Caesar shifted each letter three places in the alphabet. Much of modern computer science was born in the effort to break the Nazi Enigma code, and Cold War spies used code books that fit inside a walnut. Nowadays, the cryptography we depend on every day — for instance, to send our credit card information when we buy something on the Web — relies in turn on the mathematics of prime numbers. But in 1994, Peter Shor discovered that a future quantum computer could crack our cryptosystems by breaking large numbers into their prime factors. Cris will start by describing how these cryptosystems work, and how a quantum computer could break them. (Nothing beyond high-school math, he promises!) He’ll end by giving a personal view about whether quantum computers can be built — and what kinds of cryptography could remain secure even if and when they are built.

Sending Secrets: Security and Cryptography in a Quantum World

Disease-Climate Couplings In A Nonlinear World

Forecasting Natural Disasters in the Chaotic and Complex Earth

Complexity, Energy and Information

The best podcast episodes about true crime. For any thrill seeking podcast listeners who just can't get enough of the captivating stories of murderers and criminals. This topic has all the best episodes from many different true crime podcasts.  Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best True Crime Podcasts

The best podcast episodes on physical health. Episodes talk about your diet, sleep, exercise and all the things that people do to improve their physical health and live a healthier life. This topic is for everyone, with applications in all of our everyday lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!