Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
In The Universe Speaks in Numbers award-winning science writer Graham Farmelo is in conversation with some of the great names in modern physics and mathematics. Among the interviewees are Michael Atiyah, Ruth Britto, Lance Dixon, Simon Donaldson, Freeman Dyson, Juan Maldacena, Michela Massimi, Roger Penrose, Martin Rees, Simon Schaffer and Edward Witten.To read more see Graham's book The Universe Speaks in Numbers: How Modern Maths Reveals Nature's Deepest Secrets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Interviews with leading physicists/mathematicians • maths–physics interplay • quantum field theory, gauge theory • string theory, membranes • particle physics Standard Model, Higgs, scattering amplitudes • gravity, black holes, spacetime • cosmology, multiverse • philosophy/history of scienceThis podcast features in-depth conversations between science writer Graham Farmelo and prominent figures in modern physics, mathematics, and closely related fields. Across the interviews, a central theme is the unusually tight relationship between abstract mathematics and the attempt to describe nature at its most fundamental level. Guests discuss how ideas in geometry, topology, and other areas of pure mathematics have become intertwined with theoretical physics, and how physics problems have in turn generated new mathematical tools and directions.
Much of the content sits at the “foundations” end of physics: quantum field theory, particle physics, and the frameworks used to unite quantum ideas with gravity. Topics that recur include gauge theories and symmetry breaking, the development and status of string theory and membranes, and the conceptual puzzles raised by black holes—especially questions about information, spacetime, and quantum gravity. Another persistent thread is scattering amplitudes and the search for unexpectedly elegant mathematical structures underlying particle interactions.
The interviews also explore the culture and practice of research. Several guests reflect on what it means to make progress when experiments are scarce, difficult, or expensive, and how theorists judge which mathematical paths might illuminate the physical world. Listeners hear career narratives—how researchers entered their fields, how particular breakthroughs happened, and why certain problems remain compelling—alongside broader assessments of where fundamental physics may be heading.
While the focus is mainly theoretical, the podcast broadens its scope to include perspectives from experimental particle physics, cosmology, philosophy of physics, and the history of science. These viewpoints add context about how evidence is gathered, how theories are interpreted, and how today’s concepts emerged from earlier scientific traditions. Overall, the series is oriented toward the ideas, people, and intellectual links that shape contemporary high-level work at the interface of mathematics and fundamental physics.
