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The Quanta Podcast

Quanta Magazine
Mathematics
Evolution
Telescope Conjecture
Topology
Underground Microbes
Quantum Computing
Exoplanets
YZ Seti-B
Genes
Maps Between Spheres
Michael Hopkins
Algebraic K-Theory
Homotopy Theory
Exotic Spheres
James Webb Space Telescope
Synthetic Biology
Mars
Dark Oxygen
Welded Tree Graphs
Algorithms

Exploring the distant universe, the insides of cells, the abstractions of math, the complexity of information itself, and much more, The Quanta Podcast is a tour of the frontier between the known and the unknown. In each episode, Quanta Magazine Editor-in-Chief Samir Patel speaks with the minds behind the award-winning publication to navigate through some of the most important and mind-expanding q... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes312Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Life SciencesPhysicsScience

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Artwork for The Quanta Podcast

Latest Episodes

Studies of neural metabolism reveal our brain’s effort to keep us alive and the evolutionary constraints that sculpted our most complex organ.

The story How Much Energy Does It Take To Think? first appeared on Quanta Magazine.

Ask ChatGPT how to build a bomb, and it will flatly respond that it “can’t help with that.” But users have long played a cat-and-mouse game to try to trick language models into providing forbidden information. Just as quickly as these “jailbreaks” ap... more

(This episode was first published in June 2025.)

Changes in the number, shape, efficiency and interconnectedness of organelles in the cells of flight muscles provide extra energy for birds’ continent-spanning feats.

This is the fifth episode of The... more

(This episode was first published in July 2025.) 

Where does gravity come from? In both general relativity and quantum mechanics, this question is a big problem. One controversial theory proposes that the force arises from the universe's tendency to... more

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Recent Guests

Rachel Nuwer
Science journalist covering lake ecosystems and climate impact
Quanta Magazine
Episode: What Happens When Lakes Stop Mixing
Charlie Wood
Quanta physics writer
Quanta Magazine
Episode: The Mystery of Early Universe’s Little Red Dots
Peter Brannen
Science writer, Quanta contributor, and author of a new book about carbon dioxide
Episode: A Biography of Earth Across the Age of Animals
Zhiyuan Wang
Postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics; worked on the theoretical development of paraparticles.
Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics
Episode: Audio Edition: ‘Paraparticles’ Would Be a Third Kingdom of Quantum Particle
Caden Hazard
Academic advisor and collaborator of Zhiyuan Wang; contributed to the research on paraparticles.
Episode: Audio Edition: ‘Paraparticles’ Would Be a Third Kingdom of Quantum Particle
Steven Jordan
Physicist at Google Quantum AI and main architect of DQI
Google Quantum AI
Episode: Audio Edition: Quantum Speedup Found for Huge Class of Hard Problems
Yil Kalai
Mathematician at Reichmann University and skeptic of quantum computing
Reichmann University
Episode: Audio Edition: Quantum Speedup Found for Huge Class of Hard Problems
Ronald de Wolf
Theoretical computer scientist at CWI
CWI
Episode: Audio Edition: Quantum Speedup Found for Huge Class of Hard Problems
Yuen Tang
UC Berkeley computer scientist
University of California Berkeley
Episode: Audio Edition: Quantum Speedup Found for Huge Class of Hard Problems

Hosts

Samir Patel
Editor-in-Chief of Quanta Magazine, Samir Patel engages in discussions with experts to navigate significant scientific questions and discoveries. He highlights complex ideas in science in an accessible manner, bringing clarity to complicated topics.
Susan Vallott
Host of the Quanta Audio Edition, Susan Vallott emphasizes informative storytelling and facilitates discussions integrating diverse scientific concepts.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Not dumbed down

    Engaging, probing, mind stretching but entirely accessible for curious non-scientist

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MartaJane
    United States12 days ago
  • RoddyM

    Excellent show. If you’re interested in science this is for you. To the team producing it- great work well done!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Roddyrook
    United Kingdom14 days ago
  • Satisfying curiosity that I didn’t even know I had with this podcast. Subjects and topics I had never imagined would be so engaging but here I am. Obsessed.

    Audible
    5
    KirkMasonSeattle
    United States2 months ago
  • Decent science podcast where each episode is a dive into a topic well researched and knowledgeably contextualized at a reasonable depth by participants.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    kraynk
    3 months ago
  • Informative

    A simplified and informative science podcast that finds common ground between the academic scientist and the common man/woman.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kanyon-man
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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Some listeners express a desire for better audio quality, while others commend the ad-free format as enhancing their experience.
Listeners appreciate the clear, well-researched scientific content, noting it bridges the gap between complex topics and broader audiences.
The discussions are praised for stimulating curiosity, encouraging critical thinking, and avoiding pandering to non-expert audiences.
Many enjoy the depth of analysis and rigorous exploration of scientific concepts, claiming it maintains high standards of scientific reporting.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

ICYMI: Is Gravity Just Rising Entropy?
Q: How does that happen mechanistically?
The interaction of masses with qubits creates a low entropy condition prompting them to attract each other.
ICYMI: Is Gravity Just Rising Entropy?
Q: What specifically in this paper in the 90s was Jacobson positing?
Jacobson argued that energy is related to entropy and geometry, suggesting that gravity emerges from these relationships.
ICYMI: Is Gravity Just Rising Entropy?
Q: What do you mean by heat-like effects?
This refers to the characteristics of black holes that resemble heat physics, such as irreversibility.
ICYMI: Is Gravity Just Rising Entropy?
Q: What is the concept that we're going to be exploring here today?
The concept called entropic gravity, which is understanding gravitational attraction based on the idea that gravity is not a fundamental force of nature but a derivative force.
Taking the Temperature of Quantum Entanglement
Q: What happens when we add some of this quantum strangeness to the Maxwell's demon thought experiment?
In quantum mechanics, you can do things with information that you can't do classically, allowing efficiencies in how work is done.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Quanta Podcast

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

A deep exploration into fundamental scientific concepts, the series offers stimulating discussions on topics ranging from the complexities of mathematics and physics to the intricacies of biology. Episodes engage listeners with insights from leading experts and highlight important research findings, including climate change, quantum physics, and ecological studies. The unique approach is characterized by its focus on fundamental questions and insights into emerging scientific ideas, all presented in an accessible manner that invites curiosity and critical thinking.

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How many episodes of The Quanta Podcast are there?

The Quanta Podcast launched 10 years ago and published 312 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 The Quanta Podcast?

Recent guests on The Quanta Podcast include:

1. Rachel Nuwer
2. Charlie Wood
3. Peter Brannen
4. Zhiyuan Wang
5. Caden Hazard
6. Steven Jordan
7. Yil Kalai
8. Ronald de Wolf

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.

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