Rephonic
Artwork for Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes847Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Natural SciencesPhysicsScience

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

Latest Episodes

Daniel and Kelly talk about what a recent simulation project can tell us about how the Universe got so clumpy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel and Kelly answer questions about crackpots, hearing meteors, and the age of everything.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel, Kelly, and Katrine take on the origins of life. They discuss competing definitions for "life", whether it's even helpful to have a definition, the oldest evidence we have for life, and how we think life got started.

See omnystudio.com/listen... more

Daniel and Kelly review the recent movie 'Disclosure Day' and discuss some tough questions about knowledge and secrecy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Why This Universe?
Why This Universe?Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman
The Supermassive Podcast
The Supermassive PodcastThe Royal Astronomical Society
Ask a Spaceman!
Ask a Spaceman!Paul M. Sutter

Recent Guests

Dr. Manuel Lerdau
Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia; research director of the Morvin Sustainability Lab
University of Virginia
Episode: Listener Questions #47 - Plant Questions (featuring Dr. Manuel Lerdau)
Matt Keselman
Audio engineer and producer
Ocelot Audio
Episode: Sound (featuring audio wizard Mat Keselman)
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)

Hosts

Daniel Weiner-Smith
Host with a background in physics and cosmology; co-host of the show.
Kelly Wienersmith
Host with parasitology and space research interests; co-host of the show.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 5.6k ratings
  • EXTRAORDINARY PODCAST!!!

    Wow!!! Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe is an absolute blast. They somehow make mind‑bending science, cosmic mysteries, parasites, goats, aliens, and everything in between feel totally understandable and ridiculously fun. Beyond being brilliant storytellers, they’re warm, hilarious humans who make every episode feel like a cozy hangout. Highly, highly recommended!!!

    Audible
    5
    Geert Kerkhofs
    United States8 days ago
  • Huge fan

    I feel like you are my really smart friends who make me laugh while teaching me really cool science. I love your chemistry, the amazing guests you bring on, and your banter. Thank you for the joy you bring to learning. I look forward to every new episode and replay many old ones on repeat. You are so appreciated!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mel3241
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great Amazing Inspiring Show !

    I rarely (never in fact !) take the time to write reviews to congratulate shows, but DKEU is so awesome that it reached well above my high minimum energy activation level !

    Thank you and please keep on going !!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vincent PTR
    United Statesa month ago
  • Addictive

    Brilliant podcast. Daniel.. sorry Prof. Daniel you are not just a great physicist and a humble human being but also an excellent teacher … learned a lot from you. Kelly I am not into biology but listened to all your segments with great joy. Bot of you guys make this planet a better place … Awesome

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kentuckyroad
    Australiaa month ago
  • Speed up

    Get to the point. Too much time speaking about what you’re going to speak about.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    johnfivethousand
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests consistently praise the hosts' chemistry and ability to explain hard science clearly.
The show is valued for accessible but technically solid content.
Listeners enjoy a light, entertaining tone without sacrificing accuracy.
Quality guest expertise is often highlighted as a strength.
Audience notes the show can be addictive and highly informative.
Some critique the hosts' delivery as overly enthusiastic or noisy at times.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Origins of life (featuring Dr. Katrine Whiteson)
Q: What evidence supports hydrothermal vents as a cradle for life?
Hydrothermal vent environments offer natural chemical gradients, mineral surfaces that can catalyze reactions, and compartment-like pores in rocks, which together could support early metabolic networks and the emergence of protocells before true cellular life.
Origins of life (featuring Dr. Katrine Whiteson)
Q: Why is the RNA world hypothesis considered a strong contender for early life?
RNA can both store genetic information and catalyze reactions, acting as a bridge before proteins and DNA. Ribozymes demonstrate how RNA alone could drive early biochemistry and replication, making RNA a plausible first step before more complex biology evolved.
Listener Questions #48
Q: What is the oldest thing you think exists or has existed in the universe?
They discuss the ages of carbon atoms and protons, noting that carbon and other elements were forged in stars, and protons have lifetimes longer than the age of the universe, making the idea of an ultimate oldest thing a matter of perspective on cosmic timescales.
Listener Questions #48
Q: Do meteors produce audible sounds on the ground, or can we hear them like a meteor's clap?
They explain that while meteor-induced plasma and shockwaves create visible and audible effects, ground-level hearing depends on size, altitude, trajectory, and atmospheric conditions; electrophonic sounds can occur when extremely large events generate low-frequency EM waves that vibrate nearby objects, effectively acting as tiny speakers.
Listener Questions #48
Q: What is your favorite question you've gotten over email?
Kelly shares that many favorites come from kids, but she loves questions that lead to deep dives, like banana slugs and connecting them to broader themes; Daniel adds that he appreciates questions that can be explored with 15-30 minutes of earnest research and then a thoughtful reply.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

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

A duo of science communicators explore a wide range of topics across the natural world and the cosmos, blending approachable explanations with playful humor. Episodes often mix physics and astronomy with biology, ecology, and parasitology, and they frequently invite expert guests or field listener questions to illustrate complex ideas in accessible ways. A notable strength is translating high-level science into practical takeaways and vivid, memorable demonstrations, while maintaining a warm, conversational vibe that keeps even dense subjects engaging for curious listeners. The show appears to welcome diverse specialists and emphasizes clear distinctions between theory and evidence, making it a solid fit for listeners who enjoy deep dives t... more

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does this podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for this podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

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. Universe Today Podcast

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 8 years ago and published 847 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact this podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Dr. Manuel Lerdau
2. Matt Keselman
3. Dr. Chelsea Wood
4. John Hutchinson
5. Delair Mustafa
6. Zach Weinersmith
7. Scott Egan
8. Andrew Thaler

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days