Particles of Thought

GBH
  • 4.9 (152)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Particles of Thought from the producers of NOVA unleashes the universe's biggest questions through the lens of astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi and the world's most brilliant scientific minds. Should we resurrect extinct species? Are we blind to a fundamental force of nature? What secrets do ancient fossils reveal about humanity's destiny? Across 10 mind-bending episodes, each conversation dives deep into the discoveries that shatter assumptions, spark wonder, and completely transform how you understand reality.  Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

  1. How Many Microbes Live on Earth? | Peter Girguis

    1D AGO · BONUS

    How Many Microbes Live on Earth? | Peter Girguis

    Sorry, Beyoncé, it turns out microbes rule the world. Microbiologist Peter Girguis explains how to conceptualize just how many microbes are on Earth… and how understanding this helps us look for life on other worlds.  For more, check out the extended interview with Peter Girguis. Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

    1 min
  2. Why Tropical Trees Don’t Have Rings | Kirk Johnson

    JAN 28 · BONUS

    Why Tropical Trees Don’t Have Rings | Kirk Johnson

    Growth rings on trees can measure time, allowing scientists to date things from the deep past. But, paleobotantist Dr. Kirk Johnson explains why, in the tropics, some trees have no rings. For more, check out the extended interview with Kirk Johnson. Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

    1 min
  3. How Weight Loss Drugs Were Inspired by Gila Monsters | Sean B. Carroll

    JAN 21 · BONUS

    How Weight Loss Drugs Were Inspired by Gila Monsters | Sean B. Carroll

    Nature has been solving problems for billions of years. Evolutionary biologist Sean B. Carroll reveals why scientists still turn to evolution’s inventions for life-saving breakthroughs, from GLP-1 drugs to statins. For more, check out the extended interview with Sean B. Carroll. Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

    6 min
  4. De-Extincted” Dire Wolf Pups Are Growing Up | Beth Shapiro

    JAN 14 · BONUS

    De-Extincted” Dire Wolf Pups Are Growing Up | Beth Shapiro

    In 2024, scientists claimed they achieved the unthinkable: the birth of dire wolf pups, reviving a species that vanished thousands of years ago. Now, those pups are growing—and changing. Evolutionary biologist Beth Shapiro reveals what it’s like to watch these predators mature into modern beasts. For more, check out the extended interview with Beth Shapiro.  Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

    2 min
  5. How AI Is Taking “Future-Proof” Jobs | Hany Farid

    JAN 7 · BONUS

    How AI Is Taking “Future-Proof” Jobs | Hany Farid

    Is AI coming for your job? AI Expert Hany Farid breaks down how AI is taking jobs once considered “future-proof” and shares his advice to prepare young people for the future. For more, check out the extended interview with Hany Farid.  Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

    1 min
  6. Discovering Dark Energy and the Hubble Tension with Adam Riess

    12/18/2025

    Discovering Dark Energy and the Hubble Tension with Adam Riess

    What does it feel like to make one of the biggest discoveries in physics? Adam Riess knows — because his work revealed that the universe isn’t just expanding, it’s accelerating. In this episode, the Nobel Prize–winning astrophysicist takes us behind the scenes of the moment that changed cosmology forever. How did his team use exploding stars as “standard candles” to measure the cosmos? Why did the data point to a mysterious force now called dark energy, making up nearly 70% of the universe? And what’s behind today’s biggest cosmic puzzle: the Hubble tension? Plus, Adam shares what new telescopes could uncover — and why the next decade might rewrite the laws of physics all over again.  Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.  ————————— Guest Bio:  Adam Riess is an astrophysicist, professor at Johns Hopkins University, and a distinguished astronomer at Space Telescope Science Institute. In 2011, he was named as a co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to the discovery that the expansion rate of the universe is accelerating. Since then, he has continued refining measurements of cosmic expansion and the Hubble constant, aiming to find and measure the most distant type Ia supernovae known, to probe the origin of cosmic acceleration. Timestamps (00:00:00) Introduction (00:03:16) What Is a Type Ia Supernova?  (00:10:52) The Discovery of Dark Energy (00:44:39) What Is the Hubble Tension? (00:58:59) Winning a Nobel Prize (01:15:32) Credits

    1h 16m
  7. Hubble Tension, Explained | Adam Riess

    12/17/2025 · BONUS

    Hubble Tension, Explained | Adam Riess

    The universe isn’t adding up—and it’s creating a crisis in cosmology. Nobel Prize winner Adam Riess explains why measurements of the universe’s expansion rate from its earliest light and from nearby galaxies don’t match, and how this growing gap threatens the foundations of our standard model of the cosmos. For more, check out the extended interview with Adam Riess Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

    8 min
  8. Einstein’s “Biggest Blunder” | Adam Riess

    12/15/2025 · BONUS

    Einstein’s “Biggest Blunder” | Adam Riess

    Discovering dark energy wasn’t just thrilling—it was terrifying. Nobel Prize Winner Adam Riess explains the nerve-wracking process behind confirming that the universe’s expansion is accelerating and why Einstein’s so-called “biggest blunder” turned out to be anything but. For more, check out the extended interview with Adam Riess Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

    6 min
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out of 5
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About

Particles of Thought from the producers of NOVA unleashes the universe's biggest questions through the lens of astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi and the world's most brilliant scientific minds. Should we resurrect extinct species? Are we blind to a fundamental force of nature? What secrets do ancient fossils reveal about humanity's destiny? Across 10 mind-bending episodes, each conversation dives deep into the discoveries that shatter assumptions, spark wonder, and completely transform how you understand reality.  Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

Information

  • Creator
    GBH
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©2020 WGBH Educational Foundation
  • Show Website
    Particles of Thought

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