science
Hosted by Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman · science · EN-US
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.
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Contact path
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Booking probability
34%
Guest openness
Selective
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Signup to Generate a PitchThe 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.
Why This Universe? is hosted by Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman. The show has published 117 episodes to date.
Recent episodes include "100 - What is Light? A Journey from Ancient Philosophy to Quantum Physics" (24 August 2026, 37 minutes), "99 - The 7 Most Exciting Developments in Physics Today + a WTU Update" (3 August 2026, 36 minutes), and "98 - An Improbable Quantum Ghost Story (Ft. David Kaplan)" (19 January 2026, 41 minutes).
Why This Universe? publishes roughly monthly, with episodes averaging 38 minutes across 117 episodes.
Booking probability for Why This Universe? is 34%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. Why This Universe? requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. Why This Universe?'s contact route on record: verified email.
The strongest fits for Why This Universe? are Universities & Colleges. Why This Universe? has a science audience.
Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman hosts Why This Universe?, a science podcast with 117 episodes published.
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Episode #9
Modern physics tells us a lot about light; that it's both a wave and a particle, and that it sets the speed limit of the universe, for example. But how did we come to understand light in this way? In Dan's first solo...
Episode #8
It's been a while! To make up for lost time, today's episode is a rundown of all the physics news you should know. Hear what is keeping physicists at the edge of their seat, and what physics news you should keep your...
Episode #7
<p>An unlikely change in the theory of quantum mechanics would lead to bizarre new conclusions. Our guest talks us through non-linear quantum mechanics, and how physicists like him are testing it.</p><p>For ad-free...
Episode #6
<p>Quantum mechanics is full of surprises. But somehow, the theory is captured almost entirely in a single equation. Today we explore the Schrödinger equation: how it works, what it says about nature, and why it...
Episode #5
<p>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...
Episode #4
<p>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?</p><p>For ad-free episodes and exclusive...
Episode #3
<p>In honor of Nobel prize season, we remember some people whose important work in the past has been overlooked by the Nobel committee.<br/><br/>For ad-free episodes and exclusive ask-us-anything segments, join us for...
Episode #2
<p>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.</p><p>For ask-us-anything...
Episode #1
<p>Adam Riess recounts the moments of his Nobel prize-winning discovery that our universe is expanding at an accelerating rate, powered by a mysterious energy source called dark energy. </p><p>For ask-us-anything...
Episode #95
<p>We answer your questions. To listen to our backlog of ask-us-anything episodes for free, head to our Patreon, or join for $3/month to submit your questions: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverse</p><p>Support the...
Episode #94
To listen to our backlog of past ask-us-anything episodes for free, head to our Patreon, or join for $3/month to ask us questions: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverse <p>Support the show</p>
Episode #93
Learn what exciting cosmology results and potential discoveries await us in 2025!For exclusive ask-us-anything episodes, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverse. Our merch is...
Episode #92
A discovery last year reveals our galaxy in a whole new light - except it's not light, it's neutrinos! Learn what this discovery can teach us about the Milky Way and beyond.For exclusive ask-us-anything episodes, join...
Episode #90
Is it possible that dark energy is not a constant, but rather is changing over time? Sean Carroll talks to us about how our understanding of dark energy evolved in recent history, and what is still left unknown.For...
Episode #91
Dan and Shalma have a candid conversation about the state of dark matter research, and the ways the field has changed over the last few years.For exclusive ask-us-anything episodes, join us for just $3 a month on...
Episode #90
Why does something exist, rather than nothing? Special guest Sean Carroll helps us explore this deep philosophical question.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon...
Episode #89
There has been some criticism of the process scientists use to check each other's work. Today we take a deep dive into peer review to determine how broken it really is.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us...
Episode #88
Learn how Noether's profound mathematical theorem relating symmetries to conservation laws is deeply woven into the physics of the universe. Enjoy this rerun of an earlier episode as we take our summer break.For ad free...
Episode #86
We explore the diverse world of stars in the universe, from those similar to our Sun to those totally unrecognizable.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon...
Episode #87
Today's episode is all about the star in our front yard - the sun. Learn how it came to be, how it has changed, and how will it change in the future.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month...
Recent guests on Why This Universe?. Study who booked and why before you pitch.
Distinguished Professor and Stern Family Professor of Engineering and Chair of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
experimental high-energy physicist, University of California at Irvine
Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, California Institute of Technology
Vice President of Communications and Community, Dallas Theological Seminary
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