Cover image of The Joy of Why

The Joy of Why

The mathematician and author Steven Strogatz interviews leading researchers about the great scientific and mathematical questions of our time.

Warning: This podcast data isn't working.

This means that the episode rankings aren't working properly. Please revisit us at a later time to get the best episodes of this podcast!

Ranked #1

Podcast cover

Does Nothingness Exist?

Does Nothingness Exist?

Even empty space bubbles with energy, according to quantum mechanics — and that fact affects almost every facet of physi... Read more

26 Jul 2023

44mins

Ranked #2

Podcast cover

Can Math and Physics Save an Arrhythmic Heart?

Can Math and Physics Save an Arrhythmic Heart?

Abnormal waves of electrical activity can cause a heart’s muscle cells to beat out of sync. In this episode, Flavio Fent... Read more

12 Jul 2023

46mins

Similar Podcasts

Ranked #3

Podcast cover

What Can Jellyfish Teach Us About Fluid Dynamics?

What Can Jellyfish Teach Us About Fluid Dynamics?

Jellyfish and other aquatic creatures embody solutions to diverse problems in engineering, medicine and mathematics. Joh... Read more

28 Jun 2023

43mins

Ranked #4

Podcast cover

What Causes Giant Rogue Waves?

What Causes Giant Rogue Waves?

Wave-science researcher Ton van den Bremer and Steven Strogatz discuss how rogue waves can form in relatively calm seas ... Read more

14 Jun 2023

40mins

Most Popular Podcasts

Ranked #5

Podcast cover

What Is the Nature of Consciousness?

What Is the Nature of Consciousness?

Consciousness, our experience of being in the world, is one of the mind’s greatest mysteries, but as the neuroscientist ... Read more

31 May 2023

52mins

Ranked #6

Podcast cover

Are There Reasons to Believe in a Multiverse?

Are There Reasons to Believe in a Multiverse?

Several areas of physics suggest reasons to think that unobservable universes with different natural laws could lie beyo... Read more

17 May 2023

48mins

Ranked #7

Podcast cover

Is Perpetual Motion Possible at the Quantum Level?

Is Perpetual Motion Possible at the Quantum Level?

A new phase of matter called a “time crystal” plays with our expectations of thermodynamics. The physicist Vedika Kheman... Read more

4 May 2023

36mins

Ranked #8

Podcast cover

How Can Some Infinities Be Bigger Than Others?

How Can Some Infinities Be Bigger Than Others?

All infinities go on forever, so how is it possible for some infinities to be larger than others? The mathematician Just... Read more

19 Apr 2023

46mins

Ranked #9

Podcast cover

What Has the Pandemic Taught Us About Vaccines?

What Has the Pandemic Taught Us About Vaccines?

Should Covid-19 vaccines be judged by how well they prevent disease or how well they prevent death? Anna Durbin, a publi... Read more

5 Apr 2023

42mins

Ranked #10

Podcast cover

Is There Math Beyond the Equal Sign?

Is There Math Beyond the Equal Sign?

Can mathematics handle things that are essentially the same without being exactly equal? Category theorist Eugenia Cheng... Read more

22 Mar 2023

49mins

“Podium: AI tools for podcasters. Generate show notes, transcripts, highlight clips, and more with AI. Try it today at https://podium.page”