Podcast · Tech & Science

Schrödinger’s Chat

by Anna Ratan · English · Tech & Science

Hello! Welcome to Schrödinger’s Chat! – I’m Anna, a sixth-form physics student with a lot of curiosity and a passion for understanding how the world works. From the smallest particles to the largest galaxies, join me as we unlock the mysteries and wonders of the universe, and explore how physics sha

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 20 min
Latest: 21 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

21 Sep 2026 · 19 min

Episode 20: Perplexing primes Part II

Imagine a concept so simple you learnt about it in primary school, but so complex that you can earn a $1 million prize for solving a problem related to it. It’s puzzled the greatest mathematical brains for thousands of years, and there are computers solely dedicated to it. I’m talking about prime numbers. But why are they such a big deal - after all it's just a name for a certain type of number, so why are we so obsessed with them over other numbers? Well it’s actually so complex that this is going to be a two parter episode to finish this season of Schrödinger's Chat, so buckle up and,…

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Earlier episodes 19 most recent

S1 · E19 · 18 Sep 2026 · 18 min
Episode 19: Perplexing Primes Part I
Imagine a concept so simple you learnt about it in primary school, but so complex that you can earn a $1 million prize for solving a problem related to it. It’s puzzled the greatest mathematical brains for thousands of years, and there are computers solely dedicated to it. I’m talking about prime numbers. But why are they such a big deal - after all it's just a name for a certain type of number, so why are we so obsessed with them over other numbers? Well it’s actually so complex that this is going to be a two parter episode to finish this season of Schrödinger's Chat, so buckle up and,…
S1 · E18 · 24 Aug 2026 · 11 min
Episode 18: The Next Chapter
Hello! Just a little update about Schrödinger's Chat! I have some exciting news, and plans for the future...
S1 · E17 · 31 Jul 2026 · 23 min
Episode 17: The Missing Moon
Hello! Welcome back! This episode, we are doing a bit of a thought experiment about the Moon. The Earth and the Moon are so closely related, both directly in their physical effects on each other, but also indirectly. Through the effect they have on evolution, culture, seasons, and how we measure time. We all know the Moon is there and many people know the odd thing about the Moon affecting the tides on Earth, but I thought the best way to understand how much of an impact the Moon has on earth would be to consider what would the Earth be like without the Moon?
S1 · E16 · 24 Jul 2026 · 28 min
Episode 16: Bookworm(hole): Project Hail Mary
Hello, welcome back! This episode is part of one of the mini series I have in this podcast - Bookworm(hole), where, in simplest terms, I discuss science books I’ve read, my thoughts on them, and what I’d recommend to you. So far there has only been one previous episode in this series, that was all the way back in episode 5. In that, I actually discussed three non fiction science books. So more than 10 episodes later, I think it is high time for another bookish episode. Today, however, I am only going to talk about one book, and instead of a non-fiction science book, it’s a sci-fi book. it is…
S1 · E15 · 4 Jul 2026 · 28 min
Episode 15: How's it Glowing?
I wonder what comes to your mind when I mention something that emits light. Perhaps a lightbulb, flames, or the sun. Maybe phone screens, the moon, or light reflecting off a shiny surface. In fact I think we often mainly associate light with astronomical objects like stars, fire, or man made electrical things like lightbulbs. However, there is another category of light emitting things that is more obscure but amazing. I’m talking about bioluminescence. In Episode 11, The Dark Side of Light, we looked at all the negative effects of light pollution on the natural world, so this episode, let’s…
S1 · E14 · 16 Feb 2026 · 18 min
Episode 14: Legends in Lab Coats: The Invisible Geniuses
Today, we are looking at the invisible geniuses: three scientists who have fallen into relative obscurity, or whose work was overshadowed by others at the time. But it’s time they get the recognition they deserve, so our three legends today are: Rosalind Franklin, Alfred Russel Wallace, and Jocelyn Bell Burnell. Hopefully, this episode will enlighten you about some of these amazing scientists who you may not have heard of, and maybe highlight just how many unseen amazing people were really behind famous groundbreaking discoveries.
S1 · E13 · 1 Dec 2025 · 20 min
Episode 13: Unlucky for Some
Welcome to episode 13! Some would call it unlucky, dangerous even, and to others, it’s just another number. But why 13? What did the number 13 ever do wrong, and why do we feel things are unlucky? In this episode, I want to explore why humans turn randomness into story and superstition; and is luck a real thing at all, or is maths and probability actually behind everything? There will be history, maths, and a bit of psychology, all to ask: what does ‘unlucky’ even mean?
S1 · E12 · 10 Nov 2025 · 23 min
Episode 12: Richard of York
Rare, beautiful, and almost magical. A rainbow is one of the few natural phenomena that doesn’t need any explanation to make you go ‘wow’. But understanding why it happens makes it even cooler. In this episode, we are taking a deep dive into a piece of physics magic: rainbows. How and why do they form? Why are they that shape? And could you ever find the end of a rainbow?
S1 · E11 · 3 Nov 2025 · 19 min
Episode 11: The Dark Side of Light
Light is great. It’s beautiful, a symbol of hope, positivity, knowledge, and imagination, and of course we need light here on Earth to survive. However, you can have too much of a good thing, especially when that thing is created by humans. This episode, we are looking at the impacts of artificial light on the environment, and on our ability to observe the cosmos, and how that affects us on Earth. This is the dark side of light.
S1 · E10 · 27 Oct 2025 · 22 min
Episode 10: Schrödinger's Cat
What if I told you there’s a cat that’s both alive and dead at the same time? Sounds like the start of a horror film, but it’s actually one of the most famous ideas in physics. To celebrate the tenth episode of this podcast, we are taking a look at the namesake of this podcast, Schrödinger's Cat!
S1 · E9 · 14 Sep 2025 · 20 min
Episode 9: Infinity and Beyond
What is infinity? Is it a number, an abstract concept, or is it just a theory? And how do we reach it? Indeed, does it exist anywhere in the universe? Well, in this episode we are exploring the mind bending world of infinity, what it is, how it works, and how we can use it. We are looking at infinity…and beyond… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schrodingerschat_podcast/ Email: [email protected] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DTOhb2sYdLSfMchR6g5HI?si=492afca7...
S1 · E8 · 6 Sep 2025 · 23 min
Episode 8: Legends in Lab Coats: The Pioneers
Welcome back! This episode, we’re starting a brand-new mini-series I’m really excited about: Legends in Lab Coats. This is where we shine a spotlight on the scientists behind the discoveries: their lives, their quirks, and the breakthroughs that shaped our understanding of the universe. And this first instalment is all about pioneers. These are the people who stepped into the unknown, who didn’t just solve problems, but invented entirely new ways of seeing the world. They were ahead of the sc...
S1 · E7 · 1 Sep 2025 · 17 min
Episode 7: Extreme Physics
Physics can be beautiful and elegant… but it can also be absolutely wild. So today, I’m taking you to some of the most extreme corners of the universe: the hottest temperatures, the coldest places, the most crushing pressures. We’re exploring what happens when physics is pushed to its absolute limits. Imagine places colder than interstellar space, pressures that can squash atoms into exotic forms, and speeds so fast they stretch time itself. This is the world of extreme physics; and it’s stra...
S1 · E6 · 21 Aug 2025 · 30 min
Episode 6: Science Behind Sci-Fi: The Martian
What would you do if you were stranded on Mars? With no one else around. Running out of food and air. And worst of all… nothing to listen to but 70s disco music. In The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney survives this dire situation through ingenuity, grit, and a lot of potatoes. But how much of it is realistic science… and how much is creative licence? There’s only one way to find out: in the slightly cleaner version of Mark Watney’s classic words, let’s science the heck out of this! Instagram: ...
S1 · E5 · 18 Aug 2025 · 20 min
Episode 5: Bookworm(hole)
Calling all science nerds and bookworms! This episode, we're taking a break from science deep-dives: instead I'll be discussing some of my favourite STEM books! I’ll be talking about the What If? Books by Randall Munroe, Breakfast with Einstein by Chad Orzel, and Hello World by Hannah Fry. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schrodingerschat_podcast/ Email: [email protected] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DTOhb2sYdLSfMchR6g5HI?si=492afca7a0d246f8 Apple Pod...
S1 · E4 · 7 Aug 2025 · 17 min
Episode 4: We are Stardust
Italian astrophysicist Margherita Hack said ‘The stars are not very different from us: they are born, they grow old, they die.’ In this episode, we are going to find out just how closely we are linked to the stars, and how we are related to them in a way you might not have even realised. We’re going on a journey: back to before Earth. Before the solar system. All the way to the stars. So get comfortable and cast your mind to the cosmos… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schrodingersc...
S1 · E3 · 30 Jul 2025 · 19 min
Episode 3: Music is Maths
What is your favourite song? And why? It could be the lyrics, the tune, or maybe it’s just the feeling it gives you? And what do sine waves, Pythagoras, and Fibonacci sequences have to do with your favourite song? Well we’ll look at all of this and more in this episode all about music! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schrodingerschat_podcast/ Email: [email protected] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DTOhb2sYdLSfMchR6g5HI?si=492afca7a0d246f8 Apple Podcasts: h...
S1 · E2 · 27 Jul 2025 · 13 min
Episode 2: How the Zebra got its Stripes
Today, we are looking at a rather unusual and perhaps unexpectedly physics-y topic: Zebras. I reckon zebras have one of the most iconic patterns of all animals, but whenever I see them on a wildlife documentary, I find myself wondering, why on Earth are they black and white?! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schrodingerschat_podcast/ Email: [email protected] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DTOhb2sYdLSfMchR6g5HI?si=492afca7a0d246f8 Apple Podcasts: https:/...
S1 · E1 · 23 Jul 2025 · 17 min
Episode 1: Science Behind Sci-Fi: Star Wars
Hello! Welcome to Schrödinger's Chat, a podcast where I explore the real science behind the biggest questions in the universe. I’m Anna, a physics student with a lot of questions, and even more curiosity. Join me as we look at the mysteries and wonders of the universe, and explore how physics shapes the world around us. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schrodingerschat_podcast/ Email: [email protected] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DTOhb2sYdLSfMchR6g5HI...

About Schrödinger’s Chat

Schrödinger’s Chat is a English tech & science podcast from Anna Ratan. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Anna Ratan
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 20 min
Latest episode: 21 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1828493525

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