These Numbers Explain the Nature of Reality

These Numbers Explain the Nature of Reality

Author: Indre Viskontas October 3, 2022 Duration: 35:08
This week we talk to theoretical physicist and cosmologist Antonio Padilla about his new book Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them. It’s a book about nine unusual numbers that, once understood, can help you grasp how the universe actually works—from black holes, to gravity, to the passing of time itself.

Hosted by neuroscientist and communicator Indre Viskontas, Inquiring Minds digs into the questions that shape our lives, where hard data meets human experience. This isn't just about lab results or abstract theories; it's about how scientific thinking directly influences our culture, our social structures, and the daily choices we all face. Every episode is a deep, thoughtful conversation that starts with curiosity and follows the evidence wherever it leads. You'll hear from researchers, thinkers, and sometimes skeptics, all in service of untangling complex issues with clarity and nuance. The goal is to move beyond headlines and hype to examine what we really know, what remains a mystery, and how that knowledge empowers us. Tuning into this podcast means joining a community that values rigor and open-minded inquiry, recognizing that understanding the mechanisms of our world is the first step toward navigating it more thoughtfully. It's for anyone who has ever wondered how science actually informs policy, art, relationships, and our sense of self, presented not as a lecture but as an engaging, ongoing exploration.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Inquiring Minds
Podcast Episodes
Moving Your Way Through Cancer with Dr. Kathryn Schmitz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:46
The topic of cancer is one that has been addressed more than once before on Inquiring Minds, and today Indre visits it once again, this time looking at the impact that exercise can have on those undergoing cancer treatme…
Making Sense of Self with Anil Seth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:10
Indre continues to pursue her fascination with the neural basis of consciousness in this week’s episode. In her never ending quest to understand how the biology of the brain gives rise to every experience we’ve ever had,…
Up to Date | From the Microscopic to the Astronomic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:10
On the show this week, Adam Bristol introduces Florida’s controversial genetically modified mosquito pilot program, and then delves into the details of the Dual Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which should be launching…
The Sound Mind with Nina Kraus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:48
Nina Kraus, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist who has done groundbreaking research on sound and hearing for more than three decades. She's the Hugh Knowles Professor of Neurobiology, Communication Sciences, and Otolaryngology a…
Managing Our Criminal Nature with Mary Roach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:03
Who among us hasn’t, at some point, wondered just what exactly a bear manager or a danger tree feller blaster does? Well, Mary Roach, America’s funniest science writer, TED 20 Most Watched list member, and increasingly f…
Unwrapping the Gifts of Good Anxiety with Wendy Suzuki [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:13
Anxiety has become a staple of modern life, particularly over the past year and a half. It can be debilitating, but it is at its core a necessary component of our lives—if it can be managed. Wendy Suzuki, Professor of Ne…
Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science with Sam Kean [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:25
This week we welcome back Sam Kean, the New York Times bestselling author whose previous books include The Bastard Brigade, Caesar's Last Breath, and The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons. Sam joins the show to discuss h…
Investigating The Memory Thief with Lauren Aguirre [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:11
Of all the side effects of opioid use that exist, one that is only recently starting to get the attention it deserves is that of becoming amnestic. That doesn’t mean that this effect hasn’t been on the radar of some rese…
How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes with Melinda Wenner Moyer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:11
One side effect of the pandemic is that a lot of parents have spent more time than they were expecting to with their kids, and were sometimes left questioning their parenting decisions along the way. Melinda Wenner Moyer…