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Artwork for Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

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

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!

PublishesDailyEpisodes808Founded8 years ago
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PhysicsScienceNatural Sciences

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Artwork for Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

Latest Episodes

Daniel and Kelly answer questions about Odderon particles, Langerhans cells, and black holes within black holes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel, Kelly, and Katrine talk about biofilms, and how they can be delicious, adorable, and bad. For the bad ones, we discuss current tactics for overcoming them.

Show links:

1. Nature's cutest symbiosis: The Bobtail Squid: www.youtube.com... more

Daniel and Kelly discuss whether ideas from science fiction have inspired real scientific or technological progress.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel and Kelly answer questions about innate behaviors and what it means to "decode" a genome with help from Dr. Benjamin de Bivort.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

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)
Dr. Scott Solomon
Teaching professor in Biosciences at Rice University, author of Becoming Martian
Rice University / MIT Press
Episode: Becoming Martian (featuring Dr. Scott Solomon)
Nathan Lentz
Professor of biology at John Jay College, City University of New York
John Jay College, City University of New York
Episode: Why do animals cooperate?
Jane Baldwin
Professor at UC Irvine
University of California, Irvine
Episode: How do we predict the weather?
John Martin
Professor of Meteorology
University of Wisconsin
Episode: How do we predict the weather?
Robert Shackleford
High school teacher and listener who submitted a question
Episode: How do we control mosquito populations?
Daniel Whiteson
Physicist and author at UC Irvine, co-host of the podcast Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe.
UC Irvine
Episode: Introducing : Inner Cosmos with Host David Eagleman and Guest Daniel Whiteson
Dr. John Hawdon
Molecular biologist and parasitologist specializing in parasitic infections
George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Episode: How do parasites evade our immune system? (featuring Dr. John Hawdon)

Hosts

Kelly Weinersmith
Co-host with a focus on studying parasites and space, educational advocate, and enthusiast in scientific communication.
Daniel Whiteson
Co-host and particle physicist, passionate about making complex scientific concepts accessible to all audiences.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 5.3k ratings
  • Stretching My Brain Without Actually Hurting It

    An extraordinary podcast delving into the mysteries of the universe with the unique combination of both a physicist and a biologist perspective. Topics are well grounded in current scientific knowledge and not just hand wavy musings. And with their inclusion of answering listener questions to complement their own topics, Daniel and Kelly cover a wide range of topics that will stretch your head for sure! And in a good way.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Brain over banter
    Canada12 days ago
  • Extremely informative; my understanding of the universe has changed to be more accurate. There is a major side effect - I get annoyed now more often than before because a lot of popular knowledge is actually wrong! And so I know people are wrong a lot more frequently now.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    murnshaw
    15 days ago
  • Science and Fun!

    Daniel and Kelly offset each other well. Kelly’s laugh is awesome. Her tone and energy makes it a podcast to keep in the list. Daniel is too smart for me. Learn something every time!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Caettx
    Canada19 days ago
  • Delightful

    I was hopelessly searching for something to feed my brain while I do mindless work when I found this podcast. I first listened to the cholera episode and was delighted to find there was a part one. I’ve listened to eight more hours since Tuesday. Enjoyable, funny, and easily digestible. Thank you for making my work days a little more thought provoking and stoking my curiosity.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rudi Too
    United States19 days ago
  • Best. Podcast. EVER.

    Daniel and Kelly are simply the best science communicators I’ve ever found, and this podcast is easily my favourite science podcast - no, my favourite podcast, period. Funny, super informative, warm and welcoming, whatever your knowledge level. Just the BEST.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jon Smith Norfolk
    United Kingdom22 days ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the mix of humor and intellectual content, finding the episodes engaging and informative.
Some feedback mentions displeasure regarding changes in co-hosts and ad content, suggesting slight discontent among certain audience segments.
Many positive reviews highlight the hosts' chemistry and ability to make complex scientific concepts approachable.
The seamless integration of listener questions adds a relatable aspect, enhancing the interactive nature of the show.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Listener Questions #35: Genetics (featuring Dr. Benjamin de Bivort)
Q: What does it mean to decode DNA, and what do we actually know when a genome is decoded?
Decoding DNA means identifying the sequence of letters (A, T, C, G) and, in a broader sense, understanding which parts correspond to genes, regulatory elements, and other functional regions. Knowing the sequence alone doesn't tell you everything about function; you need background context about which genes do what, how regulation works, and how proteins interact. Decoding can inform you about potential disease risk or protein composition, but translating sequence into phenotype requires many layers of knowledge, including evolutionary conservation, annotations, and experimental data.
Listener Questions #34
Q: What is a Cauchy horizon in spinning black holes, and why does it prevent predicting the future according to classical physics?
They explain that a rotating black hole contains an inner horizon (the Cauchy horizon) where a singularity can lie within the past light cone, causing breakdowns in predictability, and discuss how general relativity and quantum considerations complicate this indefinitely.
Listener Questions #34
Q: Hi Daniel and Kelly, my son asked about bats having valves in their circulatory system to prevent dizziness when upside down; do geckos have something similar?
The hosts break down the premise, discuss how dizziness is multifactorial, and review evidence from literature that suggests bats may not rely on valves as a universal upside-down solution; they emphasize that geomorphology and scale matter, and invite listeners to correct them with new data.
Does consciousness come from quantum processes in the brain?
Q: What is the hard problem of consciousness and how does it relate to Penrose's theory?
The hard problem asks why there is subjective experience at all; Penrose ties it to a non-computable collapse mechanism linked to quantum gravity, suggesting a physical basis for conscious experience beyond standard brain function.
Becoming Martian (featuring Dr. Scott Solomon)
Q: What made you want to write this book in particular?
Solomon explains that the book extends his previous work on human evolution by exploring what happens when some people leave Earth and begin to adapt to Mars, emphasizing environmental drivers and whether a new path of evolution is plausible.

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?

A lighthearted yet informative exploration of various scientific disciplines characterizes content that brings complex topics into accessible conversations. The episodes frequently cover an array of themes within natural sciences, including physics, biology, and cosmology, discussing phenomena from the intricacies of worm behavior to the vastness of black holes. The dynamic between the hosts shines through, providing a blend of humor and curiosity that encourages audience engagement and makes profound scientific concepts approachable for listeners of varying backgrounds.

Unique characteristics include a strong interactive component, often integrating listener questions into episodes, which fosters a community feel. This makes the material r... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Supermassive Podcast
2. Ask a Spaceman!
3. SpaceTime with Stuart Gary
4. The Quanta Podcast
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 808 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. Benjamin de Bivort
2. Matt Giorgianni
3. Dr. Scott Solomon
4. Nathan Lentz
5. Jane Baldwin
6. John Martin
7. Robert Shackleford
8. Daniel Whiteson

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