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Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

By: Sean Carroll
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Ever wanted to know how music affects your brain, what quantum mechanics really is, or how black holes work? Do you wonder why you get emotional each time you see a certain movie, or how on earth video games are designed? Then you've come to the right place. Each week, Sean Carroll will host conversations with some of the most interesting thinkers in the world. From neuroscientists and engineers to authors and television producers, Sean and his guests talk about the biggest ideas in science, philosophy, culture and much more.© Sean Carroll 2026 Physics Science
Episodes
  • 357 | Jeff Coller on mRNA, Vaccines, and Bespoke Therapeutics
    Jun 15 2026

    Messenger RNA (mRNA) plays a literally central role in the functioning of life as we know it, shuttling information back and forth between the DNA where it is stored to the ribosome where it is used to produce proteins. RNA may even have been the first molecule to kick-start the origin of life. Today, scientists are learning how to manipulate mRNA to cure and prevent diseases, whether through vaccination or literally editing one's DNA. Jeff Coller explains how it all works and how mRNA is revolutionizing medicine as we know it.

    Blog post with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026/06/15/357-jeff-coller-on-mrna-vaccines-and-bespoke-therapeutics/

    Support Mindscape on Patreon.

    Jeff Coller received his Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is currently Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the RNA Innovation Center at Johns Hopkins University. He is co-founder of Tevard Biosciences and the Alliance for mRNA Medicines, and leads the REPAIRx consortium. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

    • Web site
    • Johns Hopkins web page
    • Google Scholar publications
    • "This May Be the Most Important Medical Story of the Decade," New York Times, April 9, 2026
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • 356 | Andrea Wulf on Enlightenment, Nature, Romanticism, and Modernity
    Jun 8 2026

    All ideas have a history, no matter how inevitable and well-entrenched they may seem to us today. The later Enlightenment was a heady time when people were exploring new conceptions of nature, humanity, and the self. Andrea Wulf is a writer of narrative histories, examining the origins of ideas through the lives of the people who explored them. In this episode we discuss three of her books: The Invention of Nature, about Alexander von Humboldt and environmentalism; Magnificent Rebels, about the Jena circle of Romantics including Goethe, Schiller, Schlegel, and others; and most recently The Traveller, about George Forster, an early naturalist, ethnographer, and champion of human equality.

    Blog post with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026/06/08/356-andrea-wulf-on-enlightenment-nature-romanticism-and-modernity/

    Support Mindscape on Patreon.

    Andrea Wulf was born in India, raised in Germany, and studied design history at the Royal College of Art, London. She is the author of seven books. She is a Miller Scholar at the Santa Fe Institute and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. The Invention of Nature won multiple prizes, including the Royal Society science book prize and the LA Times book prize.

    • Web site
    • Amazon author page
    • Wikipedia
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • AMA | June 2026
    Jun 1 2026

    Welcome to the June 2026 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patreons, whittle them down to a more manageable number -- based primarily on whether I have anything interesting to say about them, not whether the questions themselves are good -- and sometimes group them together if they are about a similar topic. Enjoy!

    Blog post with AMA questions and transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026/06/01/ama-june-2026/

    New paper I talk about in the beginning of the episode:

    • S.M. Carroll, N. Diachenko, and S. Dulani, "Toward a Phenomenologically Acceptable Quantum Cyclic Universe."
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    3 hrs and 57 mins
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If only TV programs or news stories could be this informative. I have no scientific background and each episode teaches me something deep and meaningful about life. Highly accessible content. Wide range of topics. Try it. It could change your listening habits for good.

Listened to over 150 - so good

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I listen to everything from Sean Carroll on audible. It keeps me humble and knowledgeable.

Sean Carroll rocks!

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Great Sunday morning listen. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Maths investigates collocation and more.

Superb

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Really like everything about Sean’s podcasts! From the topics to the actual (calm and collected) delivery. They have become part of my daily routine. Thank you Sean for all your work

Addictive

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I have been a mindscape listener for many years now and originally came for the physics talks but also love the different topics that Sean tries to get on the show. keep up the fantastic work.

Varied and interesting subjects

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