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The Quanta Podcast

Quanta Magazine
Mathematics
Neuroscience
Quantum Mechanics
Artificial Intelligence
Quantum Computing
Mitochondria
Climate Change
Bird Migration
Memory
Evolution
Black Holes
General Relativity
Cryptography
James Webb Space Telescope
Computer Science
Quantum Cryptography
Galium Anomaly
Aphantasia
Unicellular Organisms
Long-Distance Migration

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 weeklyEpisodes347Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ScienceLife SciencesPhysics

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Artwork for The Quanta Podcast

Latest Episodes

How many pieces are there in the Standard Model of particle physics? 17, 30, 37, 61, 118? Or is the true answer much larger — and not even an integer? It depends on your taste for complexity — and mystery. On this episode of The Quanta Podcast, host ... more

Amid the chaos of revolutionary France, one man’s mathematical obsession gave way to a calculation that now underpins much of mathematics and physics. The calculation, called the Fourier transform, decomposes any function into its parts. 

The story ... more

The groundbreaking proof assistant Lean acts as a sort of automatic quality control. It’s gaining ground in the math world — in part because it can interact with AI to open new avenues of inquiry. But there are concerns, too. On this episode of The Q... more

How do you define a species? The question has been controversial since the days of Darwin. On this episode of The Quanta Podcast, host Samir Patel speaks with writer Marlowe Starling about how recent advances in genomics have both clarified and compl... more

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Recent Guests

Marlowe Starling
Quanta's writing fellow who wrote the story on ecotypes
Quanta Magazine
Episode: Ecotypes Make the Idea of a Species Even Fuzzier
Victor Cardoso
Physicist at the Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen
Niels Bohr Institute
Episode: Audio Edition: Astrophysicists Find No ‘Hair’ on Black Holes
Nyash Afshordi
Astrophysicist at the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
Episode: Audio Edition: Astrophysicists Find No ‘Hair’ on Black Holes
Roy Kerr
Mathematician who calculated rotating black hole behavior
Episode: Audio Edition: Astrophysicists Find No ‘Hair’ on Black Holes
Simon Monaut
Graduate student at Leuven group
KU Leuven / Leuven group
Episode: Audio Edition: Astrophysicists Find No ‘Hair’ on Black Holes
Gregorio Corullo
Postdoctoral researcher in Copenhagen at the time
University of Copenhagen / Copenhagen
Episode: Audio Edition: Astrophysicists Find No ‘Hair’ on Black Holes
Konstantin Kakaes
Contributing writer, former Quanta math editor
Quanta Magazine
Episode: The AI Revolution in Math Has Arrived
Shalma Wegsman
Math writer for Quanta Magazine
Quanta Magazine
Episode: Ice Is Way More Complex Than It Seems
Enrique Boyix-Adserra
Researcher who studies distillation
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School)
Episode: Audio Edition: How Distillation Makes AI Models Smaller and Cheaper

Hosts

Samir Patel
Editor-in-Chief of the primary science publication, host of the main podcast series.
Susan Vallott
Host and presenter of the bi-weekly audio edition program, contributing journalist and interviewer.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • Great for physics

    I’ve been listening for several years; the podcasts on physics are truly enlightening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nsm1912
    United States20 days ago
  • Great for listening to while eating.

    Good podcast about physics and science in general, with a great diversity of topics.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LeonBender
    Germany24 days ago
  • Quanta Podcast

    Makes the world richer.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lynowla
    United States2 months ago
  • RoddyM

    Jordana Cepelewicz - please try to make an effort to communicate. Sloppy, lazy, drawling into a microphone isn’t cool or laid back. It’s unprofessional.

    Samir please instruct these people. Otherwise great podcast. Keep up the good work. Best wishes.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Roddyrook
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • As good as it gets for science podcasts!

    Quanta digs deeply, soberly and comprehensively into the major aspects of maths, physics and wider science. It’s always a must-listen if you’re at all interested in these subjects.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Aidan Hancock
    United Kingdom2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests are consistently top-tier experts delivering new insights.
High-quality explanations and rigorous interviews are a standout.
Format is very readable and informative, though some listeners want more dynamic pacing.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ecotypes Make the Idea of a Species Even Fuzzier
Q: How do inversions and translocations affect the evolution of ecotypes?
Inversions can lock sets of genes in a particular order, effectively preventing reshuffling and preserving a suite of adaptations; translocations can rearrange genome parts, potentially creating new mutations and reshuffling adaptive traits in new ways, which helps ecotypes adapt to different environments.
Ecotypes Make the Idea of a Species Even Fuzzier
Q: Okay, what's an ecotype?
Ecotypes are populations within the same species that show hyperlocal adaptations to their environment, yet they remain capable of interbreeding with other populations of the same species.
Audio Edition: Astrophysicists Find No ‘Hair’ on Black Holes
Q: Why are physicists interested in whether black holes have hair or no hair?
Exploring hair tests whether gravity behaves exactly as general relativity predicts in extreme gravity near horizons, and whether any deviations could reveal new physics or quantum aspects of gravity.
What Actually Causes Lightning?
Q: What's the big idea behind how lightning gets started?
The big idea is that lightning begins when the electric field in clouds becomes intense enough to drive an avalanche of electrons, but measurements show this threshold is often not reached in the most straightforward way, so researchers consider multiple contributing mechanisms such as ice-crystal aided field enhancement, pointed-conductor effects, and high-energy subatomic processes.
The AI Revolution in Math Has Arrived
Q: So, Konstantin, what's the big idea?
Math is at a real inflection point because of AI, with progress accelerated in the last year and a shift in how mathematicians think about what AI can do in both Olympiad-style problems and deeper research questions.

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?

The show presents thoughtful conversations at the intersection of science, mathematics, and technology, often featuring researchers, journalists, and theorists who explain complex ideas with careful storytelling. Recent episodes survey AI's impact on math practice, the physics of ice, distillation in AI efficiency, immune system evolution, and the social and philosophical dimensions of formalizing proofs, among other frontier topics. A standout pattern is rigorous exploration of cutting-edge research, with guests ranging from university scholars to science communicators who translate dense ideas into accessible narratives. Listeners can expect deep dives into theory and experiment alike, anchored by clear explanations, historical context, a... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Quanta Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Quanta Podcast:

1. The Joy of Why
2. Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
3. Physics World Weekly Podcast
4. Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe
5. The Supermassive Podcast

How many episodes of The Quanta Podcast are there?

The Quanta Podcast launched 11 years ago and published 347 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. Marlowe Starling
2. Victor Cardoso
3. Nyash Afshordi
4. Roy Kerr
5. Simon Monaut
6. Gregorio Corullo
7. Konstantin Kakaes
8. Shalma Wegsman

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