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.
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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.
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
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-universe
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
Is it possible that dark energy is not a constant, but rather is changing over time? Sean Carroll talks to us about how our understanding of dark energy evolved in recent history, and what is still left unknown.
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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.
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Why does something exist, rather than nothing? Special guest Sean Carroll helps us explore this deep philosophical question.
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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.
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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.
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We explore the diverse world of stars in the universe, from those similar to our Sun to those totally unrecognizable.
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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.
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Hear how the search for exoplanets has developed, and what surprises it has brought so far.
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Today we hear from someone who bore witness to the so-called “November Revolution” of particle physics in 1974.
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Pseudoscience can sometimes be hard to distinguish from the real thing. Today we discuss how philosophers of science have thought about this problem.
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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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Last year, an experiment called NanoGRAV made a surprising discovery of gravitational waves using pulsars around the universe. Special guest Chiara Mingarelli explains.
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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
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.
