Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe
Episodes
Does consciousness come from quantum processes in the brain?
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly explore Penrose's Orchestrated Objective Reduction Theory that aims to explain consciousness, quantum measurements, quantum gravity a...
Listener Questions #34
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer listener questions about what creates the morning fog, why bats don't get dizzy, and the cauchy horizon.See omnystudio.com/lis...
Introducing: Mostly Human with Laurie Segall
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Mostly Human is a weekly podcast that explores technology through the most important lens: the human one. Hosted by award-winning tech journalist Laur...
How cholera kills you and how we kill it
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about what Vibrio cholerae does to your body, and the methods we have to combat it. They also talk about some of the really bad ...
To swill or to smell: How John Snow determined the cause of cholera
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly dive into the history of medicine, and discuss the data John Snow collected to argue that cholera is transmitted through contaminated...
Listener Questions #33
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about tongue worms, units, and Kelly's nightmares. Link: Standard reference peanut butterSee omnystudio.com/listener...
Do we live in a super bubble?
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly explore the structure of the space between solar systems and reveal our cosmic context.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...
Is Cold Fusion impossible?
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about the challenges of hot fusion and the frustrated potential of cold fusion. And Keanu Reeves.See omnystudio.com/listener for...
Listener Questions #32
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about the expanding universe, how sleep aids impact sleep quality, and what characteristics might make aliens better...
Becoming Martian (featuring Dr. Scott Solomon)
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly welcome Dr. Scott Solomon back on the show to talk about his new book Becoming Martian: How Living in Space Will Change our Bodies an...
Musk on the Moon
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 cit...
Listener Questions #31
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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% o...
Which planet has the most moons?
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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/liste...
Why do animals cooperate?
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about the evolution of cooperation, and why humans struggle so much with isolation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...
Listener Questions #30
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about sentience, chicken eggs, and the early Universe!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why does the Universe minimize action?
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly dive into one of the most important but mysterious principles of physics: least action.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...
Rabies
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about rabies, which results in very few deaths in the United States but is a neglected tropical disease - taking approximately 6...
Bonus Episode: History Daily - The First Reported Case of the Spanish Flu
07 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Here’s an episode of a show we think you’ll love. It’s History Daily which tells the fascinating stories of what happened &ldqu...
Listener Questions #29
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about bark beetles, ambipolar fields, and gray hairs!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can cosmic rays corrupt computers?
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about how computers store information, and how cosmic rays might flip some vital bits.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...
What is interspecific brood parasitism?
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about interspecific brood parasites - which are species that sneak their eggs into the nests of other, unsuspecting species. How...
Listener Questions #28
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about black holes, duplicate organs and bubble Universes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How fast are we moving?
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly slow down to understand what velocity really means, and how much we have of it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can quantum measurements change the past?
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about the problem of time in quantum mechanics and how the past might depend on the future.See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...
Listener Questions #27
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about birthing multiple species, mental imagery, and face mites!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What can we learn by smashing muons together?
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about why particle physicists are excited about a muon collider.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Zombie fish
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about a brain-infecting parasite of California Killifish, and discuss how the parasite might be altering the fish's behavior to ...
The several styles of singularities
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly take a tour through the various singularities that are predicted by general relativity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...
Listener Questions #26
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about tornadoes, water purification, and massive moons in the sky.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...
Perimenopause
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel, Kelly, and Katrine discuss what happens during menopause, why evolutionary biologists think menopause occurs, and our current knowledge of the...
What's the densest thing in the Universe that's not a black hole?
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly dive into the hearts of blue giants, massive planets, and neutron stars to reveal a surprising limit on cosmic density.See omnystudio...
Listener Questions #25
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about kissing bugs, magnetic fields in the Sun, and microbiomes in space.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...
How many rogue planets and stars are there?
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer a question from a listener about planets without stars and stars without galaxies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...
How bad are microplastics?
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Microplastics are everywhere. How did they get there, and should we worry?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Questions #24
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about Jupiter and circadian rhythms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How do we predict the weather?
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly explain how physics predicts the future rain and shine, and all of the incredible science involved.See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...
How do we control mosquito populations?
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel, Kelly, and Katrine chat about how mosquitos find us, and what we can do to protect ourselves from the diseases they transmit.See omnystudio.co...
Listener Questions #23
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about fingerprints, particle beam accidents, tickles and yawns!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The physics of shadows
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly shine a light on the mysterious every day physics of shadows, including whether they can move faster than light.See omnystudio.com/li...
Introducing : Inner Cosmos with Host David Eagleman and Guest Daniel Whiteson
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hello Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe listeners. We want to share a great show, Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman. ( Neuroscientist and Autho...
How long have we been human? (featuring Dr. Scott Solomon)
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly chat with Dr. Scott Solomon about ancient hominid species, and how we learn about them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...
Listener Questions #22
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about interstellar comets, evolution of parasitoids, and the nature of scientific theories.See omnystudio.com/listen...
Can we engineer the sun?
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly exercise their optimism and explore engineering solutions to the Sun's projected overheating and demise.See omnystudio.com/listener f...
How to make sense of quantum entanglement
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about the confusing aspects of quantum entanglement, and try to untangle the concepts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...
How do parasites evade our immune system? (featuring Dr. John Hawdon)
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly chat with Dr. John Hawdon about how parasites like hookworm, malaria, and schistosomes hide from our immune system.See omnystudio.com...
Listener Questions #21 featuring Cat Bohannan
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly are joined by Cat Bohannan, who answers questions about whether we can shorten gestation, superhuman feats of strength, and whether v...
Do Aliens Speak Physics, with Andy Warner
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly are joined by Andy Warner, the co-author and illustrator of Daniel's new book, Do Aliens Speak Physics, and talk about how we might c...
How was the polio vaccine developed?
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about the development of the polio vaccine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Questions #20
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions from listeners about aliens, archaea and the speed of light.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is physics discovered or invented?
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly get concrete about whether physics is the map or the territory, the topic of Daniel's new book "Do Aliens Speak Physics?"See omnystud...
Listener Questions #19
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer listener questions about how pinworms know it's nighttime, how quarks contribute to mass, and why eating too many carrots make...
Must there be a single unified theory of physics?
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk to Ethan Siegal about whether we should expect physics to be explained by a single unified theory.See omnystudio.com/listener fo...
How might aliens perceive the Universe?
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about how aliens might experience the Universe and how it might shape their science, a topic from Daniel's new book "Do Aliens S...
Why do we age? (featuring Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan)
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly get answers to listener questions about why we age from Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan, author of "Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and t...
Relativistic beaming
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about how gravity, magnetism and relativity work together to create one of the most brilliant spectacles in the Universe.See omn...
Can we explore the galaxy with self-replicating probes?
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk to Phil Metzger about the engineering challenges of building self-replication space probes.See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...
Listener Questions #18
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about gravtational slingshots, megafauna and microscopic black holes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...
What came before the Big Bang?
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk to Phil Halper about the many mysteries of the origins of the Universe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Mysteries of Magnetism
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly dig into the mysteries of magnetism, explaining how magnets work and what they reveal about the Universe.See omnystudio.com/listener ...
Does physics have to be causal and local?
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk to Sean Carroll about where some of the basic assumptions we make about the Universe come from, and whether we need them.See omn...
Zombie ants
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about the science behind the "zombie ants".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How does scientific peer review work?
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly shine a light on the inner workings of one of the crucial parts of the scientific process: peer review. How does it work? Who are the...
How are scientific discoveries made?
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly explore how scientific discoveries are made, digging into fun stories, the history of science with Prof. Lydia Patton and the lessons...
How long will Moore's Law continue boosting computing power? (featuring Dr. Adam Becker)
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly discuss the future of computing and talk to Adam Becker about what it all means.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is the Universe Fine-tuned for life?
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly grapple with the implications of arbitrary numbers in our theory, whether they could have had different values, and what it all means...
Phage therapy (featuring Dr. Katrine Whiteson)
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly chat with Katrine Whiteson about how we can enlist viruses to kill infectious bacteria.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...
Listener Questions #17
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer listener questions about screwworm at the southern border, life without the Moon, and the status of synthetic blood.See omnyst...
Why do we sleep and dream? (featuring Dr. Gina Poe)
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly chat with Dr. Gina Poe about sleep and dreams - including whether mushrooms sleep, what Daniel's dog is doing in the middle of the ni...
What are paraparticles?
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about recent mathematical innovations that suggest a third category of particles beyond matter and forces.See omnystudio.com/lis...
Xenotransplantation
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Over 100,000 people are on the organ transplant waitlist in the United States. Unfortunately, many of these people will not get an organ in time. Dani...
Unraveling misleading popular science
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly uncover the real science behind some flashing recent popular science and talk about how to be an informed information consumer.See om...
Listener Questions #16
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about snowflake symmetry, flamingo burgers, and iodine protection.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...
What is toponium?
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly explain how top quarks talk to each other and potentially form new states of matter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...
Killing the Speckled Monster: How We Eradicated Smallpox
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly appreciate that they've never had to worry about getting smallpox, and talk about the scientific and public health advancements that ...
Listener Questions #15
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly explain itches, the Oort cloud and the geometry of honeycombs!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can particle beams be used to treat cancer?
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about the practical application of particle beams: precisely targeting and killing cancer cells.See omnystudio.com/listener for ...
Could stars have black holes at their cores?
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly dive deep into the event horizon and discuss an outlandish theory of stars with black hole cores.See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...
Going under: The history and mechanisms of general anesthesia
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly explore the history of general anesthesia, and what we know (or don't know) about how it works.See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...
Listener Questions #14
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about how quantum fields make bananas, how colds mutate and whether data has mass.See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...
How to become a parasite
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about whether or not dinosaurs had parasites, how often parasitism has popped up in the tree of life, and more. See omnystu...
Should we be worried about overpopulation or depopulation?
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk to the authors of "After The Spike", who argue that humanity is on a dangerous path to depopulation.See omnystudio.com/listener ...
Listener Questions #13
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about warty comb jellies, white holes, and humpback whale navigation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How do we know what elements the Universe is made of?
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly trace the history of how we figured out what elements the stars are made of, featuring naked Greeks, hiking Scots, and villainous Har...
Why are stars different colors?
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly dive deep into the hearts of stars to explain why they all twinkle a little differently.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...
Did Colossal bring back the dire wolf?
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about de-extinction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Questions #12
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about neutrons, bananas and Jupiter and find a secret theme that links them all!See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...
What is the quantum internet?
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly strip away the hype and reveal the actual mind-blowing physics of the quantum internet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...
Can humans survive interstellar travel?
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about how to keep humans healthy and happy during interstellar voyages. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...
Is it possible to travel to other stars?
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly explore the hurdles and potential technologies for bringing humans to alien solar systems.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...
When will space be cheap? (featuring Zach Weinersmith)
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly chat with Zach Weinersmith about rockets and the upside and pitfalls of a potential future space economy. See omnystudio.com/lis...
The Martian Revolution (featuring Mike Duncan)
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk to Mike Duncan, creator of The Martian Revolution, about economics, politics and revolution on Mars.See omnystudio.com/listener ...
Listener Questions #11
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about black holes, animal coloration, the big bang and time dilation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...
How and why do trees get so old?
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about the science behind aging trees, and why some trees live so long. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is the standard model of dark energy in trouble?
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk about recent measurements that leave us confused about the expansion of the Universe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...
Do microbes help or hurt you? (featuring Katrine Whiteson)
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly talk to Katrine Whiteson (a Whiteson Prize laureate) about the complex relationship between humans and microbesSee omnystudio.com/lis...
Listener Questions #10
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about prions, playing music near a black hole, and medical maggots. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...
Why is mercury liquid at room temperature?
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly take a detour into the fascinating world of chemistry to explore why mercury is liquid at room temp. The answer is relatively surpris...
How did intelligence arise?
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer listener questions about how we measure and define intelligence, hypotheses for why it arises, and why flies are so dumb. ...
Can we see what's inside the electron?
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly explore the nature of of matter and whether we can crack it open without spending billions on bigger collidersSee omnystudio.com/list...
Listener Questions #9
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel and Kelly answer questions about space within the atom, picky parasites, and speed-of-light particles.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...