26 episodes

"The Joy of Why" is a Quanta Magazine podcast about curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. The acclaimed mathematician and author Steven Strogatz interviews leading researchers about the great scientific and mathematical questions of our time.

The Joy of Why Quanta Magazine

    • Science
    • 4.9 • 296 Ratings

"The Joy of Why" is a Quanta Magazine podcast about curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. The acclaimed mathematician and author Steven Strogatz interviews leading researchers about the great scientific and mathematical questions of our time.

    Does Nothingness Exist?

    Does Nothingness Exist?

    Even empty space is bubbling with a form of energy, according to quantum mechanics - and that fact affects almost every facet of physical reality. The theoretical physicist Isabel Garcia Garcia explains to Steven Strogatz why it's so important in modern physics to understand what a true vacuum is.

    • 44 min
    Can Math and Physics Save an Arrhythmic Heart?

    Can Math and Physics Save an Arrhythmic Heart?

    Abnormal waves of electrical activity can cause a heart's muscle cells to beat out of sync. In this episode, Flavio Fenton, an expert in cardiac dynamics, talks with Steve Strogatz about ways to treat heart arrhythmias without resorting to painful defibrillators.

    • 46 min
    What Can Jellyfish Teach Us About Fluid Dynamics?

    What Can Jellyfish Teach Us About Fluid Dynamics?

    Jellyfish and other aquatic creatures embody solutions to diverse problems in engineering, medicine and mathematics. John Dabiri, a fluid dynamics expert, talks with Steven Strogatz about what jellyfish can teach us about going with the flow.

    • 43 min
    What Causes Giant Rogue Waves?

    What Causes Giant Rogue Waves?

    Once dismissed as myths, monstrous rogue waves that tower over ships and appear without warning are real. Wave-science researcher Ton van den Bremer and Steven Strogatz discuss how rogue waves can form in relatively calm seas and whether their threat can be predicted.

    • 40 min
    What Is the Nature of Consciousness?

    What Is the Nature of Consciousness?

    Consciousness, our experience of being in the world, is one of the mind's greatest mysteries, but as the neuroscientist Anil Seth explains to Steven Strogatz, research is making progress in understanding this elusive phenomenon.

    • 52 min
    Are There Reasons to Believe in a Multiverse?

    Are There Reasons to Believe in a Multiverse?

    Several areas of physics suggest reasons to think that unobservable universes with different natural laws could lie beyond ours. The theoretical physicist David Kaplan talks with Steven Strogatz about the mysteries that a multiverse would solve.

    • 48 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
296 Ratings

296 Ratings

Quest for Knowledge & Insight ,

Fabulous Weekly “Ride” in Math and Science!

Outstanding podcast! Dr. Strogatz does a great service to obtaining insights from those in the trenches of knowledge creation and insight generation who are specialists in their fields of math and science.

I look forward to every episode. Keep up the great work Steven Strogatz!!

Penny Weber ,

Love this podcast

I love learning something new every day! Very well done.

Marcus517 ,

Great depth, production quality and host is likable

This is not a podcast for easy listening; you need to pay attention. But they explain things very clearly which is impressive for areas like quantum field theory and mathematical proofs. Yeah, I didn’t think I’d be interested in these either, but here I am.

And no politics … how refreshing.

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