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 20, 2021 • 21min
36 - The Neutrino's Quantum Superpower
Today we discuss neutrino oscillations - their ability to transform between different types – and the quantum mechanics that makes it possible. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseSupport the show
Sep 6, 2021 • 33min
35 - The Chaos Underlying Everything (ft. David Grier)
Learn about the chaotic motion that underlies even the most ordered structures, including life.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseCrew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
Aug 23, 2021 • 29min
34 - Should Beauty Guide Physicists?
Some physics theories are admired for being beautiful, but does that mean they are more likely to be true? Or could chasing beauty lead us astray?Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseCrew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
Aug 9, 2021 • 35min
33 - Our Love Affair With Supersymmetry
Hear why supersymmetry was special enough to win over physicists hearts, and why faith in it might be dying out.Crew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
Jul 26, 2021 • 25min
32 - The Mystery of the Higgs Boson's Mass
Today we explore one of the biggest and most frustrating open problems of particle physics - the hierarchy problem.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseCrew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
Jul 12, 2021 • 28min
31 - If You Give an Astronomer a Neutrino
Learn how astronomers are using invisible particles to see what we've never seen before!Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseCrew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
Jun 28, 2021 • 33min
30 - The Oldest Picture of the Universe
Learn about the oldest light in the universe - the cosmic microwave background - and how it became a treasure trove of cosmological insight.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseCrew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
Jun 14, 2021 • 34min
29 - How the Big Bang Won the Debate About the Beginning of Time
Hear what proved to physicists that the universe started with the Big Bang - and the one person who was never convinced.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseCrew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
May 31, 2021 • 25min
28 - How Emmy Noether Changed Physics Forever
Learn how a profound mathematical theorem relating symmetries to conservation laws is deeply woven into the physics of the universe.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseCrew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
May 10, 2021 • 32min
12 - The Fight Between Modified Gravity and Dark Matter
A rerun of one of our favorite episodes ever. 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 us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverseCrew CollectiveA podcast about the wild, weird, and deeply human side of cosmic storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Support the show
