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© 2024 Why This Universe?
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The biggest ideas in physics, broken down. Join theoretical physicist Dan Hooper and co-host Shalma Wegsman as they answer your questions about dark matter, black holes, quantum mechanics, and more. Part of The University of Chicago Podcast Network.
93 Episodes
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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.
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Hear how a recent discovery of the motions of galaxies is changing how cosmologists are thinking about our universe.
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Our merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universe
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/whythisuniverse
Our merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universe
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.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-universeSupport the show
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.Our new merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeFor ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
Is the world around us real, or are we living in someone's computer program?Our new merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeFor ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
We hear two physicists describe their lives collecting data in remote locations, from deep underground in an active mine and from the South Pole.Our new merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeFor ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
Learn how the geometry of space defies our intuition, and why it gave Einstein so much anxiety.Our new merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeFor ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
Today we visit a turning point in the history of science: the discovery that the Earth is not at the center of the cosmos.Our new merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeFor ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
Dan moderates a lively discussion on extraterrestrial life at the Chicago Humanities Festival.Our new merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universeFor ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
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.For ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
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.For ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
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.This conversation took place during the University of Chicago Podcast Network festival.For access to ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverse.Support the show
CORRECTION: We misspeak about the time of the event in the episode, we are really on at 3-4 pm CST! Apologies!Why This Universe is going live on October 3rd in Chicago, IL!RSVP for *free* here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ucpn-podcast-festival-tickets-717455076447?aff=ebdsoporgprofileJoin us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
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?Did you know this episode was inspired by a Patreon question? For access to ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
Today we are debunking the recent paper that claims our universe is much older than previously thought.For ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseFor fun dinosaur facts and research, check out I Know Dino: The Big Dinosaur Podcast, on Apple or wherever you get your podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-know-dino-the-big-dinosaur-podcast/id960976813?ign-mpt=uo%3D4&mt=2Support the show
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.To support our show and access exclusive ask-us-anything segments and more, join us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverse.Support the show
Special guest Alan Lightman takes us through a fascinating discussion of consciousness, and tells us how he reconciles spirituality with his materialist views.Todays episode is sponsored by the International Space Station. Join the ISS National Laboratory this August in Seattle at the 12th annual ISS Research and Development Conference. Visit ISSconference.org to register now.Support the show
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?Todays episode is sponsored by the International Space Station. Join the ISS National Laboratory this August in Seattle at the 12th annual ISS Research and Development Conference. Visit ISSconference.org to register now.Support the show
Special guest Cari Cesarotti tells us why so many particle physicists are itching to build a whole new type of particle collider.Support the show
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I really enjoyed it. Good job.
awesome👌🏻
For all respects, but I think that it's a nonsense not saying the name James Webb because of him being against LGBTQ community long ago. If I was gay or something I would be mature enough to give a shit for this and I would be quiet grateful for the science that James Webb Space Telescope will bring us.
I've heard that in some cases, gravity is repulsive. How does the shift from attraction to repulsion affect gravitational waves? Is the shift gradual, or sudden?
There's some kind of theater-themed joke in here about exposition and why momentum (what's my motivation), with a punchline like 'because the co-directors were taking the show in different directions', but I'm not quite smart enough to put it together. Love your show, btw! I was just listening to your episode about gravity being a wave in the shape of space. Fascinating! You mentioned that the ripples that would occur if the sun stopped existing would take about 8 mins. to reach Earth. Isn't that also about how long it takes the sun's light to get here? Do gravitational waves and light travel at the same speed? Do gravitational waves I always travel at a constant speed, or are there slower and faster waves? If gravitational waves and light travel at the same speed, how does a black hole pull light in faster than it can escape? Could we have an episode about how gravity and light interact with one another?