The Joy of Why
Steven Strogatz, Janna Levin and Quanta Magazine“The Joy of Why” is a Quanta Magazine podcast about curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. The mathematician and author Steven Strogatz and the cosmologist and author Janna Levin take turns interviewing leading researchers about the great scientific and mathematical questions of our time. New episodes are released every other Wednesday.
Quanta Magazine is a Pulitzer Prize–winning, editorially ind... more
| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 70 | Founded | 4 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Life SciencesScience | |||
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Latest Episodes
Does intelligent life exist elsewhere in the universe? The question has captivated us for centuries, but despite decades of searching it remains frustratingly unanswered. Every so often a curious signal appears — fossilized structures in a meteorite,... more
What links certain mathematical models of traffic flow, shallow-water waves, and quantum particle scattering? The surprising answer lies in a corner of the algebraic combinatorics world that goes by the name of positive Grassmannian. In simple terms,... more
One of the most surprising and remarkable discoveries in recent scientific history has been CRISPR. Short for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, CRISPR is a form of immune system that evolved in bacteria more than a billion ye... more
What is the future of gene editing with CRISPR? Has AI changed mathematics forever? Will we find other civilizations in the universe? What if we’ve been wrong about dark energy all along? These are just a few of the big, bold questions we’ll be explo... more
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Reviews
So glad to have you back! Great episode with Jennifer doudna!
Podcast Addict5a month agoDave McLellan- A podcast on a very old-fashioned discipline
I didn’t know what to make of it when I heard that Steven Strogatx had moved on from X to Why. And then I heard some of the episodes and it was what I had suspected.
But I should not have been surprised. He is an applied mathematician, a fast disappearing species in universities. Even mathematical physicists now do not want to be known as applied mathematicians, which ought to tell you everything. That is because the word “applied” means you are applying tools handed to you (mathematical metho... more
Apple Podcasts3sidneyhart
United Statesa month ago - Incredible
Great podcasts, incredibly interesting. Just listened to attempting to create a model of quantum gravity in the lab. Would love to hear more on that. Thank you for super listening!
Apple Podcasts5Liljas
United Kingdom3 months ago - Robots
I’ve only admittedly listened to only one episode, but it was about the development of robots. The scientist went on and on about how great it will be when humans don’t have to do repetitive tasks and she gave an example of watching a man move a box from one place to the other. I have to laugh when people who live in cloud castles think that robots are going to make everyone happy. That guy only has the brain capacity to move boxes from one side to the other. You look in any industry, any place,... more
Apple Podcasts4mwtyr2654United States6 months ago - So good! And they respect your time!
I love the variety of the guests, and Janna and Steven are great interviewers. In a podcasting world filled with fluffy 90 minute episodes, these folks keep it tight and interesting. I never find myself skipping or even speeding up the playback rate. Highly recommend!
Apple Podcasts5Drew HooverUnited States8 months ago
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #9 | United States/Science/Life Sciences |
Apple Podcasts | #47 | United States/Science |
Apple Podcasts | #9 |  Canada/Science/Life Sciences |
Apple Podcasts | #11 | United Kingdom/Science/Life Sciences |
Apple Podcasts | #65 | Canada/Science |
Apple Podcasts | #90 | United Kingdom/Science |
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Joy of Why
What is The Joy of Why about and what kind of topics does it cover?
A thoughtful science and math interview show that pairs two legendary big-idea hosts to explore foundational questions across disciplines. Episodes feature researchers discussing evolution, data integrity, cosmology, climate science, graph theory, and the relationship between form and function in nature, often weaving personal anecdotes and accessible explanations into deep dives on complex topics. What stands out is the show's ability to balance rigorous ideas with engaging storytelling, inviting guests from academia and beyond to unpack how theories come to life and what those ideas mean for the real world.
Listeners are typically curious, educated professionals who enjoy public-facing explanations of cutting-edge science and mathematics... more
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Which podcasts are similar to The Joy of Why?
These podcasts share a similar audience with The Joy of Why:
1. The Quanta Podcast
2. Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
3. Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe
4. Physics World Weekly Podcast
5. The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss
How many episodes of The Joy of Why are there?
The Joy of Why launched 4 years ago and published 70 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 Joy of Why?
Recent guests on The Joy of Why include:
1. Jennifer Doudna
2. Adam Riess
3. Lauren Williams
4. Rick Prum
5. Mary Wootters
6. Thomas Hertog
7. Elfatih Eltahir
8. Maria Chudnovsky
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