Why This Universe?
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.
- Update frequency
- every 15 days
- Average duration
- 31 minutes
- Episodes
- 107
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
AUA: Changing Dark Energy, Twin Paradox, and What's Next for CERN
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
00:54:27 |
Fri 02 May 2025
AUA: The Early Universe, Quantum Interpretations, and Asteroids
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
00:28:56 |
Sun 09 Mar 2025
92 - What Cosmology Has in Store for 2025 (Ft. Dan Scolnic)
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.…
00:46:05 |
Mon 13 Jan 2025
91 - What Neutrinos Reveal About the Milky Way
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-any…
00:30:48 |
Mon 23 Dec 2024
90 - Quintessence: Is Dark Energy Changing? (Ft. Sean Carroll)
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 l…
00:41:34 |
Mon 04 Nov 2024
89 - A Dark Matter Vibe Check
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 jus…
00:37:05 |
Mon 14 Oct 2024
88 - Why Does Our Universe Exist At All? (Ft. Sean Carroll)
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…
00:27:52 |
Mon 23 Sep 2024
87 - The Good and the Bad of Peer Review
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 othe…
00:39:30 |
Mon 02 Sep 2024
28 - How Noether's Theorem Changed Physics (Rerun)
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 summ…
00:24:12 |
Mon 05 Aug 2024
86 - The Life and Death of Stars
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 Patreo…
00:40:43 |
Tue 02 Jul 2024
85 - Our Sun: Present, Past and Future
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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00:37:14 |
Mon 17 Jun 2024
84 - The Search For New Worlds (ft. Josh Winn)
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/why…
00:45:05 |
Mon 03 Jun 2024
83 - Witnessing a Revolution in Particle Physics (Ft. Chris Quigg)
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: htt…
00:31:35 |
Mon 13 May 2024
82 - Science Vs. Pseudoscience
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 …
00:35:31 |
Mon 29 Apr 2024
81 - Ancient Greek Astronomy
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 …
00:43:16 |
Mon 15 Apr 2024
80 - (April Fools 2024) A Surprising Discovery Shaking Up Modern Cosmology
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…
00:16:39 |
Mon 01 Apr 2024
79 - NanoGRAV's Big Gravitational Wave Discovery (Ft. Chiara Mingarelli)
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 othe…
00:40:54 |
Mon 18 Mar 2024
78 - The Life of a Science Journalist (Ft. Katrina Miller)
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 perspecti…
00:38:30 |
Mon 04 Mar 2024
77 - All About Quantum Computing (Ft. Henry Lamm)
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://…
00:40:31 |
Mon 05 Feb 2024
76 - Do We Live in a Simulation?
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-universe
For ask-us-anything segments and other excl…
00:37:59 |
Mon 22 Jan 2024
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