Australia
Brazil
Canada
Germany
India
Ireland
Japan
Mexico
New Zealand
Philippines
South Africa
United Kingdom
Bedtime Astronomy
Also in Physics
Science
Why This Universe?
by Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman
Today: #126 in Science on our combined chart.
Today: #134 in Science, United Kingdom on our combined chart.
Today: #96 in Science, Canada on our combined chart.
Today: #131 in Science, Australia on our combined chart.
Today: #36 in Science, New Zealand on our combined chart.
Today: #44 in Science, Ireland on our combined chart.
Today: #30 in Science, India on our combined chart.
Chart positions today · United States
Not on the Germany charts we track today.
Not on the Brazil charts we track today.
Not on the Mexico charts we track today.
Not on the Japan charts we track today.
Not on the Philippines charts we track today.
Not on the South Africa charts we track today.
If you like Why This Universe?, try…
The Supermassive Podcast
Also in Physics
The Astrophysics Podcast
Also in Physics
Realm of Quantum Mechanics
Similar topics: quantum and physics
Cosmic Latte
Also in Physics
Wonders of Relativity
Similar topics: physics and quantum
Ranking history · United States
Latest daily rankings: Oct 27. New rankings will appear after the next update.
Position on the Science combined chart over the last 14 days. Toggle platforms to compare their positions. Lower rank numbers are better.
View as table
| Date | Combined Rank | Apple Podcasts | Pocket Casts | Castbox |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 27 | #126 | #109 | — | — |
| Oct 26 | #128 | #112 | — | — |
| Oct 25 | #133 | #116 | — | — |
| Oct 24 | #130 | #116 | — | — |
| Oct 23 | #133 | #115 | — | — |
| Oct 22 | #135 | #120 | — | — |
| Oct 21 | #125 | #109 | — | — |
| Oct 20 | #119 | #104 | — | #90 |
| Oct 19 | #113 | #93 | — | #89 |
| Oct 18 | #123 | #108 | — | #87 |
| Oct 17 | #123 | #107 | — | #87 |
| Oct 16 | #102 | #83 | — | #75 |
| Oct 15 | #100 | #77 | — | #63 |
| Oct 14 | #84 | #63 | #49 | #61 |
Latest episodes
-
101 — How Will AI Change Physics? (Ft. Yoni Kahn)
October 12, 2026 · 56 minIn 2023, Dan made a bet with physicist Yoni Kahn about whether AI would be able to pass a graduate-level quantum field theory course by 2026. Today on the show, they revisit their bet and discuss what AI is capable of in physics today, and…
-
100 - What is Light? A Journey from Ancient Philosophy to Quantum Physics
August 24, 2026 · 37 minModern 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, he takes us…
-
99 - The 7 Most Exciting Developments in Physics Today + a WTU Update
August 3, 2026 · 36 minIt'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 eyes out for in the…
-
98 - An Improbable Quantum Ghost Story (Ft. David Kaplan)
January 19, 2026 · 41 minAn 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. For ad-free episodes and exclusive…
-
97 - The Schrödinger Equation: The Heart of Quantum Mechanics
December 22, 2025 · 30 minQuantum 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 revolutionized physics. For…
Show 7 more episodesShow fewer episodes
-
96 - The Making of Particle Fever (Ft. David Kaplan)
November 24, 2025 · 53 minIn 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…
-
95 - Would Aliens Have the Same Physics? (Ft. Daniel Whiteson)
November 4, 2025 · 43 minIf 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…
-
38 - The Nobel Prize's Greatest Misses (2025 Update)
October 13, 2025 · 34 minIn 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…
-
94 - Inside the Hubble Tension (Ft. Adam Riess)
September 29, 2025 · 32 minOur 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…
-
93 - The Moment Dark Energy Appeared (Ft. Adam Riess)
September 15, 2025 · 40 minAdam 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. For ask-us-anything segments and other exclusives, join…
-
AUA: Changing Dark Energy, Twin Paradox, and What's Next for CERN
May 2, 2025 · 55 minWe 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 Support the show
-
AUA: The Early Universe, Quantum Interpretations, and Asteroids
March 9, 2025 · 29 minTo 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 Support the show
About the show
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.