AI Starts to Sift Through String Theory's Near-Endless Possibilities

AI Starts to Sift Through String Theory's Near-Endless Possibilities

Author: Quanta Magazine October 16, 2024 Duration: 25:13
Using machine learning, string theorists are finally showing how microscopic configurations of extra dimensions translate into sets of elementary particles — though not yet those of our universe.

Hosted by Quanta Magazine Editor-in-Chief Samir Patel, The Quanta Podcast is a series of deep, thoughtful conversations with the researchers and thinkers whose work is shaping our fundamental understanding of reality. Each episode delves into a single, profound idea, whether it's a new discovery about black holes, a breakthrough in cellular biology, or an elegant proof in pure mathematics. These aren't surface-level summaries; they are guided tours through complex concepts, made accessible through patient explanation and genuine curiosity. You'll hear directly from the scientists and mathematicians themselves, the very people behind the groundbreaking stories in Quanta Magazine, as they explain not just what they found, but how they think and why it matters. The discussions naturally unfold to explore the implications of these discoveries, revealing the often-surprising connections between different fields and the enduring mysteries that lie just beyond our current grasp. This podcast serves as an audio companion to the magazine's award-winning journalism, designed for anyone with a restless mind eager to peer over the edge of the known world. It’s about the process of inquiry as much as the answers, offering a rare and intimate look at the cutting edge of science and math from those who are actively pushing it forward.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Quanta Podcast
Podcast Episodes
ICYMI: Birds' Migratory Mitochondria [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:31
(This episode was first published in June 2025.) Changes in the number, shape, efficiency and interconnectedness of organelles in the cells of flight muscles provide extra energy for birds’ continent-spanning feats. This…
ICYMI: Is Gravity Just Rising Entropy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:16
(This episode was first published in July 2025.) Where does gravity come from? In both general relativity and quantum mechanics, this question is a big problem. One controversial theory proposes that the force arises fro…
Taking the Temperature of Quantum Entanglement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:36
We all know that hot coffee cools down. But quantum mechanics can enable heat to flow the “wrong” way, making hot objects hotter and cold objects colder. Now physicists think this might have an ingenious use. On this wee…
How Hard Is It to Untie a Knot? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:42
In math and science, knots do far more than keep shoes on feet. For more than a century, mathematicians have studied the properties of different knots and been rewarded by a wide range of useful applications across scien…
Audio Edition: How a Problem About Pigeons Powers Complexity Theory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:14
When pigeons outnumber pigeonholes, some birds must double up. This obvious statement — and its inverse — have deep connections to many areas of math and computer science. The story How a Problem About Pigeons Powers Com…
What Happens When Lakes Stop Mixing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:26
Every summer since 1983, scientists at Crater Lake National Park have gathered data about the lake’s famous clarity. This past summer, Quanta contributing writer Rachel Nuwer journeyed with them as they conducted their a…
Game Theory, Algorithms and High Prices [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:57
How do sellers decide how to price their goods? Competition should keep prices down, while collusion can rig higher prices (and break the law). On this week’s episode, host Samir Patel speaks with staff writer Ben Brubak…
Why Are Waves So Hard to Grasp? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:29
At first glance, studying the math of waves seems like it should be smooth sailing. But the equations that describe even the gentlest rolling waves are a mathematical nightmare to solve. On this week’s episode, host Sami…
Sleep Is Not All or Nothing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:21
Salvador Dalí, Thomas Edison and Edgar Allan Poe all took inspiration from the state between sleep and waking life. On this week’s episode, host Samir Patel speaks with biology staff writer Yasemin Saplakoglu about how b…