Physics World Stories Podcast

Physics is full of captivating stories, from ongoing endeavours to explain the cosmos to ingenious innovations that shape the world around us. In the Physics World Stories podcast, Andrew Glester talks to the people behind some of the most intriguing and inspiring scientific stories. Listen to the podcast to hear from a diverse mix of scientists, engineers, artists and other commentators. Find out more about the stories in this podcast by visiting the Physics World website. If you enjoy what you hear, then also check out the Physics World Weekly podcast, a science-news podcast presented by our award-winning science journalists.

AI and the future of physics
Mar 24, 2025 – 1:03:21
Threads of fire: uncovering volcanic secrets with Pele’s hair and tears
Feb 17, 2025 – 52:39
Helgoland: leading physicists to gather on the tiny island where quantum mechanics was born
Jan 24, 2025 – 57:45
From physics to filmmaking: Mark Levinson on his new documentary, The Universe in a Grain of Sand
Dec 13, 2024 – 1:00:05
Trailblazer: Astronaut Eileen Collins reflects on space, adventure, and the power of lifelong learning
Nov 14, 2024 – 38:55
Flocking together: the physics of sheep herding and pedestrian flows
Oct 21, 2024 – 1:00:31
Working in quantum tech: where are the opportunities for success?
Sep 23, 2024 – 45:53
CERN at 70: how the Higgs hunt elevated particle physics to Hollywood status
Aug 13, 2024 – 59:27
Could humans run on water?
Jul 24, 2024 – 27:41
Physics and sport: flying balls, perfecting technique, and wellbeing in academia
Jun 19, 2024 – 52:08
Swift Quakes and new podcast music inspired by the fine-structure constant
May 28, 2024 – 46:43
3 Body Problem: a deep dive into the Netflix show
Apr 30, 2024 – 51:58
An orchestral trip through the moons of our solar system
Mar 22, 2024 – 49:26
Dark matter vs modified gravity: which team are you on?
Feb 26, 2024 – 1:02:18
Radio pioneers: the enduring role of ‘amateurs’ in radio astronomy
Jan 23, 2024 – 34:58
Radiant chills: the revolutionary science of laser cooling
Dec 19, 2023 – 45:16
The biographer who inspired Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film Oppenheimer
Nov 21, 2023 – 40:30
Physics for fairness: tackling global sustainability challenges through science
Oct 13, 2023 – 40:18
Green and novel: the future of energy generation
Sep 4, 2023 – 57:38
Our universe is humming with gravitational waves
Aug 7, 2023 – 30:14
Moore’s law in peril and the future of computing
Jul 4, 2023 – 1:01:09
Will AI chatbots replace physicists?
Jun 9, 2023 – 54:01
Cosmic generosity: a selfless investment in the future of physics
May 12, 2023 – 38:24
How can we make lithium-ion batteries more sustainable?
May 3, 2023 – 39:06
Quantum melodies: the intersection of music and quantum physics
Mar 28, 2023 – 59:58
Finding solace in the stars
Feb 24, 2023 – 33:11
Making spaceflight accessible to people with physical disabilities
Jan 31, 2023 – 44:35
Robin Ince and the joy of popular-science books
Dec 21, 2022 – 26:32
Quantum technology gathers pace
Nov 28, 2022 – 43:38
Is the 2022 FIFA World Cup really carbon neutral?
Oct 28, 2022 – 58:34
Trouble on the Horizon for UK-based researchers
Sep 16, 2022 – 56:32
The science-fiction legacy of Satyajit Ray
Aug 16, 2022 – 58:37
The Higgs boson discovery revisited
Jul 4, 2022 – 56:53
Fixing our bodies with glass
Jun 1, 2022 – 39:34
Cutting the carbon footprint of supercomputing in scientific research
May 4, 2022 – 36:49
JET’s record result and the quest for fusion energy
Apr 4, 2022 – 37:56
Music from our material world
Mar 8, 2022 – 51:06
The James Webb Space Telescope launches astronomy into a new era
Jan 25, 2022 – 46:20
Physics books that captured the imagination in 2021
Dec 22, 2021 – 48:20
Sharing is caring: open hardware has global impact
Nov 24, 2021 – 42:26
Searching for signs of alien technologies
Oct 20, 2021 – 43:12
Free and open-source software is driving physics forwards
Sep 22, 2021 – 44:28
We’re all going on a geeky holiday
Aug 24, 2021 – 43:03
Deflecting asteroids and exploring a metal world
Jul 9, 2021 – 50:35
Helgoland and the captivating origins of quantum theory
Jun 15, 2021 – 45:23
The bots are not as fair-minded as they seem
May 28, 2021 – 45:48
Muon mania: are we finally on the brink of new physics?
Apr 29, 2021 – 48:45
Arecibo Observatory: a scientific giant that fell to Earth
Mar 17, 2021 – 39:53
Searching for signs of past life on Mars with NASA’s Perseverance rover
Feb 10, 2021 – 44:05
Life at CERN during the pandemic
Jan 22, 2021 – 48:18

Recent Reviews

cjvail

Bad audio

If we struggle to hear your guests you are not worthy of more than one star
MKULTRA83

Great

Everything being relative, this is a great podcast
MIflyer

Excellent

Great podcast, IMO.
Clash of kings version 2.0

Relaxing. I love it

I really enjoy listening while I am at work, everything from the topic of the conversations to the background noises just relaxes me and instead of feeling like my brain is going to waste at work I can learn from your episodes so thank you. If I miss anything during an episode I go back and re-listen I like it that much I’m freakin hooked man, great show.
BandwagonR

Dr. Jessica Barker

She’s also interviewed about security in the episode of the internet of things
KevinICdesigner

Cut the politics and policy opinions

I enjoy these feeds. Please keep it coming! Revised June 2017: I'm sick of the political sludge injected lataly. Go back to science and omit the policy and leftuist screeds.
Mormon Person

Good, but the host needs to stop wispering.

Please speak up. I can only hear your guests.
a non y-mous

MORE!!!

These are great. I read physics world all the time, and this is a great addition. I just wish there were more than 3...