Historian Aviva Rothman discusses the Copernican Revolution and its impact on society. Topics include the transition from Earth-centered to sun-centered cosmos, Tiko's myths and Kepler's beliefs, Kepler's geometrical universe, parallels between Copernican and Darwinian Revolutions, lessons from the history of science, Aviva Rothman's book, merchandise, and support options.

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

Physics professor and musician, Tim Cohen, joins the hosts to answer questions about the physics of music. They explore the 12-note scale, overtones in instruments, the physics of rhythm, the connection between number theory and music, and the physics of musical instruments like the flute, organ pipes, and saxophone.

The podcast explores the development of the Universe's structure, starting from the Big Bang. It discusses the cosmic microwave background and its consistent temperature, revealing density variations and the role of gravity. The significance of dark matter in formation is explored, along with the differences between hot and cold dark matter and their impact on structure formation.

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

Debunking the claim that our universe is older than thought, analyzing methods to determine the age of the universe, exploring flaws in Gupta's theories, discussing the constancy of fundamental constants, and introducing the 'I Know Dino' podcast focusing on dinosaurs and their relevance to the modern world.

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