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The Quanta Podcast

Quanta Magazine
Mathematics
Neuroscience
Artificial Intelligence
Quantum Mechanics
Quantum Computing
Mitochondria
Climate Change
Bird Migration
Memory
Black Holes
Dark Matter
Evolution
Computer Science
James Webb Space Telescope
Infinity
General Relativity
Cryptography
Dark Energy
Quantum Cryptography
Galium Anomaly

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 weeklyEpisodes373Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Life SciencesPhysicsScience

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Artwork for The Quanta Podcast

Latest Episodes

John Pardon sees connections between different areas of math that others don’t. For that vision, he’s now been awarded a Fields Medal.

The article The Quietest Mathematician Has Always Been Worth Listening To first appeared on Quanta Magazine.

In 2018, using the Keck Observatory in Hawaiʻi, astronomers discovered the first known dark matter-deficient galaxy, DF2. It’s about the same size as the Milky Way, but way dimmer, with 200 times fewer stars. Since then, two more phantom galaxies (DF... more

The uncertainty principle tells us that the more you know about where a quantum particle is, the less you can know about how fast it’s moving, and vice versa. In 2023, graduate student Alex Cohen stunned the math world when he posted a proof of the f... more

Determination and effort propelled Jacob Tsimerman to the top of the math world. But now that he’s won a Fields Medal, he worries that the field is in jeopardy.

The article Sometimes Being First Means Seeing the End Before Anyone Else first appeared... more

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Recent Guests

Robin George Andrews
Science writer covering astronomy and planetary science
Quanta Magazine
Episode: 'Ghostly' Galaxies and the Mystery of Dark Matter
Shalma Wegsman
Math staff writer at Quanta Magazine
Quanta Magazine
Episode: How Math Brings Together Classical Chaos, Quantum Mechanics, and Fractals
Jacob Tsimerman
Fields Medalist and mathematician
Princeton University / Institute for Advanced Study
Episode: Audio Edition: Sometimes Being First Means Seeing the End Before Anyone Else
Stephen Ornes
Science writer who contributed coverage on turbulence research
The Quanta Podcast interview subject
Episode: Sea Monkeys, Jupiter, and the Mystery of Turbulence
Jake Buehler
Writer for Quanta's biology section
Quanta Magazine
Episode: ‘Jumping Genes’ Are More Than Parasitic DNA
Charlie Wood
Quanta physics writer
Quanta Magazine
Episode: Are the Little Red Dots Actually Black Hole Suns?
Greg Barber
Writer for Quanta who recently covered the four-color theorem story
Quanta Magazine
Episode: Four-Color Theorem Is Still a Math Favorite
Steve Strogatz
Mathematician, professor at Cornell University
Cornell University
Episode: Audio Edition: ‘Reverse Mathematics’ Illuminates Why Hard Problems Are Hard
Jana Levin
Cosmologist and author
Columbia University (as context in episode)
Episode: Audio Edition: ‘Reverse Mathematics’ Illuminates Why Hard Problems Are Hard

Hosts

Susan Vallott
Host of the episode, guiding discussion and presenting science stories.
Samir Patel
Host of The Quanta Podcast; lead interviewer bringing editorial perspective.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.5k ratings
  • More!

    I really like how interesting and accessible this is. It would be great if they were longer.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dadai5m
    Australiaa month ago
  • Thank you for a fantastic podcast

    It helps me break out of my own and small world of science, as fascinating as it is to me, to see the much broader horizons of all the different fields.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    polarizationman
    United States2 months ago
  • Content great, background music very distracting

    I was so happy to have found this great podcast. The topics are exactly what I was looking for. Unfortunately, every time a guest starts to explain a complex topic there is very distracting background played. It makes it impossible to listen to what is said.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    zhdjk
    Ireland2 months ago
  • Dissapointimg

    I ordinarily love this podcast and have previously written great reviews. I particularly enjoy the format of discussions with the various editors who are well informed and engaging. Hence my extreme disappointment with this latest episode which was apparently an AI generated reading of the article that I’d already read in the online magazine version of Quanta. I respectfully ask that you not mix these AI generated readings with the interview formatted episodes.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Kyoung21b
    United States3 months ago
  • Thought provoking and accessible

    I love the format and the way that the host and guest erect the scaffolding of the topic in a way surfaces the key points

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MartaJane
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Signal-rich discussions around math and physics consistently praised for depth.
Thoughtful, rigorous science storytelling that makes complex topics accessible.
Listeners appreciate the mix of math, physics, and biology with strong editorial voice.
High-quality guests and expert explanations, though some listeners wish for more dynamic delivery.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Math Brings Together Classical Chaos, Quantum Mechanics, and Fractals
Q: So what happens?
Wegsman says the new result indicates that quantum particles behave more simply than classical particles in chaotic systems. Their inherent fuzziness prevents them from following the intricate fractal paths found in classical chaos, although many questions about quantum chaos remain open.
How Math Brings Together Classical Chaos, Quantum Mechanics, and Fractals
Q: Can you explain the piece about wave mechanics and understanding waves that makes uncertainty so unavoidable?
Wegsman explains that a Fourier transform decomposes a curve into component waves and translates between its spatial form and frequencies. A sharply localized curve requires many frequencies, so its Fourier transform spreads out, while a single-frequency wave spreads across space. This relationship underlies the uncertainty between a particle's position and momentum.
'Ghostly' Galaxies and the Mystery of Dark Matter
Q: What gives us the impression that they must have had dark matter before a collision?
The three galaxies sit among ordinary galaxies that appear to contain dark matter, and most galaxies measured have a typical amount. Scientists therefore consider it more plausible that dark matter was removed than that these galaxies formed without it.
'Ghostly' Galaxies and the Mystery of Dark Matter
Q: When did it first become clear, if we can say that, that we had something missing in our conception of matter in the universe?
Evidence began to take shape in the 1930s as astronomers found that visible matter could not account for the universe's contents, and became more prominent in the 1970s through Vera Rubin's observations of spiral galaxy rotation.
‘Jumping Genes’ Are More Than Parasitic DNA
Q: So what's the big idea here?
The genome is not a static recipe book but an ecosystem where mobile elements move around, duplicate, and sometimes drive major evolutionary changes, from development to disease resistance.

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 leans into deep-dive conversations at the intersection of physics, mathematics, and biology, hosted by a consistently expert lineup from a prestigious science publication. Across episodes, listeners encounter rigorous explorations of foundational ideas — from geometric regularity and high-dimensional topology to AI reasoning, quantum gravity, and the biology of memory and agency — all framed with clear explanations and guest-led perspectives. The format often features guest editors, mathematicians, physicists, and science journalists who bring both historical context and cutting-edge research, making it a strong fit for audiences that crave thorough, concept-heavy storytelling and expert synthesis of complex topics. A standout qual... 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. Why This Universe?
3. Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
4. Physics World Weekly Podcast
5. Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

How many episodes of The Quanta Podcast are there?

The Quanta Podcast launched 11 years ago and published 373 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. Robin George Andrews
2. Shalma Wegsman
3. Jacob Tsimerman
4. Stephen Ornes
5. Jake Buehler
6. Charlie Wood
7. Greg Barber
8. Steve Strogatz

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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