The Joy of Why

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“The Joy of Why” is a Quanta Magazine podcast about curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. The mathematician and author Steven Strogatz and the cosmologist and author Janna Levin take turns interviewing leading researchers about the great scientific and mathematical questions of our time. New episodes are released every other Wednesday.

Quanta Magazine is a Pulitzer Prize–winning, editorially independent online publication launched and supported by the Simons Foundation to illuminate big ideas in science and math through public service journalism. Quanta’s reporters and editors focus on developments in mathematics, theoretical physics, theoretical computer science and the basic life sciences, emphasizing timely, accurate, in-depth and well-crafted articles for its broad discerning audience. In 2023, Steven Strogatz received a National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications partly for his work on “The Joy of Why.”

Will AI Ever Understand Language Like Humans?
May 1, 2025 – 41:47
Can Quantum Gravity Be Created in the Lab?
Apr 17, 2025 – 42:33
What Is the True Promise of Quantum Computing?
Apr 3, 2025 – 38:47
How Did Multicellular Life Evolve?
Mar 20, 2025 – 46:06
S4 Preview: More Big Questions and No Sasquatches
Mar 13, 2025 – 17:55
How Will We Know We’re Not Alone?
Dec 19, 2024 – 37:55
How Is Cell Death Essential to Life?
Dec 5, 2024 – 38:57
What Can Birdsong Teach Us About Human Language?
Nov 21, 2024 – 42:15
How Is AI Changing the Science of Prediction?
Nov 7, 2024 – 37:01
Why Is It So Hard to Define a Species?
Oct 24, 2024 – 30:19
How Can Math Help Beat Cancer?
Oct 10, 2024 – 42:58
What Can Cave Life Tell Us About Alien Ecosystems?
Sep 26, 2024 – 44:42
From Sidedoor — Cosmic Journey I: "Stellar Buffoonery"
Sep 19, 2024 – 34:37
Can Thermodynamics Go Quantum?
Sep 12, 2024 – 43:00
Do We Need a New Theory of Gravity?
Aug 29, 2024 – 42:25
Are Robots About to Level Up?
Aug 15, 2024 – 38:29
How Does Math Keep Our Secrets?
Aug 1, 2024 – 23:59
Will AI Ever Have Common Sense?
Jul 18, 2024 – 44:16
What Can Tiling Patterns Teach Us?
Jul 3, 2024 – 39:26
How Is Science Even Possible?
Jun 20, 2024 – 35:57
Can Psychedelics Improve Mental Health?
Jun 6, 2024 – 39:52
What Happens in the Brain to Cause Depression?
May 23, 2024 – 33:23
Will Better Superconductors Transform the World?
May 9, 2024 – 28:58
What Does Milk Do for Babies?
Apr 25, 2024 – 34:42
Can Information Escape a Black Hole?
Apr 11, 2024 – 29:20
How Is Flocking Like Computing?
Mar 28, 2024 – 39:45
What Is Quantum Teleportation?
Mar 14, 2024 – 30:05
What Is the Nature of Time?
Feb 29, 2024 – 30:46
How Did Altruism Evolve?
Feb 15, 2024 – 34:22
What Makes for ‘Good’ Math?
Feb 1, 2024 – 35:41
S4 Preview: More Big Questions and No Sasquatches
Jan 25, 2024 – 17:55
Trailer: The Joy of Why Season 3
Jan 25, 2024 – 02:10
Does Nothingness Exist?
Jul 26, 2023 – 44:59
Can Math and Physics Save an Arrhythmic Heart?
Jul 12, 2023 – 46:11
What Can Jellyfish Teach Us About Fluid Dynamics?
Jun 28, 2023 – 43:42
What Causes Giant Rogue Waves?
Jun 14, 2023 – 40:14
What Is the Nature of Consciousness?
May 31, 2023 – 52:14
Are There Reasons to Believe in a Multiverse?
May 17, 2023 – 48:48
Is Perpetual Motion Possible at the Quantum Level?
May 4, 2023 – 36:39
How Can Some Infinities Be Bigger Than Others?
Apr 19, 2023 – 46:11
What Has the Pandemic Taught Us About Vaccines?
Apr 5, 2023 – 42:53
Is There Math Beyond the Equal Sign?
Mar 22, 2023 – 49:39
Can We Program Our Cells?
Mar 8, 2023 – 45:10
How Will the Universe End?
Feb 22, 2023 – 43:53
The Joy of Asking About Infinity, Jellyfish and the End of the Universe
Feb 9, 2023 – 02:31
Why and How Do We Dream?
Aug 24, 2022 – 45:23
What Is Quantum Field Theory and Why Is It Incomplete?
Aug 10, 2022 – 42:03
Why Do We Get Old, and Can Aging Be Reversed?
Jul 27, 2022 – 38:25
How Do Mathematicians Know Their Proofs Are Correct?
Jul 13, 2022 – 28:25
Can Computers Be Mathematicians?
Jun 29, 2022 – 32:50

Recent Reviews

zptheman123

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Garyolaf

General

You mentioned ALL the diseases cured by science thanks to research from taxpayer money. Name one. Excluding antibiotics which wasn’t taxpayer money research. You’re part of the lie whether you know it or not.
bryan-sci-guy

A gem of a podcast - my favorite

This is my favorite podcast. If you haven’t listened to it, give it a try. You don’t need to listen to any of the episodes in order. Just pick one with a title that sounds interesting. What makes the show stand out is not only the great speakers that they bring on, but the very thoughtful questions that the hosts ask. Both hosts are real experts, not only in their respective fields, but also in their ability to ask questions that guide the discussion gradually from high-level concepts all the way down to the latest results in the field. There’s something for anyone at every educational level in each episode. So happy the new season is starting up. Love the new format where both hosts discuss at the beginning, middle, and of the episode.
FM5P

One of my favorites!

I love this podcast! The hosts all really good questions & select excellent people to interview. Some of the content is quite dense & technical but they try to make it as understandable as possible. Even with complex material I come away with a better understanding. And it’s is a joy how passionate people are about their subjects!
mec12576

Please come back on the air

One of the best podcasts. There has not been an update since December 2024. What is going on?
sounds like bick

What?????

I just listened to the language and speaking podcast and found it utterly fascinating!!! So much so I subscribed to the podcast. Thanks for brain workout!!! R.S.
Cedrdar

A Joy to listen to

I’m a closet mathematician and science nerd, and this podcast fills the need to explore and understand science and math topics today. I enjoy how Steve Strogatz and now Jana Levin probe into the topics with their guests in a neutral, unbiased way and ask great leading questions.
Traveler from Camino

Fascinating

Our son, a mathematician, suggested this show to me. What I love about it is how the hosts conduct the interviews in a way that non-scientists can understand and also convey the joy (of course in the title) of being able to make these discoveries, etc.
SeattleSoccer

Great hosts, great guests, great topics

Most of the episodes are really interesting. Sometimes there’s a stretch in an episode that I don’t have the expertise to be able to follow, but I’ve learned to stick with it because every episode has enough good stuff to be worthwhile, and most episodes are all good stuff. I appreciate that they tackle some really hard topics even if that means I can’t always follow all of it.
Randy Ades

Essential

I love this program. It’s essential. It keeps me up-to-date on the latest trends in math and science in general thank you so much
Emma Hutcherson

Great ecological perspectives

I love the natural science episodes, especially as I feel like ecology material is really lacking in the podcast world! Weeks after listening and I’m still thinking about the collective behavior episode. Would LOVE more in that sphere, but everything is so interesting as is. Love that you’re making connections across disciplines…thanks for your work :)
Fluffster Normalpaws

Boredom Antidote

This show is a potent antidote if you’re suffering from the horrors of boredom. I don’t understand most of this, but that’s okay. The bits that I can follow are fascinating.
mr foo

Deeply informative and engaging

I love this podcast because it is incredibly informative about topics you many not see or hear much about elsewhere. This show has made me become interested in something I was barely aware of previously.
Quest for Knowledge & Insight

Fabulous Weekly “Ride” in Math and Science!

Outstanding podcast! Dr. Strogatz does a great service to obtaining insights from those in the trenches of knowledge creation and insight generation who are specialists in their fields of math and science. I look forward to every episode. Keep up the great work Steven Strogatz!!
Penny Weber

Love this podcast

I love learning something new every day! Very well done.
Winston2356

Great depth, production quality and host is likable

This is not a podcast for easy listening; you need to pay attention. But they explain things very clearly which is impressive for areas like quantum field theory and mathematical proofs. Yeah, I didn’t think I’d be interested in these either, but here I am. And no politics … how refreshing.
LinnSven

Life Long Joy

The circumstances of science change only in our abilities to describe and measure them. Strogoliz (sic) has a gift for making them soooo “of course” with brilliant analogies I wish he could be his own Google search key. Certainly this podcast should be at the top rank for everyone!
jefromano

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would.

So many, countless interesting things in this universe, and this podcast is one of them! Always doing your research and asking penetrating questions, like a true scientist. Stay curious!
AlejandroKhan

Wow!

A show that makes difficult science understandable for the rest of us. Brilliant!
leelostinspace

Rocket science

It’s rocket science that is earthlings can understand!
oneforapple

High quality content in diverse field

This podcast broadens my views of scientific fields. I enjoy it very much. Now just need to catch up all the episodes before it changes its name to the current ones and also quantum magazine.!very grateful to the Simmon foundations for its continuous supports and efforts on public education of modern science.
🧂盐🧂

最佳科普，快乐加倍

快乐来源： 1.主持人问问题脉络清晰 2.嘉宾回答解释简单明了 3.学到新知识快乐，一起学更快乐！
kristi history

Wonderful host

The host is a particularly great questioner and listener. Makes it pleasant to listen to and inviting to learn.
Scott 8372

Great host, substantive coverage of fascinating topics!

This is not your typical, surface level pop-science podcast — the host is very skilled at pushing guests to go a few levels deeper on the substance — but still the host and guests make it very understandable and intuitive. Love it!
Cfisksea

Great Science Podcast

Does a really good job explaining difficult scientific concepts and interesting discoveries to a variety of audiences. The hoste Steve Strogatz is really good at asking the right questions and explaining the concepts.
rdalv

One of a kind science kind podcast!

Science podcasts are a dime a dozen these days, but none of them can compete with what Strogatz delivers here. The guests so far have all been top notch, practicing scientists and mathematicians who happily dive into the details of their work. Strogatz’s intellect and versatility as a host shines throughout as he elucidates important concepts and nudges the guests into discussing the salient points of their research. Keep them coming!
etherdog

Intellectually honest and stimulating!

Steve Strogatz has long been a great science communicator and this new podcast is reaching out to areas of science that are not just math (which is sufficiently interesting in itself).
Palunargar

Great podcast making complex science issues very access to Everyone

I enjoyed the podcast about the inflammatory body response as a necessity. Thanks!