Podcast · 132 episodes
Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe, page 2
by iHeartPodcasts · English
Scientists Daniel and Kelly cannot stop talking about our amazing, wonderful, weird Universe! Each episode is a fun, easy-to-understand, and in-depth explanation of topics in science, from particles to black holes to moon colonies to ecosystems to parasites and everything else in the Universe!
All episodes, page 2
Did aliens put satellites into Earth's orbit pre-Sputnik?Whether artificial satellites (possibly alien-made) orbited Earth before Sputnik, using historical Palomar Optical Sky Survey (POSS-1) photographic plates and claims of “vanishing” transient objects.7 Jul 2026 · 54 min · 14 chapters
Listener Questions #43Listener Questions #43 on ethanol/fermentation in nature and on particle–antiparticle relationships in physics.2 Jul 2026 · 1 h 2 min · 32 chapters
The science of bathing (featuring Dr. Katrine Whiteson)How bathing/showering affects the human skin microbiome, body odor, and immune-related conditions (eczema/allergies), plus whether “less showering” could be beneficial.30 Jun 2026 · 55 min · 14 chapters
What broke the grand unified force in the early universe?The episode explains what “broke” the grand unified force in the early universe—how unified forces at extremely high energies separated into the distinct electromagnetic, weak, strong, and (later)…25 Jun 2026 · 59 min · 19 chapters
Listener Questions #42Listener Questions #42 mixes (1) a live “can music communicate science?” experiment and (2) a deep physics Q&A about whether the universe has an absolute maximum temperature, plus (3) a…23 Jun 2026 · 56 min · 21 chapters
The curious lives of social amoebaSocial amoeba (Dictyostelium discoideum) cooperate to form “slugs” of 10,000–100,000 cells that migrate to a new food source, then build a stalked “lollipop” fruiting body where about 20% die to form…18 Jun 2026 · 55 min · 24 chapters
What are JWST's little red dots?The episode explains what “JWST’s little red dots” are—compact, very red, bright objects seen in early-universe James Webb Space Telescope images—and discusses leading theories for their nature and…16 Jun 2026 · 53 min · 25 chapters
Listener Questions #41Listener Questions #41 on Daniel and Kelly’s science-and-curiosity Q&A, mainly covering earthworms (where they come from, reproduction, predators, and whether they’re always beneficial) and the Milky…11 Jun 2026 · 54 min · 31 chapters
What is a species? (featuring Dr. Scott Egan)How to define “species” amid variation and gray areas in evolution; how speciation happens and can reverse; how scientists measure reproductive isolation and use different species concepts depending…9 Jun 2026 · 1 h 5 min · 22 chapters
Could the Earth be at the center of the solar system?The episode explains how the “Earth at the center” idea was challenged and replaced, focusing on geocentrism vs heliocentrism vs the lesser-known Tychonic (geoheliocentric) model, and why key…4 Jun 2026 · 50 min · 21 chapters
Listener Questions #40Listener Questions #40 answers three questions: (1) Bell’s “spaceship paradox” in special relativity (does a 1-km string between accelerating ships break?), (2) whether parasitoid wasps use viruses…2 Jun 2026 · 52 min · 20 chapters
Are rural raccoons becoming domesticated?The episode examines whether North American raccoons are becoming domesticated, using “domestication syndrome” (docility plus correlated traits like lighter coloration, floppy ears, shorter…28 May 2026 · 57 min · 26 chapters
What is quantum contextuality?Quantum contextuality—why quantum measurement outcomes depend on the measurement context (which other compatible measurements are performed), even when Heisenberg uncertainty isn’t the issue.26 May 2026 · 51 min · 17 chapters
Listener Questions #39Listener Questions #39 covers two main science Q&As: (1) how “muscle memory” works for skilled actions (e.g., catching a ball, making tea without thinking) and (2) whether waterless showers are…21 May 2026 · 1 h · 26 chapters
The Deep Seabed (featuring Dr. Andrew Thaler)The deep seabed’s governance and ecology, and how deep-sea mining could extract resources (especially for EV batteries) while threatening poorly understood ecosystems.19 May 2026 · 1 h 16 min · 29 chapters
How do signals get jammed?How signal jamming works and why it’s different from destructive interference/noise-canceling; includes physics of electromagnetic signals, how noise and frequency overlap block reception, and…14 May 2026 · 49 min · 26 chapters
Listener Questions #38Listener Questions #38 on Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe, covering (1) why kids may not be excited about Artemis 2, (2) what a telescope can detect from an exoplanet “pixel” (James…12 May 2026 · 1 h 2 min · 25 chapters
The discovery of parasite life cyclesHow scientists figured out parasite life cycles, focusing on trematodes (flukes) and tapeworms, and the historical struggle against spontaneous generation.7 May 2026 · 59 min · 19 chapters
Can we use zero point energy?Zero-point energy—what it is in quantum field theory, why the vacuum has nonzero energy, why “energy from nothing” devices are scams, and how the Casimir effect probes the quantum vacuum (including…5 May 2026 · 52 min · 27 chapters
Listener Questions #37Listener Questions #37 focuses on how cells develop into different body parts during fetal development and how adult bodies maintain cell types using stem cells.30 Apr 2026 · 56 min · 31 chapters
Story of Birds (featuring Dr. Steve Brusatte)Bird evolution from dinosaur ancestors, including what defines “dinosaurs” and “birds,” how flight likely evolved, pterosaurs vs birds, and why the Cretaceous asteroid wiped out pterosaurs but not…28 Apr 2026 · 1 h 7 min · 25 chapters
Will AI solve physics?Whether AI can “solve physics,” what “solve” means, and how AI is already used in particle physics and theoretical work (machine learning, generative AI, and large language models).23 Apr 2026 · 57 min · 24 chapters
Listener Questions #36Listener Questions #36 covers (1) the “Otteron/Odderon” in particle physics, (2) how Langerhans cells work in skin immunity, and (3) whether black holes can exist “within” black holes (including…21 Apr 2026 · 43 min · 22 chapters
Biofilms (featuring Dr. Katrine Whiteson)Biofilms—what they are, how microbes form structured sticky communities, why they’re hard to treat, and examples from nature and everyday life (teeth plaque, water systems, wastewater, and infections…16 Apr 2026 · 58 min · 31 chapters