The Conversation

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Channel • 21 Shows

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News

Updated 28/04/2020
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News Commentary

Updated weekly
Physics

Physics

Updated weekly
News Commentary

News Commentary

Updated 27/03/2025
Politics

Politics

Updated twice weekly
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News

Every two weeks
Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Twice monthly

15/03/2023

Fundamental constants: is the universe fine tuned for life to exist?

Imagine a universe with extremely strong gravity. Stars would be able to form from very little material. They would be smaller than in our universe and live for a much shorter amount of time. But could life evolve there? It after all took human life billions of years to evolve on Earth under the pleasantly warm rays from the Sun. Now imagine a universe with extremely weak gravity. Its matter would struggle to clump together to form stars, planets and – ultimately – living beings. It seems we are pretty lucky to have gravity that is just right for life in our universe. Featuring Fred Adams, professor of physics, University of Michigan, and Paul Davies, professor of physics, Arizona State University. This episode was presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: The multiverse is suspiciously unlikely to exist unless it is one of many

15/03/2023

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42 min
08/03/2023

Is time an illusion?

Without a sense of time, leading us from cradle to grave, our lives would make little sense. But on the most fundamental level, physicists aren't sure whether the sort of time we experience exists at all. We talk to three experts and find out if time could potentially be moving backwards as well as forwards. Featuring Sean Carroll, Homewood professor of natural philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, Emily Adlam, postdoctoral associate of the philosophy of physics at Western University and Natalia Ares, Royal Society university research fellow at the University of Oxford. This episode was presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: Quantum mechanics: how the future might influence the pastFour misconceptions about quantum physics

08/03/2023

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44 min
28/04/2020

250 years since Captain Cook landed in Australia, it’s time to acknowledge the violence of first encounters

DAVID CROSLING/AAPCaptain James Cook arrived in the Pacific 250 years ago, triggering British colonisation of the region. We’re asking researchers to reflect on what happened and how it shapes us today. You can see other stories in the series here and an interactive here. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners should be aware the podcast accompanying this story contains the names of people who are deceased. It’s 250 years since Captain James Cook set foot in Australia, and there’s a growing push to fully acknowledge the violence of Australia’s colonial past. On today’s episode of the podcast, historian Kate Darian-Smith of the University of Tasmania explains that the way Australia has commemorated Cook’s arrival has changed over time – from military displays in 1870 to waning interest in Cook in the 1950s, followed by the fever-pitch celebrations of 1970. Now, though, a more nuanced debate is required, she says, adding that it’s time to discuss the violence that Cook’s crew meted out to Indigenous people after stepping ashore at Botany Bay. “I think discussing those violent moments is quite confronting for many Australians, but also sits within wider discussions about Aboriginal rights and equality in today’s Australia,” Darian-Smith told The Conversation’s Phoebe Roth. In her companion essay here, co-authored with Katrina Schlunke, Darian-Smith argues many of the popular “re-enactments” of national “foundation moments” in Australia’s past have elements of fantasy, compressing time and history into palatable narratives for mainstream Australia. New to podcasts? Everything you need to know about how to listen to a podcast is here. Additional audio credits Kindergarten by Unkle Ho, from Elefant Traks. Podcast episode recorded by Phoebe Roth and edited by Sophia Morris. Tasfilm report on the 1970 commemorations of Cook’s arrival. 1970 news report of protest. Lead image David Crosling/AAP Read more: As we celebrate the rediscovery of the Endeavour let’s acknowledge its complicated legacy

28/04/2020

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28 min
22/03/2023

Is there a multiverse?

Interest in the multiverse theory, suggesting that our universe is just one of many, has spiked since the movie Everything Everywhere All At Once was released. The film follows Evelyn Wang on her journey to connect with versions of herself in parallel universes to stop the destruction of the multiverse. The multiverse idea has long been an inspiration for science fiction writers. But does it have any basis in science? And if so, is it a concept we could ever test experimentally? Featuring Andrew Pontzen, professor of Cosmology at University College London, Katie Mack, Hawking chair in cosmology and science communication at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and Sabine Hossenfelder, research fellow of physics at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies. This episode is presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: The multiverse: how we're tackling the challenges facing the theoryCurious Kids: how likely is it that there are parallel universes and other Earths?The multiverse: our universe is suspiciously unlikely to exist – unless it is one of many

22/03/2023

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41 min
05/04/2023

Will we ever have a fundamental theory of life and consciousness?

What’s the difference between a living collection of matter, such as a tortoise, and an inanimate lump of it, such as a rock? They are, after all, both just made up of non-living atoms. The truth is, we don’t really know yet. Life seems to just somehow emerge from non-living parts. Featuring Jim Al-Khalili, professor of physics at the University of Surrey and Sara Imari Walker professor of physics at Arizona State University. This episode is presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: Life: modern physics can’t explain it – but our new theory, which says time is fundamental, might

05/04/2023

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48 min
29/03/2023

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 mechanics, which governs the micro-world of atoms and particles, threatens this commonsense view. Featuring Chiara Marletto, Research Fellow of Physics, and Christopher Timpson, Professor of Philosophy of Physics, both at the University of Oxford, and Marcus Huber, Professor of Physics, TU Wien. This episode is presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: 'QBism': quantum mechanics is not an objective description of reality – it reveals a world of genuine free will

29/03/2023

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53 min
12/04/2023

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 everything? And are we anywhere near achieving one? Featuring Vlatko Vedral, a professor of physics at the University of Oxford and Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, an assistant professor in physics and astronomy and core faculty in women's and gender studies at the University Of New Hampshire. This episode is presented by Miriam Frankel and produced by Hannah Fisher. Executive producers are Jo Adetunji and Gemma Ware. Social media and platform production by Alice Mason, sound design by Eloise Stevens and music by Neeta Sarl. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: The standard model of particle physics may be broken – an expert explains

12/04/2023

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57 min
26/11/2020

« P » comme Parentalité

Cet épisode est dédié à la notion de parentalité qui désigne les pratiques parentales, devenues un champ d'étude tant pour la psychiatrie, l'anthropologie que la sociologie. Claude Martin, sociologue, y a dédié plus de trente ans de recherches. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

26/11/2020

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24 min
19/11/2020

« P » comme Peer review

Les mots de la science, le podcast qui décrypte les mots clés de la recherche pour mieux comprendre l’époque. Cet épisode est dédié à la notion de « peer review », l'évaluation par les pairs. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

19/11/2020

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23 min
17/09/2018

Dian Fiantis, perempuan pemburu abu vulkanis dari Andalas

Abu vulkanis merendam rumah setelah erupsi Gunung Merapi, Juni 2006. Dewi Putra/Shutterstock Dian Fiantis adalah ahli tanah dan pemburu abu gunung api. Guru Besar Universitas Andalas Padang Sumatra Barat itu telah mengumpulkan abu vulkanis setelah Gunung Merapi, Kelud, Sinabung, dan Krakatau meletus. Dia dan timnya mengambil abu vulkanis yang belum terkena hujan. Dari penelitiannya tentang abu vulkanis, 6 artikel ilmiah telah diterbitkan jurnal internasional. Dengan 129 gunung api aktif, Indonesia adalah negeri vulkanis teraktif di dunia. Jutaan orang menggantung pengharapan, pada cuaca, curah hujan, dan tanah subur buat pertanian dan tempat tinggal. Meski menanggung risiko yang amat besar: letusan nan mematikan. Mereka yang bertaruh tahu letusan gunung api adalah cara alam mengembalikan kesuburan tanah. Abu vulkanis kelak akan melapuk menjadi tanah-tanah subur. Dan dalam proses itulah abu vulkanis menyerap karbon. Ini salah satu unsur yang bertanggung jawab membuat perubahan iklim. Berdasarkan warna tanah, Dian bisa meramalkan tingkat kesuburannya. Tanah itu hitam berarti kandungan bahan organiknya itu tinggi. Tanah itu akan mudah diolah. Relatif lebih subur dibandingkan tanah yang berwarna cokelat. Apalagi kalau warnanya merah bahan organiknya sangat sedikit. Sayangnya, kebijakan pemupukan di tanah pertanian Indonesia kerap mengabaikan sains sehingga asupan pupuk tidak sesuai dengan kebutuhan tanah. Edisi ke-26 Sains Sekitar Kita ini disiapkan oleh Hilman Handoni dan narator Malika. Selamat mendengarkan!

17/09/2018

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6 min

Listen to experts explain the world around us and tell the stories behind brand new research. Podcasts from The Conversation, an independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community. Shows in English, French and Bahasa Indonesia. Free to listen.