logo
episode-header-image
May 2022
1h 12m

Can the human eye see a single photon?

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Daniel and Katie talk about the physics of color and whether the eyeball is a quantum measurement device. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Today
Musk on the Moon
Daniel and Kelly discuss Elon Musk's recent announcement that SpaceX has shifted focus from a self-sustaining settlement on Mars to a self-growing city on the Moon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
57m 57s
Feb 26
Listener Questions #31
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about how it can both be true that humans share 98.7% of their DNA with bonobos and that fraternal twins share 50% of their DNA, why black holes don't have color charges, and whether or not you could treat a fever or let it ride.See omnystudio.co ... Show More
55m 52s
Feb 24
Which planet has the most moons?
Daniel and Kelly revel in the amazing multiplicity of moons in our solar system and what they reveal about our cosmic history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2023
How Far Can the Human Eye See?
The human eye is basically only limited by the curvature of the Earth and stuff that gets in its way. (Well, and various medical conditions.) Learn how far we can see in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/question198.htmSee omnyst ... Show More
8m 14s
Oct 2022
How do glow sticks work? The science of chemiluminescence
With Halloween just around the corner, we're talking all things glow sticks! What makes glow sticks glow, and what does it have to do with ocean bacteria? Let's take a look at the science of chemiluminescence. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honou ... Show More
7m 48s
Sep 2021
Deux particules mettent les physiciens en PLS
Einstein aurait tiré la langue devant ce problème. Car il y a comme un couac dans la physique. Le comportement de deux particules subatomiques (le muon et le méson B) échappe aux règles du modèle standard, qui cochait jusqu'alors toutes les cases expliquant le fonctionnement de l ... Show More
15m 7s
Mar 2024
Do we all see the same colour?
CrowdScience listener Gregory wants to know what affects the way we see the colours of the world. He was looking at a blue summer sky with a friend and they got to wondering whether they both see the same colour blue. So what does influence our vision of the colours that surround ... Show More
29m 10s
Feb 2024
Listener Mail: Hasten Down the Wind
Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
25m 54s
Feb 2024
#390: Wormholes, Black Holes, and Blue Giants: Your Space Questions Answered
Are you ready to uncover the mind-bending secrets of our universe? Join us as we reveal the unexpected truth about the formation of habitable planets and the potential for multiple habitable worlds within a single solar system. You won't believe how many habitable planets could e ... Show More
53m 2s
Nov 2021
A quoi sert la nouvelle échelle proposée par la NASA ?
<p>La recherche d'une vie en dehors de la Terre occupe les scientifiques du monde entier mais enflamme aussi l'imagination de nos contemporains. Pour encadrer cette quête avec une plus grande rigueur, la NASA a mis au point ce qu'elle appelle une échelle de "confiance".</p><br><p ... Show More
2m 2s
Jan 2024
How to Keep Time: Time Tips From the Universe
Time can feel like a subjective experience—different at different points in our lives. It’s also a real, measurable thing. The universe may be too big to fully comprehend, but what we do know could help inform the ways we approach our understanding of ourselves, our purpose, and ... Show More
36m 24s
Feb 2024
Why do plants die in freezing weather?
<p><strong>#085 Rebroadcast<br /> </strong></p> <p>Well here in Texas, we just suffered through an intense freeze. And many a plant became a casualty of the cold, but why? What's going on at the molecular level that causes freezing temperatures to be bad for many plants? And is t ... Show More
27m 25s