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Artwork for Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

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Quantum Mechanics
Physics
Black Holes
Gravity
Parasites
Big Bang
Mars
Dark Matter
Evolution
Nuclear Power
Biology
Moon
Particle Physics
General Relativity
Dark Energy
Evolutionary Biology
Aliens
Sleep
Space
Mathematics

Scientists Daniel and Kelly cannot stop talking about our amazing, wonderful, weird Universe! Each episode is a fun, easy-to-understand, and in-depth explanation of topics in science, from particles to black holes to moon colonies to ecosystems to parasites and everything else in the Universe!

PublishesDailyEpisodes841Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Natural SciencesPhysicsScience

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Artwork for Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

Latest Episodes

It's July 2026, and the United States is dealing with an outbreak of cyclospora. Diarrhea makes people think of Kelly, so today we're dealing with the many questions Kelly has gotten about parasites in our food supplies.

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Daniel and Kelly answer listener questions about tick-induced meat allergies, experiencing quantum effects, and fibroids.

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Daniel and Kelly chat with DKEU's audio engineer, Mat Keselman, about the physics of sound and give a behind the scenes look at how Mat works his magic.

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Daniel and Kelly break space, twist time, and then put it back together to explain the most important concept in relativity you've never heard of.

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Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Dr. Chelsea Wood
Associate Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington
University of Washington
Episode: Rat lungworm (featuring Dr. Chelsea Wood)
John Hutchinson
Professor of evolutionary biomechanics
Royal Society fellow
Episode: Listener Questions #44 - How fast can animals go, and how fast can animals grow? (featuring Dr. John Hutchinson)
Delair Mustafa
Listener who submitted questions about the early universe and GUT
New South Wales, Australia
Episode: What broke the grand unified force in the early universe?
Zach Weinersmith
Guest, co-host of related projects and creator
Weinersmith family/Weinoc
Episode: Listener Questions #42
Scott Egan
Evolutionary biologist
Rice University
Episode: What is a species? (featuring Dr. Scott Egan)
Andrew Thaler
Deep-sea ecologist and conservation technologist; runs Southern Fried Science; McArthur Fellow
Southern Fried Science / Op-Ed Project
Episode: The Deep Seabed (featuring Dr. Andrew Thaler)
Steve Brusatte
Paleontologist and evolutionary biologist at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
Episode: Story of Birds (featuring Dr. Steve Brusatte)
Benjamin de Bivort
Harvard geneticist, professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Harvard University
Episode: Listener Questions #35: Genetics (featuring Dr. Benjamin de Bivort)
Matt Giorgianni
Evolutionary biologist and research scientist at the University of Maryland; adjunct at Whiteson Research Institute; known for work on venom and unconventional kitchen experiments
University of Maryland
Episode: Snakes vs Octopi (featuring Dr. Matt Giorgianni)

Hosts

Kelly Weinersmith
Co-host who engages with guests and audience; parasitology and space researcher; science communicator
Daniel
Host with physics background who guides explanations and introduces guests

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 5.5k ratings
  • Complex topics made simpler.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    woodstrapper
    a month ago
  • Great podcast. Solid science and Great Chemistry(snigger) between the hosts.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Madogne
    a month ago
  • I learn, and laugh!

    Great pod!! Witty, wide-ranging!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jed-I jester
    United States3 months ago
  • Mediocre writing, annoying delivery

    I tried to like this podcast (I love the subjects!) but as is the bane of other podcasts, the hosts try too hard to be entertaining. Kelly is loud and overly exuberant while Daniel comes across as smug.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Saurolophus
    United States3 months ago
  • Easy listening for hard subjects

    Love the show and the hosts casual style BUT they stay on topic . Leave me in the cosmic dust sometimes , but I generally learn stuff every show !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rev Dr Dad
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise accessible, wide-ranging science discussions and host chemistry.
Occasional critiques note tone or volume; some feel pacing can be off.
Episodes consistently described as engaging, educational, and fun.
Audience finds topics entertaining and informative, with strong appreciation for guest experts.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Rat lungworm (featuring Dr. Chelsea Wood)
Q: What can people do to reduce risk when consuming produce or traveling?
Wash and thoroughly inspect leafy greens, consider soaking greens to dislodge mollusks, avoid raw greens in high-risk areas (like Hawaii), cook or freeze greens to kill parasites, and support local farming practices that minimize snail and slug contamination.
Rat lungworm (featuring Dr. Chelsea Wood)
Q: Why is diagnosing and treating rat lungworm so challenging?
Diagnosis is difficult because early symptoms resemble flu, and the only definitive test is a spinal tap to detect the worms in cerebrospinal fluid; drugs are often unable to kill worms once they are in the brain, so treatment focuses on managing inflammation and symptoms.
Rat lungworm (featuring Dr. Chelsea Wood)
Q: What exactly is rat lungworm and how does its life cycle work?
Rat lungworm is a nematode that cycles between snails or slugs and rodents; humans are incidental hosts. The larvae develop in snails and slugs, infect rodents, and when humans ingest infected mollusks or contaminated produce, the worms migrate through the gut into the brain and sometimes lungs, causing severe neurological symptoms.
What broke the grand unified force in the early universe?
Q: What form did the energy take when the grand unified force existed, and what were the particles involved?
The hosts explain that in the earliest moments the universe may have had a single unified description with all forces, but the exact content is unknown; they frame it in terms of placeholders like X and Y bosons and emphasize that current language relies on effective theories since a true theory of quantum gravity is not yet known.
Listener Questions #41
Q: Jane asks about shells in snails and whether shells are like toenails, how shells are formed, how old snails are, and whether shells are vascularized.
Shells are secreted by the mantle from calcium carbonate, grow outward as the snail matures, and are not vascularized; aging snails by shell marks is unreliable for most species, and the shell carries a trade-off between protection and mobility.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two scientists explain big ideas in science with humor and accessible intuition, spanning physics, biology, astronomy, and technology. Episodes balance deep explanations with playful banter, listener questions, and real-world analogies, making complex topics approachable for a curious, educated audience. Notable strengths include strong host chemistry, entertaining storytelling, and a willingness to tackle fringe or debated topics while clearly distinguishing theory from evidence. The show's range from particles to ecosystems plus science history and tech-inspired questions makes it appealing to listeners who want both intellectual rigor and entertainment, with potential sponsorship fits in education, science media, and research communities... more

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Why This Universe?
2. The Supermassive Podcast
3. Ask a Spaceman!
4. SpaceTime with Stuart Gary
5. Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 8 years ago and published 841 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Dr. Chelsea Wood
2. John Hutchinson
3. Delair Mustafa
4. Zach Weinersmith
5. Scott Egan
6. Andrew Thaler
7. Steve Brusatte
8. Benjamin de Bivort

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