The Quanta Podcast

For the first time in 30 years, computer scientists have found a better way to allocate objects evenly between two groups.

From the 1800s to the early 2000s, physicists used the same theory to understand the behavior of fluids. Now, using a modern insight, they have redefined fluids from the bottom up.

The math, which combines chaos, quantum theory, and infinitely complex fractal structures, has been called a “foundational result.”

The idea that artificial intelligence can “reason” is more intuitive than ever. But intuitions can be wrong, and the science is far from settled.

An invisible difference in 10% of humans poses deep mysteries in several fields at once.

The idea of ‘biological agency’ — that life devises its own goals and behaves accordingly — complicates our understanding of what it means to be alive. But does it serve a scientific purpose?

Recent observations suggest that dark energy is changing over time. Theorists wonder if dark matter is, too.

A decades-old proof showed that seven shuffles are enough to mix up a deck of cards. But it requires you to cut the deck with the precision of a professional magician. A new proof gets around that obstacle.

Plausible answers range from 17 to — in all seriousness — 995.5.