The Sound Barrier #4: Listen to the universe
Unexplainable12 Nov 2025

The Sound Barrier #4: Listen to the universe

When Wanda Diáz-Merced lost her sight as a college student, she thought her dreams of becoming an astronomer were over — until she learned to listen to space instead. Wanda is one of several pioneering scientists listening to space. For this episode, we also spoke to Robert Wilson, who used sound to help him discover the first direct evidence of the Big Bang, and Kim Arcand, who plays us what the center of the Milky Way sounds like. This is the fourth episode in our of our new four-part series, ⁠⁠The Sound Barrier⁠⁠. Guests: ⁠Wanda Diáz-Merced⁠, astronomer; ⁠Robert Wilson⁠, Nobel laureate and senior scientist at at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; ⁠Kim Arcand⁠, emerging tech lead at NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory You can find Kim’s sonification of the center of the Milky Way (with visuals) here: ⁠https://chandra.si.edu/sound/gcenter.html⁠ For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unxtranscripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unexplainable⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And please email us! ⁠⁠⁠⁠unexplainable@vox.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ We read every email. Support Unexplainable (and get ad-free episodes) by becoming a Vox Member today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/members⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episoder(274)

The Sound Barrier #2: The noise that isn't there

The Sound Barrier #2: The noise that isn't there

Almost 15% of adults suffer from a persistent, often intolerable sound... that is literally just in their heads. Why does the brain do this to us? We help one of our listeners get some answers. This ...

5 Nov 202533min

The Sound Barrier #1: The myth of hearing

The Sound Barrier #1: The myth of hearing

Just like optical illusions trick our eyes, audio illusions can trick our ears. It makes scientists wonder: What exactly are we hearing, when we're hearing? This is the first episode of our new four-...

3 Nov 202540min

Solve me a river

Solve me a river

This week on Unexplainable or Not, Sally Helm, the newest member of our team, tries to figure out what's killing mussels, why rivers suddenly change course, and what the longest river in the world is....

29 Okt 202537min

This episode is haunted and spooky

This episode is haunted and spooky

Now why would you click on something like this? What's wrong with you?! Why are you — and so many other people — into scary stuff? Two scientists are trying to find out. (Originally aired in 2024) ...

27 Okt 202519min

Consider the shrimp

Consider the shrimp

Killing two people is worse than killing one. What about 440 billion crustaceans? Adapted from Dylan Matthews's essay on Vox.com. This story is part of a series supported by Animal Charity Evaluators...

22 Okt 202524min

When talent vanishes overnight

When talent vanishes overnight

Think about the thing you’ve practiced more than anything else in the world. Maybe it’s painting. Or writing. Or playing baseball. Now, imagine you wake up one day, and you just can’t do it. You’re ...

20 Okt 202528min

Composing chaos

Composing chaos

Terry Riley's "In C" is one of the most influential pieces of music of the last century...but you'll never hear it the same way twice. Guest: Evan Ziporyn, composer, clarinetist, and producer of "In ...

8 Okt 202527min

Does Tylenol cause autism?

Does Tylenol cause autism?

Donald Trump and RFK Jr. seem convinced that it does. But our friends at Science Vs say the data is far more complicated. Guest: Meryl Horn, senior producer at Science Vs For show transcripts, go ...

6 Okt 202526min

Populært innen Vitenskap

fastlegen
tingenes-tilstand
rekommandert
jss
vett-og-vitenskap-med-gaute-einevoll
sinnsyn
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
forskningno
villmarksliv
rss-nysgjerrige-norge
liberal-halvtime
rss-overskuddsliv
rss-paradigmepodden
rss-rekommandert
fjellsportpodden
rss-inn-til-kjernen-med-sunniva-rose
abels-tarn
nordnorsk-historie
rss-zahid-ali-hjelper-deg
kvinnehelsepodden