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

Sean Carroll is a theoretical physicist at Johns Hopkins who also happens to be one of the best science communicators working today. Mindscape is his long-running interview show, and it covers an absurdly wide range of topics, but his physics episodes are where the podcast really shines for quantum enthusiasts. Carroll literally wrote a book about quantum mechanics and the Many-Worlds interpretation, so when he sits down with guests like Roger Penrose or Carlo Rovelli, the conversation goes places most science podcasts can't reach. The format is straightforward: Sean brings on one guest per episode, and they talk for about an hour. Sometimes longer. He asks genuinely good questions and isn't afraid to push back or admit when something confuses him, which makes the discussions feel honest rather than performative. His solo episodes and monthly AMAs are worth the listen too, especially when he breaks down topics like quantum decoherence or the measurement problem in his own words. With over 400 episodes and a 4.7-star rating from thousands of listeners, Mindscape has earned its reputation. The episodes aren't all quantum physics, and that's actually a strength. You get philosophy, biology, mathematics, and culture mixed in. But the physics episodes, particularly anything touching on quantum foundations, are consistently the most popular and the most rewarding. If you want quantum physics explained by someone who actually does the research, this is your starting point.