Particles of Thought
Particles of Thought
Podcast Description
Particles of Thought from the producers of NOVA unleashes the universe's biggest questions through the lens of astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi and the world's most brilliant scientific minds. Should we resurrect extinct species? Are we blind to a fundamental force of nature? What secrets do ancient fossils reveal about humanity's destiny? Across 10 mind-bending episodes, each conversation dives deep into the discoveries that shatter assumptions, spark wonder, and completely transform how you understand reality. Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast tackles profound topics such as the implications of resurrecting extinct species, the search for undiscovered forces in nature, and the insights ancient fossils can provide about our future. For example, episodes delve into the conflicts between quantum mechanics and general relativity, and how these theories shape our understanding of reality.
Ready to break your brain? Particles of Thought, the hit video podcast from the producers of NOVA is back with new mind-expanding conversations with scientists on the edge. Host Hakeem Oluseyi dives into how to hack your own anxiety, the surprising connection between dark matter and black holes, the secrets of animal communication, the hidden geometry shaping our world, and even what it means to be human. Along the way, he tackles big questions, uncovers surprising answers, and opens up entirely new ways to think.
Jordan Ellenberg has good news: artificial intelligence is just math you can actually understand. The mathematician joins Hakeem to pull back the curtain on how large language models really work, revealing that the “miracle” of AI is closer to trial and error scaled up billions of times than anything resembling thought. Jordan breaks down why the process works so well, how every word becomes a point in a space with hundreds of dimensions, and why your chatbot’s “personality” is engineered, not accidental.
Learn more aboutNOVA and visit our YouTube channel.
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Guest Bio:
Jordan Ellenberg is a professor of mathematics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, specializing in number theory and arithmetic algebraic geometry. He is the New York Times bestselling author of How Not to Be Wrong and Shape, and his forthcoming book, Don’t Be Too Sure, arrives in 2027.
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