop between global warming and cloud loss can push Earth’s climate past a disastrous tipping point in as little as a century.

The post A World Without Clouds first appeared on Quanta Magazine

How the Brain Creates a Timeline of the Past19 Dec 201900:15:57
The brain can’t directly encode the passage of time, but recent work hints at a workaround for putting timestamps on memories of events.

The post How the Brain Creates a Timeline of the Past first appeared on Quanta Magazine

AI Starts to Sift Through String Theory's Near-Endless Possibilities16 Oct 202400:25:13

Using machine learning, string theorists are finally showing how microscopic configurations of extra dimensions translate into sets of elementary particles — though not yet those of our universe.

Foundations Built for a General Theory of Neural Networks05 Dec 201900:16:44
Neural networks can be as unpredictable as they are powerful. Now mathematicians are beginning to reveal how a neural network’s form will influence its function.

The post Foundations Built for a General Theory of Neural Networks first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The Brain Maps Out Ideas and Memories Like Spaces21 Nov 201900:25:08
Emerging evidence suggests that the brain encodes abstract knowledge in the same way that it represents positions in space, which hints at a more universal theory of cognition.

The post The Brain Maps Out Ideas and Memories Like Spaces first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Milestone Experiment Proves Quantum Communication Really Is Faster07 Nov 201900:10:59
In a Paris lab, researchers have shown for the first time that quantum methods of transmitting information are superior to classical ones.

The post Milestone Experiment Proves Quantum Communication Really Is Faster first appeared on Quanta Magazine

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