Why This Universe?
Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 28, 2020 • 31min
12 - Please Stop Emailing Dan About MOND
Some physicists have considered the possibility that dark matter might not exist - and that instead, it's our theories of gravity which are wrong. Today we take a deep dive into these theories of modified gravity.Support the show
Sep 21, 2020 • 27min
11 - Discovery Alert! Let's Talk About Gravitational Waves
You may have heard of the new gravitational wave discovery of September 2020. Here's everything you need to know to understand what this detection means for physics!Support the show
Sep 14, 2020 • 28min
10 - What is Dark Energy?
Get introduced to one of the most mysterious characters in physics.Support the show
Sep 7, 2020 • 23min
9 - Is Space Expanding?
Here's how a heated debate about whether our Milky Way galaxy is the entire universe led to the discovery of expanding space.Support the show
Aug 31, 2020 • 23min
8 - Is Space Flat or Curved?
Learn how the geometry of space defies our intuition, and why it gave Einstein so much anxiety.Support the show
10 snips
Aug 24, 2020 • 24min
7 - Could Black Holes Be the Dark Matter?
Dark matter has eluded physicists for years - all we know is that it's some kind of matter that doesn't interact with light. Does that sound like a black hole to you?Support the show
10 snips
Aug 17, 2020 • 29min
6 - Your Tour Through Quantum Weirdness
Dive into the bizarre world of quantum mechanics where wave-particle duality reigns. Discover the illuminating double-slit experiment that reshaped our perception of light. Uncover the mind-bending Heisenberg uncertainty principle and its implications for measuring particles. Explore the mysterious phenomenon of quantum entanglement, revealing how particles communicate over vast distances. The discussion touches on misconceptions around faster-than-light communication and highlights the intricate dance between quantum mechanics and classical physics.
Aug 10, 2020 • 28min
5 - How Dan Lost a Bet With Dark Matter
We revisit some of Dan's early predictions about dark matter, and talk about the biggest dark matter ideas and experiments of the last decade.Support the show
Aug 3, 2020 • 26min
4 - Where Did the Antimatter Go?
Every time a particle of matter is made, a particle of antimatter is also made. So it seems like all matter ever created should have annihilated with antimatter, leaving behind an empty universe. But then... why is our universe filled with matter?Support the show
Jul 26, 2020 • 16min
3 - What in the World Is Antimatter?
Learn how special relativity and quantum mechanics come together to make an odd prediction about matter.Support the show
