Conversations in science
Knowledge not shared is knowledge wasted
We sit down with theoretical computer scientist Scott Aaronson to discuss how artificial intelligence is changing science and mathematics, drawing on his work in quantum computing, computational complexity, and AI safety.
Shenglong Xu joins us to explore quantum many-body dynamics, chaos, and entanglement. We discuss how collections of quantum particles evolve and scramble information, along with the growing role of AI and computational tools in physics.
Andrew Long takes us back to the early universe to explore why matter prevailed over antimatter, what dark matter could be, and how cosmology connects to particle physics, neutrinos, and questions beyond the Standard Model.
What if we began with quantum mechanics and asked how our familiar classical world emerges? Ashmeet Singh discusses his approach to space, time, gravity, and cosmology, alongside science communication and his journey from IIT to Caltech and back to India.
Piotr Sułkowski explores the mathematical structures that connect quantum field theory, string theory, geometry, and topology. We discuss how these connections help physicists understand particles, forces, and the underlying framework of nature.
Niko Šarčević explains how cosmologists study dark matter and dark energy through weak gravitational lensing. We explore what distorted images of distant galaxies reveal about the universe, and the measurement challenges involved in turning survey data into cosmological insights.
What does chaos mean when quantum systems have no classical trajectories? Marine De Clerck joins us to explore the relationship between classical and quantum chaos, gravity, and the mathematical structures that help us understand them.
Daniel Whiteson joins us to discuss his book with Andy Warner, Do Aliens Speak Physics? We explore how communication with an alien civilization might work and what that thought experiment reveals about the human assumptions behind our understanding of physics.
Eve M. Vavagiakis takes us behind the scenes of cosmological observations, from the cosmic microwave background to ultra-cold telescopes and superconducting detectors. We also discuss her work bringing big questions about the universe to young readers through children’s science books.
Biophysicist Ramakrishna V. Hosur discusses his book Where Science Meets Spirituality and his perspective on the connections between scientific curiosity, philosophy, and ancient Indian texts. We explore how questioning and the pursuit of knowledge shape these conversations.
Pavan Hosur explores how familiar thermal behavior emerges from quantum mechanics. We discuss the Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis, quantum chaos, and how a small part of an isolated quantum system can behave as though it is in contact with a thermal bath.
Andreas Karch explores why unifying gravity and quantum mechanics remains a central challenge in physics. We discuss string theory, extra dimensions, and gauge/gravity duality, and how these ideas connect seemingly different descriptions of the universe.
Kaden Hazzard introduces paraparticles and the physics of exchanging quantum particles. We discuss how they differ from familiar bosons and fermions, the statistics they obey, and what they could reveal about quantum systems.
René Bellwied reflects on the ALICE collaboration and the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. We discuss the early universe, research at the Large Hadron Collider, the challenges of large scientific collaborations, and his journey as a physicist and mentor.