logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
1h 3m

Chiara Marletto, "The Science of Can and...

NEW BOOKS NETWORK
About this episode
There is a vast class of things that science has so far almost entirely neglected. They are central to the understanding of physical reality both at an everyday level and at the level of the most fundamental phenomena in physics, yet have traditionally been assumed to be impossible to incorporate into fundamental scientific explanations. They are facts not a ... Show More
Up next
Oct 30
Research: A Manifesto by Peter N. Miller (Princeton UP, 2026)
Today I’m speaking with Peter N. Miller, historian and president of the American Academy in Rome, about his new book, Research: A Manifesto (Princeton University Press, 2026). Globally, we spend around $3 trillion dollars a year on research, roughly 2% of global GDP. This activit ... Show More
1h 1m
Oct 19
The Ethics of Precision Medicine and Burned Agency with Paul Scherz and Travis Pickell
In this special installment of the University of Notre Dame Press's Books for Better Understanding, Paul Scherz, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Professor of Theology with the University of Notre Dame, and Travis Pickell, Assistant Professor at George Fox University, get together to di ... Show More
53m 7s
Sep 29
Life's Chemical Secret: The Origin of Purpose and Mind with Addy Pross (MIT Press, 2026)
How the ground-breaking discovery of a new material form in chemistry—matter in a dynamic kinetic state—is helping to explain life’s unique characteristics. The materialist view of nature has guided scientific thinking since Galileo—reality can be measured, modeled, and explained ... Show More
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
May 2021
Ep 62: "The Science of Can and Can't" episode 1.
This is the first episode in a new series devoted to an entirely new book: “The Science of Can and Can’t” by Chiara Marletto. Get the book anywhere ebooks are available (as of May, 2021) and learn more about Chiara and her work here: https://www.chiaramarletto.com​ This book is a ... Show More
1h 2m
Oct 2022
What is energy anyway?
Physics, while absolutely fascinating, can be impenetrable. And it isn't just cutting-edge ideas that can melt our brains, often we accept basic principles and ideas without really knowing how they work or even what they are. This week, Jonathan is joined by Sean Carroll, physi ... Show More
48m 31s
Mar 2023
Quantum mechanics: does objective reality exist?
It is hard to shake the intuition that there's a real and objective physical world out there. If I see an umbrella on top of a shelf, I assume you do too. And if I don't look at the umbrella, I expect it to remain there as long as nobody steals it. But the theory of quantum mecha ... Show More
52m 43s
Feb 2023
Great Mysteries of Physics - trailer
"There is nothing new to discover in physics", declared the British physicist Lord Kelvin in 1900. That is no longer true. Today it is becoming increasingly clear that there are problems that physics, as we know it, doesn't seem to be able to solve. Perhaps we just need more data ... Show More
2m 45s
Jul 2025
The Nothing Behind Everything
<p>This week, two conversations from the archives about parts of the world that are imperceptible to us, verging on almost unthinkable. We start with a moment of uncertainty in physics. Inspired by an essay written by physicist and novelist Alan Lightman, called <a href="https:// ... Show More
32m 54s
Apr 2024
82 - Science Vs. Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience can sometimes be hard to distinguish from the real thing. Today we discuss how philosophers of science have thought about this problem.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is ... Show More
35m 40s
Apr 2022
261. Jim Al-Khalili on the Joy of Science
<p>In this conversation with quantum physicist, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author, and BBC host Jim Al-Khalili reveals how 8 lessons from the heart of science can help us all get the most out of our lives.</p> <p>Today's world is unpredictable and full of contradictions, ... Show More
1h 42m
Apr 2023
Theory of everything: do we really need one?
The quest for a theory of everything – explaining all the forces and particles in the universe – is arguably the holy grail of physics. While each of our main theories of physics works extraordinarily well, they also clash with each other. But do we really need a theory of everyt ... Show More
57m 29s
May 2025
Can we really break physics?
"Why does stuff happen? Can we predict it -- and if so, what do these predictions tell us?" Loosely described, the concept of "physics" is the First Science of human civilization. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt explore recent discoveries that may well upend humanity's underst ... Show More
1h 8m