Rephonic
Artwork for Why This Universe?

Why This Universe?

Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman
Quantum Computing
Heliocentrism
Quantum Mechanics
Copernican Revolution
Prime Factorization
Classical Computing
Superposition
Cryptography
Galileo Galilei
Aristotelian Natural Philosophy
History Of Astronomy
Fermilab
Dark Matter
Artificial Intelligence
Physics
Physics Of Sound
Church and Science Conflict
Tycho Brahe
Johannes Kepler
Simulation Theory

The biggest ideas in physics, broken down. Join theoretical physicist Dan Hooper and co-host Shalma Wegsman as they answer your questions about dark matter, black holes, quantum mechanics, and more. Part of The University of Chicago Podcast Network.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes112Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SciencePhysicsAstronomy

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Why This Universe?

Latest Episodes

In the years leading up to the Large Hadron Collider turning on, the physics community was buzzing with curiosity and excitement about what they were about to discover. These moments were captured in the documentary Particle Fever, created by the par... more

If we met aliens, could we communicate through physics? Daniel Whiteson explores this question on today's episode. For more, check out his new book, Do Aliens Speak Physics?

For ad-free episodes and exclusive ask-us-anything segments, join us for ju... more

In honor of Nobel prize season, we remember some people whose important work in the past has been overlooked by the Nobel committee.

For ad-free episodes and exclusive ask-us-anything segments, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: patreon... more

Our universe is expanding. But when physicists measure how fast this expansion rate is, they get two different answers. Hear what this crisis means from Nobel Prize winner Adam Riess.

For ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join us for ju... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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.

The Supermassive Podcast
The Supermassive PodcastThe Royal Astronomical Society
Ask a Spaceman!
Ask a Spaceman!Paul M. Sutter
The Quanta Podcast
The Quanta PodcastQuanta Magazine

Recent Guests

David Kaplan
Theoretical Particle Physicist and Cosmologist
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: 96 - The Making of Particle Fever (Ft. David Kaplan)
Daniel Whiteson
A physicist at UC Irvine who worked at the LHC and the Atlas Detector and was involved in the discovery of the Higgs boson.
University of California, Irvine
Episode: 95 - Would Aliens Have the Same Physics? (Ft. Daniel Whiteson)
Adam Riess
Astrophysicist known for his work on supernovae and the expansion of the universe
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: 93 - The Moment Dark Energy Appeared (Ft. Adam Riess)
Dan Scolnic
Professor at Duke University, known for his work on measuring the universe's expansion rates.
Duke University
Episode: 92 - What Cosmology Has in Store for 2025 (Ft. Dan Scolnic)
Sean Carroll
A cosmologist and philosopher of science at John Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: 88 - Why Does Our Universe Exist At All? (Ft. Sean Carroll)
Josh Winn
Professor of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton and author of The Little Book of Exoplanets
Princeton University
Episode: 84 - The Search For New Worlds (ft. Josh Winn)
Chris Quigg
Theoretical physicist and distinguished scientist emeritus at Fermilab
Fermilab
Episode: 83 - Witnessing a Revolution in Particle Physics (Ft. Chris Quigg)
Chiara Mingarelli
An assistant professor at Yale and an expert on gravitational waves, member of the NanoGRAV consortium
Yale University
Episode: 79 - NanoGRAV's Big Gravitational Wave Discovery (Ft. Chiara Mingarelli)
Katrina Miller
Recent PhD graduate in experimental particle physics and reporting fellow at The New York Times.
The New York Times
Episode: 78 - The Life of a Science Journalist (Ft. Katrina Miller)

Hosts

Shalma Wegsman
Co-host and theoretical physicist.
Dan Hooper
Co-host and theoretical physicist at University of Wisconsin-Madison, providing analytical insights on various principles of physics.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • they don't dumb it down

    hooper and wegsman address central issues in the world of cosmology and physics without dumbing it down. at times, that can make it challenging for a non-expert (i.e., people like me) to follow, but it is worth the effort. terrific science podcast. (now i am begging wegsman and/or the show's producers to get her to re-record the promo for the show where she says listeners will get to ask "Dan and I" questions on the AMA episodes. i keep thinking with every new season someone will tell this p... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    d.r. dow
    United States2 months ago
  • One of My Favourites

    I absolutely love this show and look forward to a new episode whenever one is available. I hope they continue this podcast for a long time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Yyc-listener
    Canada9 months ago
  • Click follow

    You won’t be sorry

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    MaxWoodstock
    United States9 months ago
  • Love this podcast

    One of my favourite podcasts and always interesting! These guys are great science communicators. The content isn’t oversimplified but still concise and accessible to a layperson like myself.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    komorebi house
    Australia9 months ago
  • Where are you

    Are you ever coming back?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    MinnesotaFrank
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Regular guests provide expert insights, elevating the show's authority in scientific discourse.
Offers a blend of humor and intellect in scientific discussions.
Some find discussions challenging, indicating the content may cater more to those with a background in science.
Engaging hosts with a knack for explaining complex ideas clearly.
Listeners appreciate the depth and accessibility of content without oversimplification.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#3
United States/Science/Physics
Apple Podcasts
#101
United States/Science
Apple Podcasts
#3
United Kingdom/Science/Physics
Apple Podcasts
#3
Canada/Science/Physics
Apple Podcasts
#82
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#158
Canada/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

96 - The Making of Particle Fever (Ft. David Kaplan)
Q: How did you manage to inspire filmmakers to create a serious documentary about particle physics?
I introduced them to the story that I believed needed to be told and built a strong collaborative relationship.
96 - The Making of Particle Fever (Ft. David Kaplan)
Q: What made you decide to spend seven years making a documentary?
I felt there was an incredible story about the LHC activation that needed to be documented.
94 - Inside the Hubble Tension (Ft. Adam Riess)
Q: What would it take for more scientists to agree on the need for new physics?
Typically, historical examples show that scientists remain skeptical until there is substantial evidence or a theoretical framework to explain anomalies, even if measurements confirm unexpected results.
94 - Inside the Hubble Tension (Ft. Adam Riess)
Q: What is the disagreement about the Hubble tension between your group and Wendy Freeman's group?
Wendy Freeman's group has a lower measurement of 70.4, which is still higher than that inferred from the cosmic microwave background, leading to inconclusive results about the tension.
94 - Inside the Hubble Tension (Ft. Adam Riess)
Q: How do measurements of the cosmic background differ from other methods?
They use physics and models to deduce the Hubble constant from the cosmic microwave background, leading to a value of 67 plus or minus 0.5, which does not align with direct measurements.

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 Why This Universe?

What is Why This Universe? about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Topics covered include fundamental concepts in physics such as dark matter, black holes, and quantum mechanics, along with current developments in these fields. The discussions are often enriched by insights from distinguished guests, including physicists and cosmologists, who contribute their expertise on topics ranging from the Higgs boson to the nuances of the universe's expansion. The hosts strive to make complex scientific concepts accessible without oversimplifying, fostering an engaging environment for both enthusiasts and those seeking to expand their understanding of the universe.

Notably, the format allows for listener engagement through questions, enhancing the interactive nature of the discourse. This approach creates a communi... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Why This Universe??

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Why This Universe?. 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 Why This Universe? and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Why This Universe? get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Why This Universe?, 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 Why This Universe??

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Why This Universe?, 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 Why This Universe? have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Why This Universe? 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 Why This Universe??

These podcasts share a similar audience with Why This Universe?:

1. The Supermassive Podcast
2. SpaceTime with Stuart Gary
3. Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe
4. Ask a Spaceman!
5. The Quanta Podcast

How many episodes of Why This Universe? are there?

Why This Universe? launched 5 years ago and published 112 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 Why This Universe??

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 Why This Universe??

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Why This Universe? 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 Why This Universe??

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Why This Universe?. 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 Why This Universe??

Recent guests on Why This Universe? include:

1. David Kaplan
2. Daniel Whiteson
3. Adam Riess
4. Dan Scolnic
5. Sean Carroll
6. Josh Winn
7. Chris Quigg
8. Chiara Mingarelli

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