logo
episode-header-image
May 2021
25m 52s

A new force of nature?

Vox
About this episode

Last month, physicists at Fermilab in Illinois found that tiny subatomic particles called muons were wobbling strangely. This small observation could transform the future of particle physics, potentially pointing toward undiscovered particles or maybe even a new force of nature.

For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable

It’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show.

Also, email us! unexplainable@vox.com

We read every email.

Support Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Jul 2
A magical world at the ocean’s edge
In coastal California, researchers grapple with potentially losing a landscape they love. Guests: Rebecca Johnson, Director of the Center for Biodiversity and Community Science at the California Academy of Sciences; Peter Roopnarine, Curator of Invertebrate Zoology & Geology at t ... Show More
38m 42s
Jun 30
Ruff translation
We love our pets. And think we understand them. Are we fooling ourselves? Guests: ⁠Alexandra Horowitz⁠, dog cognition researcher at Barnard College; ⁠Holly Molinaro⁠, animal welfare scientist; ⁠Jared Martin⁠, filmmaker and dog owner For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/ ... Show More
35m 47s
Jun 25
Sick of “morning” sickness
If pregnant people need to eat for two, why do so many of us puke morning, noon, and night? Guests: Marlena Fejzo, Ph.D., geneticist, and Research Director at the HER Foundation. For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unxtranscripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com ... Show More
33m 40s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2020
The Marvelous Mystery of the Muon Magnetic Moment
Can physicists discover new particles by watching how muons wiggle in magnetic fields? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
42m 12s
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
Dec 2023
#384: Black Holes: A Surprising New Source for Mysterious Dark Energy? & Other Listener Questions Answered
While Fred and Andrew head off on an end of year break....we dip back into our recent past and bring you one of our 'all-questions' episodes for a repeat run, just in case you missed it the first time or simply need a refresh. Are you ready to have your understanding of the unive ... Show More
47m 42s
Oct 2023
EVSN - SETI and the Very Large Array
From Sept 11, 2023. While we could spend an entire episode on Earth, there is just too much going on in the universe to linger anywhere too long. From our world, we journey out to look at the super massive black hole in the core of M87, and then Beth Johnson will join us with an ... Show More
53m 41s
Apr 2023
A Glimpse into the Past: 3 Billion Years After the Big Bang | Space Nuts 349
Get ready to explore a 10 billion year old mystery! A closely bound duo of energetic quasars, the hallmark of a pair of merging galaxies, have been discovered when the Universe was only 3 billion years old. What secrets do these quasars hold and why have they lasted so long? Join ... Show More
52m 38s
May 2024
Cosmic Queries – Physics All Around Us
What would aliens think of our inventions? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice answer fan questions on Maxwell’s Equations, the symmetry of the universe, and the physics around us all the time. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here ... Show More
49m 17s
Feb 2024
A new kind of magnetism, and how smelly pollution harms pollinators
More than 200 materials could be “altermagnets,” and the impact of odiferous pollutants on nocturnal plant-pollinator interactions First up on the show this week, researchers investigate a new kind of magnetism. Freelance science journalist Zack Savitsky joins host Sarah Crespi t ... Show More
31m 21s