The Quanta Podcast
Quanta Magazine
Exploring the distant universe, the insides of cells, the abstractions of math, the complexity of information itself, and much more, The Quanta Podcast is a tour of the frontier between the known and the unknown. In each episode, Quanta Magazine Editor-in-Chief Samir Patel speaks with the minds behind the award-winning publication to navigate through some of the most important and mind-expanding questions in science and math. Quanta specifically covers fundamental research — driven by curiosity, discovery and the overwhelming desire to know why and how. Join us every Tuesday for a stimulating conversation about the biggest ideas and the tiniest details.(If you've been a fan of the Quanta Science Podcast, it will continue here. You'll see those episodes marked as audio edition episodes every two weeks.)
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 11, 2023 • 25min
JWST Spots Giant Black Holes All Over the Early Universe
Discover the surprising abundance of giant black holes in the early universe through the James Webb Space Telescope. Learn about the presence of cyclones in young galaxies, the challenges in interpreting observations, and the progress made in studying distant galaxies. Unusual nitrogen emissions indicate the presence of a black hole's accretion disk. Explore the need to detect and measure black hole masses and the impact of black holes on star formation in galaxies.
28 snips
Sep 27, 2023 • 18min
Is It Real or Imagined? How Your Brain Tells the Difference.
Exploring how the brain differentiates between perceived and imagined mental images based on brain scan studies. The challenges the brain faces in distinguishing between imagining and perceiving. Investigating the relationship between perception and mental imagery through experiments like the Perky effect. Discussing how the brain distinguishes reality from imagination and proposing mechanisms for regulating mental imagery. Exploring the distinction between real and imaginary experiences in the brain, focusing on involuntary imagery and the concept of aphantasia.
Sep 13, 2023 • 17min
Chatbots Don't Know What Stuff Isn't
The podcast discusses the struggle of language models in understanding negation. It explores the advancements and challenges of chatbots, including their ability to detect emotional language and the use of sentiment analysis. The progress made by chat GPT in handling negation is also discussed, along with the integration of text, audio, and visuals in OpenAI's GPT-4 model.
7 snips
Aug 30, 2023 • 21min
Global Microbiome Study Gives New View of Shared Health Risks
A global microbiome study provides new insights into the transmission of microbes among family members and those who live together, highlighting the potential influence on disease risks. Recent advancements in metagenomics tools allow for a more detailed study of microbiome transmission, including significant transmission from mother to baby. Exploring the communicable aspect of diseases, the podcast delves into the impact of specific bacterial strains, an unbalanced gut microbiome, and the interplay between genetics and the microbiome in disease development. Additionally, the podcast discusses the relationship between the use of antibiotics and antiseptics in westernized societies and the prevalence of immunological disorders.
Aug 16, 2023 • 19min
Physicists Use Quantum Mechanics to Pull Energy out of Nothing
Physicists explore the concept of extracting energy from a vacuum through energy teleportation and entanglement. The podcast discusses the theory and research behind it, including zero-point energy in the quantum vacuum. It also explores the experiments that demonstrate the possibility of extracting energy between quantum systems. The potential applications of harvesting zero point energy and quantum energy teleportation are also discussed.
Aug 2, 2023 • 21min
How Loneliness Reshapes the Brain
Feelings of loneliness prompt changes in the brain that further isolate people from social contact. Read more at QuantaMagazine.org. Music is “Slow Burn” by Kevin MacLeod.
Jul 19, 2023 • 20min
Gene Expression in Neurons Solves a Brain Evolution Puzzle
The neocortex of our brain is the seat of our intellect. New data suggests that mammals created it with new types of cells that they developed only after their evolutionary split from reptiles. Read more at QuantaMagazine.org. Music is “Pulse” by Geographer.
Jul 5, 2023 • 21min
Machines Learn Better if We Teach Them the Basics
A wave of research improves reinforcement learning algorithms by pre-training them as if they were human. Read more at QuantaMagazine.org. Music is “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod.
7 snips
Jun 21, 2023 • 22min
The Cause of Depression Is Probably Not What You Think
Depression has often been blamed on low levels of serotonin in the brain. That answer is insufficient, but alternatives are coming into view and changing our understanding of the disease. Read more at QuantaMagazine.org. Music is “Redwood Trail” by Audionautix.
5 snips
Jun 7, 2023 • 18min
Ants Live 10 Times Longer by Altering Their Insulin Responses
Queen ants live far longer than genetically identical workers. Researchers are learning what their longevity secrets could mean for aging in other species. Read more at QuantaMagazine.org. Music is “Good Times” by Patrick Patrikios.
