Shows / Particles of Thought
Particles of Thought
Ready to break your brain? Particles of Thought, the hit video podcast from the producers of NOVA is back with new mind-expanding conversations with scientists on the edge. Host Hakeem Oluseyi dives into how to hack your own anxiety, the surprising connection between dark matter and black holes, the secrets of animal communication, the hidden geometry shaping our world, and even what it means to be human. Along the way, he tackles big questions, uncovers surprising answers, and opens up…
Episodes
Particles of ThoughtPluto Is a Planet. So Is the Moon.
Hakeem has hot takes on space. For instance, the moon is a planet. In Hakeem’s new book, Why Do We Exist?, he shares big ideas about the universe. Why do so…
- Particles of Thought
Pluto Is a Planet. So Is the Moon.
Hakeem has hot takes on space. For instance, the moon is a planet. In Hakeem’s new book, Why Do We Exist?, he shares big ideas about the universe. Why do so…
Particles of ThoughtOur Host Tells All
Our host flips the interview and shares his humble beginnings before science superstardom. Hakeem opens up about a childhood moving between some of America's…
- Particles of Thought
Our Host Tells All
Our host flips the interview and shares his humble beginnings before science superstardom. Hakeem opens up about a childhood moving between some of America's…
Particles of ThoughtFull Interview: Earthquake’s Buried Truth
Earthquakes can be more powerful than atomic bombs. Luckily, Harvard geophysicist John Shaw has ideas on how to beat them. What really causes earthquakes? How…
- Particles of Thought
Full Interview: Earthquake’s Buried Truth
Earthquakes can be more powerful than atomic bombs. Luckily, Harvard geophysicist John Shaw has ideas on how to beat them. What really causes earthquakes? How…
Particles of ThoughtThe Quakes We Cause
We can cause earthquakes. Geophysicist John Shaw joins Hakeem to reveal how humans have been triggering earthquakes for decades, and in some cases, it’s on…
- Particles of Thought
The Quakes We Cause
We can cause earthquakes. Geophysicist John Shaw joins Hakeem to reveal how humans have been triggering earthquakes for decades, and in some cases, it’s on…
Particles of ThoughtHow to Survive the Big One
We can’t predict earthquakes, but we can beat them. Geophysicist breaks down what actually keeps people alive when the ground starts shaking. From flexible…
- Particles of Thought
How to Survive the Big One
We can’t predict earthquakes, but we can beat them. Geophysicist breaks down what actually keeps people alive when the ground starts shaking. From flexible…
Particles of ThoughtThe Quake Equation
Big earthquakes can change the Earth’s rotation. And Harvard geophysicist John Shaw says these giant events can teach us a lot. He traces our understanding…
- Particles of Thought
The Quake Equation
Big earthquakes can change the Earth’s rotation. And Harvard geophysicist John Shaw says these giant events can teach us a lot. He traces our understanding…
Particles of ThoughtFull Interview: The Fusion Future
There is a near-limitless energy source to power our world, and it may be almost here. Dennis Whyte shares with Hakeem that we're closer than ever to bottling…
- Particles of Thought
Full Interview: The Fusion Future
There is a near-limitless energy source to power our world, and it may be almost here. Dennis Whyte shares with Hakeem that we're closer than ever to bottling…
Particles of ThoughtFusion and the Future of Space
Dennis Whyte has designed a fusion reactor for Mars, and it turns out the red planet has plenty of fusion fuel. The MIT nuclear scientist joins Hakeem to…
- Particles of Thought
Fusion and the Future of Space
Dennis Whyte has designed a fusion reactor for Mars, and it turns out the red planet has plenty of fusion fuel. The MIT nuclear scientist joins Hakeem to…
Particles of ThoughtHow to Build a Star
Dennis Whyte helped spark a multi-billion-dollar industry from a spool of tape. The nuclear scientist and entrepreneur explains the nitty gritty of nuclear…
- Particles of Thought
How to Build a Star
Dennis Whyte helped spark a multi-billion-dollar industry from a spool of tape. The nuclear scientist and entrepreneur explains the nitty gritty of nuclear…
Particles of ThoughtFusion Energy is Coming
Dennis Whyte studies the physics that powers every star in the universe, and he says it can power your house, too. Now the CEO of the UK’s Atomic Energy…
- Particles of Thought
Fusion Energy is Coming
Dennis Whyte studies the physics that powers every star in the universe, and he says it can power your house, too. Now the CEO of the UK’s Atomic Energy…
Particles of ThoughtFull Interview: Cracking Animal Language
Federico Rossano convinces Hakeem that animals have a lot more to say than we've given them credit for. The cognitive scientist shares the origin story behind…
- Particles of Thought
Full Interview: Cracking Animal Language
Federico Rossano convinces Hakeem that animals have a lot more to say than we've given them credit for. The cognitive scientist shares the origin story behind…
Particles of ThoughtSecret Language of Apes
Federico Rossano says the secret to speaking with apes is trust. For primates, the world is full of high-stakes friends and foes, and of course, there are…
- Particles of Thought
Secret Language of Apes
Federico Rossano says the secret to speaking with apes is trust. For primates, the world is full of high-stakes friends and foes, and of course, there are…
Particles of ThoughtWhat Are Dogs Saying?
Federico Rossano caught dogs doing something that looks a lot like telling jokes. The cognitive scientist shares what he learned from speaking with dogs. Dogs…
- Particles of Thought
What Are Dogs Saying?
Federico Rossano caught dogs doing something that looks a lot like telling jokes. The cognitive scientist shares what he learned from speaking with dogs. Dogs…
Particles of ThoughtHow Dogs Talk
Federico Rossano didn't care about talking dogs until science made it impossible to ignore. The cognitive scientist joins Hakeem to reveal how a viral social…
- Particles of Thought
How Dogs Talk
Federico Rossano didn't care about talking dogs until science made it impossible to ignore. The cognitive scientist joins Hakeem to reveal how a viral social…
Particles of ThoughtFull Interview: How to Save The “Doomsday Glacier”
Brent Minchew could have a plan to stop Thwaites Glacier, AKA the “Doomsday Glacier”, cold in its tracks. That’s good news because if this one glacier slips…
- Particles of Thought
Full Interview: How to Save The “Doomsday Glacier”
Brent Minchew could have a plan to stop Thwaites Glacier, AKA the “Doomsday Glacier”, cold in its tracks. That’s good news because if this one glacier slips…
Particles of ThoughtFrom Marine One to Mission Antarctica
Brent Minchew responded to the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001. Before he was a glaciologist at Caltech, he was a marine aboard the Marine One presidential…
- Particles of Thought
From Marine One to Mission Antarctica
Brent Minchew responded to the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001. Before he was a glaciologist at Caltech, he was a marine aboard the Marine One presidential…
Particles of ThoughtGlacier Rescue
Brent Minchew has a plan that could stop the “Doomsday Glacier” in its tracks, and we don’t even need new technology to do it. The Caltech glaciologist returns…
- Particles of Thought
Glacier Rescue
Brent Minchew has a plan that could stop the “Doomsday Glacier” in its tracks, and we don’t even need new technology to do it. The Caltech glaciologist returns…
Particles of ThoughtThe Glacier That Could Change the World
Brent Minchew is an expert on the glacier that could devastate the world’s coastlines. As a glaciologist at Caltech, he's spent his career tracking Thwaites…
- Particles of Thought
The Glacier That Could Change the World
Brent Minchew is an expert on the glacier that could devastate the world’s coastlines. As a glaciologist at Caltech, he's spent his career tracking Thwaites…
Particles of ThoughtFull Interview: The Hidden Math Behind Everything
Jordan Ellenberg tells Hakeem that math isn't just about numbers. It's about everything. The mathematician and bestselling author shares how AI models are…
- Particles of Thought
Full Interview: The Hidden Math Behind Everything
Jordan Ellenberg tells Hakeem that math isn't just about numbers. It's about everything. The mathematician and bestselling author shares how AI models are…
Particles of ThoughtCertainty Is Overrated
Jordan Ellenberg finds mathematical certainty overrated. Calming our fear of the unknown, the mathematician joins Hakeem to explore why math, contrary to…
- Particles of Thought
Certainty Is Overrated
Jordan Ellenberg finds mathematical certainty overrated. Calming our fear of the unknown, the mathematician joins Hakeem to explore why math, contrary to…
Particles of ThoughtNext Dimension Geometry
Jordan Ellenberg says geometry isn’t about shapes. It’s about distance. In a tour of geometry far stranger than anything from high school, the mathematician…
- Particles of Thought
Next Dimension Geometry
Jordan Ellenberg says geometry isn’t about shapes. It’s about distance. In a tour of geometry far stranger than anything from high school, the mathematician…
Particles of ThoughtAI’s Hidden Math
Jordan Ellenberg has good news: artificial intelligence is just math you can actually understand. The mathematician joins Hakeem to pull back the curtain on…
- Particles of Thought
AI’s Hidden Math
Jordan Ellenberg has good news: artificial intelligence is just math you can actually understand. The mathematician joins Hakeem to pull back the curtain on…
Particles of ThoughtFull Interview: Hobbits, Neanderthals, and Dragon Man
Ella Al-Shamahi explores what it means to be human. She reveals the surprising truth that our ancestors shared the planet with at least seven other human…
- Particles of Thought
Full Interview: Hobbits, Neanderthals, and Dragon Man
Ella Al-Shamahi explores what it means to be human. She reveals the surprising truth that our ancestors shared the planet with at least seven other human…
Particles of ThoughtCreationist to Evolutionary Biologist
Ella Al-Shamahi set out to disprove the theory of evolution. Now she’s one of its greatest advocates. In this deeply personal conversation, Ella tells Hakeem…
- Particles of Thought
Creationist to Evolutionary Biologist
Ella Al-Shamahi set out to disprove the theory of evolution. Now she’s one of its greatest advocates. In this deeply personal conversation, Ella tells Hakeem…
Particles of ThoughtRethinking Neanderthals
Ella Al-Shamahi thinks Neanderthals have a reputation problem, and the science backs her up. For decades, the word "Neanderthal" has been shorthand for…
- Particles of Thought
Rethinking Neanderthals
Ella Al-Shamahi thinks Neanderthals have a reputation problem, and the science backs her up. For decades, the word "Neanderthal" has been shorthand for…
Particles of ThoughtReal Hobbits?
Ella Al-Shamahi says the iconic picture of human evolution is all wrong. She joins Hakeem to take apart the conventional image of the straight-line march of…
- Particles of Thought
Real Hobbits?
Ella Al-Shamahi says the iconic picture of human evolution is all wrong. She joins Hakeem to take apart the conventional image of the straight-line march of…
Particles of ThoughtFull Interview: The Future of AI and Us
Daniela Rus brings robots and AI together, and as a computer scientist and roboticist at MIT, she's here to set the record straight. She's not just studying AI…
- Particles of Thought
Full Interview: The Future of AI and Us
Daniela Rus brings robots and AI together, and as a computer scientist and roboticist at MIT, she's here to set the record straight. She's not just studying AI…
Particles of ThoughtAI Origins
Daniela Rus is cutting through the AI hype and headlines to give us a real understanding of its future. As Director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial…
- Particles of Thought
AI Origins
Daniela Rus is cutting through the AI hype and headlines to give us a real understanding of its future. As Director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial…
Particles of ThoughtAI Robots
Daniela Rus has built a robot you can swallow, and that is one of the less surprising things her lab is working on. At MIT's CSAIL, she is leading research at…
- Particles of Thought
AI Robots
Daniela Rus has built a robot you can swallow, and that is one of the less surprising things her lab is working on. At MIT's CSAIL, she is leading research at…
Particles of ThoughtWhen AI Escapes the Data Center
Daniela Rus wants to put AI in your pocket, your car, and your dishwasher. In fact, she has already started. As one of the world's leading AI and robotics…
- Particles of Thought
When AI Escapes the Data Center
Daniela Rus wants to put AI in your pocket, your car, and your dishwasher. In fact, she has already started. As one of the world's leading AI and robotics…