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.
Daniela Rus has built a robot you can swallow, and that is one of the less surprising things her lab is working on. At MIT’s CSAIL, she is leading research at the frontier where artificial intelligence meets the physical world, and the results are unlike anything people have imagined. Daniela joins Hakeem to explore what it will really take for machines to move, reason, and interact the way humans do. Why are today’s humanoid robots mechanically impressive but intellectually limited? What is the difference between physical AI and embodied intelligence, and why does it matter? From origami surgeons, to robots inspired by the octopus, this is a conversation about the machines of the future
Learn more aboutNOVA and visit our YouTube channel.
————————–
Guest Bio:
Daniela Rus is a computer scientist and roboticist at MIT, where she serves as Director of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). Her research focuses on the science and engineering of autonomy, including the development of new AI models, and physically intelligent systems. She is the co-founder of Liquid AI, a startup bringing energy-efficient on-device AI models to real-world applications.

Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.