Episodes

Robotics and machine learning are opening new possibilities for protecting wildlife around the world

Exploring the fallout from STFC funding cuts that have left one of the UK’s most iconic scientific facilities facing an uncertain future

Discover how a circular, science-backed solution is turning human waste into a sustainable resource – one loo at a time

Arctic odysseys, video games and other creative ways to confront the climate emergency

Exploring the first crewed Artemis mission, the future of lunar exploration and how spaceflight could help inspire greener technologies on Earth

Newly released audio interviews reveal a personal, reflective side of Robert Oppenheimer

Author Andy Weir and astrophysicist Becky Smethurst unpack the physics in the new Hollywood space epic

Jim Smith reflects on the 1986 disaster and how it still shapes public perception of nuclear power

Ancient icy wanderers like comet 3I/ATLAS, spotted in July 2025, can reveal secrets of our cosmic origins

Learn about CUWiP+, a special event to build connection and confidence among women and non-binary students

Peering into a near future where quantum science blends with AI. What are the implications for science, society and the arts?

Exploring how quantum ideas can inspire liberation, identity and community

Inside the training, science and imagination that inspire ESA’s new generation of astronauts

This episode of Physics World Stories explores a new book that restores women to the early history of quantum mechanics

What happens when you put a visual artist in the middle of a quantum physics lab? This month’s Physics World Stories podcast explores that very question, as host Andrew Glester dives into the artist-in-residence programme at the Yale Quantum Institute in the US. Serena Scapagnini, 2025. (Credit: Filippo Silvestris) Each year, the institute welcomes an artist to explore the intersections of art and quantum science, bridging the ever-fuzzy boundary between the humanities and the sciences. You wil...

What does quantum physics have to do with vibrant oil paintings and the ghostly grin of a disappearing cat? Quite a lot, as it turns out. In this month’s Physics World Stories podcast, host Andrew Glester takes a colourful look at how we visualize – and try to make sense of – the curious world of quantum mechanics. First up is Felicity Inkpen, a Scotland-based artist who began her career in physics and neuroscience before turning to art full-time. Her painting Qubits, Duality appears on the cov...

What do pulsars, nuclear politics and hypothetical love particles have in common? They’ve all inspired songs by Lynda Williams – physicist, performer and self-styled “Physics Chanteuse”. In this month’s Physics World Stories podcast, host Andrew Glester is in conversation with Williams, whose unique approach to science communication blends physics with cabaret and satire. You’ll be treated to a selection of her songs, including a toe-tapping tribute to Jocelyn Bell Burnell, the Northern Irish p...

In this episode of Physics World Stories, writer Kevlin Henney discusses his new flash fiction, Heisenberg (not) in Helgoland – written exclusively for Physics World as part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. The story spans two worlds: the one we know, and an alternate reality in which Werner Heisenberg never visits the island of Helgoland – a trip that played a key role in the development of quantum theory. Henney reads an extract from the piece and reflects on the p...

Artificial intelligence is transforming physics at an unprecedented pace. In the latest episode of Physics World Stories, host Andrew Glester is joined by three expert guests to explore AI’s impact on discovery, research and the future of the field. Tony Hey, a physicist who worked with Richard Feynman and Murray Gell-Mann at Caltech in the 1970s, shares his perspective on AI’s role in computation and discovery. A former vice-president of Microsoft Research Connections, he also edited the Feynm...

Volcanoes are awe-inspiring beasts. They spew molten rivers, towering ash plumes, and – in rarer cases – delicate glassy formations known as Pele’s hair and Pele’s tears. These volcanic materials, named after the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire, are the focus of the latest Physics World Stories podcast, featuring volcanologists Kenna Rubin (University of Rhode Island) and Tamsin Mather (University of Oxford). Pele’s hair is striking: fine, golden filaments of volcanic glass that shimmer ...

In this episode of Physics World Stories, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Werner Heisenberg’s trip to the North Sea island of Helgoland, where he developed the first formulation of quantum theory. Listen to the podcast as we delve into the latest advances in quantum science and technology with three researchers who will be attending a 6-day workshop on Helgoland in June 2025. Featuring in the episode are: Nathalie De Leon of Princeton University, Ana Maria Rey from the University of Color...

In this episode of Physics World Stories, host Andrew Glester interviews Mark Levinson, a former theoretical particle physicist turned acclaimed filmmaker, about his newest work, The Universe in a Grain of Sand. Far from a conventional documentary, Levinson’s latest project is a creative work of art in its own right – a visually rich meditation on how science and art both strive to make sense of the natural world. Drawing from his background in theoretical physics and his filmmaking successes, ...

In this episode of Physics World Stories, astronaut Eileen Collins shares her extraordinary journey as the first woman to pilot and command a spacecraft. Collins broke barriers in space exploration, inspiring generations with her courage and commitment to discovery. Reflecting on her career, she discusses not only her time in space but also her lifelong sense of adventure and her recent passion for reading history books. Today, Collins frequently shares her experiences with audiences around the ...

In this episode of Physics World Stories, host Andrew Glester shepherds you through the fascinating world of crowd dynamics. While gazing at a flock of sheep or meandering through a busy street, you may not immediately think of the physics at play – but there is much more than you think. Give the episode a listen to discover the surprising science behind how animals and people move together in large groups. The first guest, Philip Ball, a UK-based science writer, explores the principles that un...