Rephonic
Artwork for Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

Sean Carroll | Wondery
Planets
Exoplanets
Quantum Mechanics
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Mars
Earth
Neptune
Venus
Artificial Intelligence
Complex Systems
Nuclear Astrophysics
Standard Model
Seismology
STEM
Philosophy
Cosmology
Cognition
Higgs Boson

Ever wanted to know how music affects your brain, what quantum mechanics really is, or how black holes work? Do you wonder why you get emotional each time you see a certain movie, or how on earth video games are designed? Then you’ve come to the right place. Each week, Sean Carroll will host conversations with some of the most interesting thinkers in the world. From neuroscientists and engineers t... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes371Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CulturePhysicsPhilosophyScience

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

Latest Episodes

Questions about consciousness range from the precise and empirical -- what neurons fire when I have some particular experience -- to the deeply profound -- does consciousness emerge from matter, or does matter emerge from consciousness? While it migh... more

Welcome to the April 2025 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patreons, whittle them down to a more manageable number... more

Cosmologists were, let us be honest, pretty stunned in 1998 when observations revealed that the universe is accelerating. There was an obvious plausible explanation, the cosmological constant proposed by Einstein, which is equivalent to a constant va... more

Consciousness is easier to possess than to define. One thing we can do is to look into the brain and see what lights up when conscious awareness is taking place. A complete understanding of this would be known as the "neural correlates of consciousne... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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
Quanta Science Podcast
Quanta Science PodcastQuanta Magazine

Recent Guests

Annaka Harris
Author of "Conscious" and creator of the audio series "Lights On"
Episode: 311 | Annaka Harris on Whether Consciousness is Fundamental
Marc Kamionkowski
Theoretical cosmologist and expert in dark energy and cosmological models
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: 310 | Marc Kamionkowski on Dark Energy and Cosmic Anomalies
Alison Gopnik
Psychologist and philosopher known for her work on child development and the relationship between children and intelligence.
Episode: 308 | Alison Gopnik on Children, AI, and Modes of Thinking
Kevin Peterson
Author of "Cocktail Theory: A Sensory Approach to Transcendent Cocktails"
Episode: 307 | Kevin Peterson on the Theory of Cocktails
Helen Czerski
Physicist turned oceanographer and author of "The Blue Machine, How the Ocean Works"
Episode: 306 | Helen Czerski on Our Energetic Oceans
Lilliana Mason
Professor at Johns Hopkins University and expert in political psychology
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: 305 | Lilliana Mason on Polarization and Political Psychology
James Evans
Sociologist researching the science of science and collective intelligence
University of Chicago
Episode: 304 | James Evans on Innovation, Consolidation, and the Science of Science
James Allison
Nobel Prize-winning expert in immunotherapy and cancer research
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Episode: 303 | James P. Allison on Fighting Cancer with the Immune System
Chris Kempes
Biophysicist and faculty member at the Santa Fe Institute
Santa Fe Institute
Episode: 302 | Chris Kempes on the Biophysics of Evolution

Host

Sean Carroll
Host of Mindscape, Sean Carroll is a theoretical physicist and cosmologist known for his work in understanding the fundamental nature of reality. He engages in deep discussions on a wide array of topics including quantum mechanics, philosophy, and culture, bringing his academic expertise and curiosity to conversations with diverse guests.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 9k ratings
  • Always interesting

    The Alison Gopnik interview was particularly fascinating!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mykb
    Canadaa month ago
  • Sound issues

    Good content, but annoying volume fluctuations. Why are ads so much louder than the interviews?

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    WholemealFrog
    United Statesa month ago
  • 10/10 rare unique discussion flow

    The merging of physics & politics & social relations in such a fluidly tangential discussion instead of the forced train of thought for one subject was extremely cathartic to listen to

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Marco Fernandooo
    United Statesa month ago
  • Misc

    Misc

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Fhchmf
    United States2 months ago
  • Great place to learn some cool stuff

    Edit: After exploring some other science podcasts, I only appreciate this one more!

    I listen to this podcast nearly every day (I’m catching up with some older episodes) and I absolutely love it. As a Ph.D. student, I was feeling a bit burnt out and listening to this podcast reminded of why I got into research in the first place - there’s a lot of cool stuff out there to learn about! Sean is a fantastic host and will take you on a journey throughout the universe - from physics to jazz music to p... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kd1375
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Overall, the podcast is recognized for its intellectual rigor, appealing to anyone passionate about complex subjects and interdisciplinary exploration.
The host's engaging style is frequently praised, with many noting that he is a skilled interviewer who fosters thoughtful discussions.
Listeners appreciate the depth and variety of topics covered, highlighting the podcast's ability to stimulate critical thinking and curiosity.
Some listeners express concern about occasional biases in political topics, feeling these detract from the scientific focus.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

309 | Christof Koch on Consciousness and Integrated Information
Q: Can we make artificial computer programs that truly are conscious, or is that a very far way off?
Koch explains that true consciousness cannot be simulated; hardware must be built in a way that resembles the human brain, emphasizing that consciousness requires causal power.
309 | Christof Koch on Consciousness and Integrated Information
Q: What do you think about the consciousness of fetuses?
Koch indicates that there is no consciousness in early stages of fetal development, explaining that full cortical development doesn't occur until later in pregnancy.
309 | Christof Koch on Consciousness and Integrated Information
Q: Is the global workspace theory the sort of descendant of the functionalism of Putnam?
Koch explains that while global workspace theory proposes a broadcasting of information within the brain, IIT emphasizes that consciousness arises from complex causal structures.
309 | Christof Koch on Consciousness and Integrated Information
Q: What is the major way, if there are any, that your views on what consciousness is and how it works have changed since you started thinking about this?
Koch shares that originally, consciousness was a taboo topic among scientists, but now there's a pragmatic approach focusing on empirical research to uncover the neural correlates of consciousness.
AMA | March 2025
Q: Can scientists think about leaving the United States due to the political climate?
While it's a personal decision, staying and fighting for objective and supportive science is important, but individuals can always consider opportunities elsewhere if necessary.

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 unique exploration of the intersections between science, philosophy, and culture unfolds through engaging conversations with a diverse array of guests, including scientists, authors, and scholars. Topics frequently include consciousness, artificial intelligence, social dynamics, and the complexities of human experience, blending deep scientific inquiry with cultural commentary and philosophical reflection. Noteworthy episodes dive into challenging subjects like the nature of time, the dynamics of climate change, and the intricacies of political psychology, offering listeners not just knowledge but the opportunity to think critically about the world around them. This podcast is likely to resonate with those curious about the deeper mechani... 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 three 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 Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss
3. Into the Impossible With Brian Keating
4. Quanta Science Podcast
5. The Michael Shermer Show

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 7 years ago and published 371 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. Annaka Harris
2. Marc Kamionkowski
3. Alison Gopnik
4. Kevin Peterson
5. Helen Czerski
6. Lilliana Mason
7. James Evans
8. James Allison

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