Quirkcast

Deciphering the Cosmic Code: How Spacetime is a Self-Correcting Quantum Computer

Einstein's theory of relativity gives us a smooth and organized way to think about the universe, like a well-arranged blueprint. On the other hand, quantum physics is mor

Entropy and the Inevitable Messiness of Existence

Life possesses a superpower: the ability to seemingly defy the second law of thermodynamics – the unstoppable rise of entropy. From skyscrapers to poetry, life can evolve

Bosons vs Fermions: The Yin and Yang of Particles

Welcome to another episode of Quirkcast, where we take a look at the dichotomy of two types of fundamental particles: bosons vs fermions. Today, we'll explore how these

Is the Photon Truly Massless?

In this episode of our podcast, we delve into a question that has puzzled scientists and enthusiasts alike: Does a photon, the particle of light, have mass? Join us as we

Harmony in Equations: The Elegant Symmetries of Physics

Join us on Quirkcast for a casual exploration of the intriguing world of symmetries in physics. We'll chat about how these fundamental principles play a role in everythin

Parallel Reflections: Exploring the Physics of Mirror Universes

Welcome to our episode on mirror universes. We'll be discussing how our universe might have a mirror image, flipping things around in a kind of cosmic reflection. We'll e

Quantum Shadows: Unveiling the Enigma of Virtual Particles

In this captivating episode of Quirkcast, we delve into the elusive world of virtual particles, the ghostly entities that flicker in and out of existence in the quantum r

What is particle spin?

Newton's law says that objects keep moving unless something stops them. This also applies to objects spinning around. Usually, things need to have a shape to spin, like a

The Worst Particle (from The Standard Model)?

The particles in our Universe do a lot of things, without them the Universe would not be the way it is today. However, amongst the known particles, some are more helpful

The 3 Phases of Forces

We've all heard of the 3 phases of matter, but what about forces? It turns out, fundamental forces can have different phases just like matter. Like matter, these phases

The Nuclear Warden: Gluon

What keeps our nuclei stuck together? It's the somewhat less well-known particle, gluon. They reason we don't see it very much is because it is doing a superb job at jail

The Unstoppable Particle: Graviton

What is the one particle that cannot be stopped? The answer would have to be the graviton. While the graviton interacts with everything, it also passes through everything

What the Higgs Boson is: A Keystone Particle (Not the God's Particle)

The God's particle is a misnomer in particle physics: The Higgs Boson doesn't participate very much in the creation of our Universe. A more proper title for the Higgs Bo

The Loneliest Particle

In this special Valentine Day's episode, we’ll introduce what may be considered the loneliest particles in the Universe -- magnetic monopoles, if it exists. Indeed, on t

Going Beyond Particles: Fields

In particle physics, particles aren't necessarily the most important object. It turns out, physicists really are interested in the concept of fields, which will be the fo

Why Particles are Doomed

If there's anything that could last forever, it might be fundamental particles. However, even that may not be true. In fact, particles can and do lose their identity over

Heat Death is Not the End

It has been widely popularized that our Universe will end in a heat death, where all interesting activities will cease. But is this really what will happen? With the inc

How Time is Weird in the Quantum Realm

Unlike the ordinary time we experience, time in quantum systems behave rather differently. From unitarity to quantum recurrence, we explore just how weird quantum times c

When Does Time End?

While time seems to always flow forward, is it ever possible for it to end? As it turns out, there might be more than just one ending. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ D

Can Time Flow Backward?

If our laws of physics look symmetrical both forward and backward in time, is it then possible to have time flow backward instead of forward? What would our world look li