Pheely Chitnelawong, Patrick O'Brien, and Liam Farrell

The Hyperthesis

Science EN ↓ 100 episodes

Enlightening yet casual discussions about natural phenomena and the theories that describe them. Run by a curious trio with physics backgrounds: Pheely, Patrick, and Liam. A new episode is available every Friday at 9 a.m. ET.

Author

Pheely Chitnelawong, Patrick O'Brien, and Liam Farrell

Category

Science

Podcast website

podcasters.spotify.com

Latest episode

May 2, 2025

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Episodes

The Hyperthesis Team's Perspectives on Science and PhD Life at the 100th Episode 02.05.2025

Join the Hyperthesis Podcast as we celebrate a very special milestone - EPISODE 100! To account for a century of episodes, the Hyperthesis team have decided to change things up in this extended episode by recording our audio and video so you can watch the episode unfold. We start the episode with Liam discussing a recent analogue gravity conference he attended at the University of Nottingham, prom...

The Next Generation of Data Visualization 24.03.2025

Join the Hyperthesis crew in episode 99 as we talk about our experiences and thoughts on data visualization in science: how we portray data, equations, and reality versus imagination. Before delving into that, Patrick leads the episode by discussing a paper about the cycling science and lifetimes of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries. Liam ends the episode with a brief history of simulation, w...

Spectroscopy: How Objects Shine at Us Their Nature 14.03.2025

Join the Hyperthesis team as we return to an episode without a special guest to discuss some interesting scientific phenomena. We begin the episode with a discussion around squeaking or barking sand and how little is known about how this phenomena happens. If you're interested in funding research about this, please let us know! Our main topic today focuses on the field of spectroscopy and how ligh...

The Lesser Known World of Evidence-based Teaching with Jon Clarke 08.03.2025

Welcome to episode 97 of the Hyperthesis where we discuss all things dark matter and physics education with Jon Clarke. Jon Clarke is a PhD student at Queen's University where he is working with the NEWS-G dark matter detector, analyzing data from the latest experimental runs. Before starting his PhD, Jon taught high school physics in the UK before providing training for a total of 300 high sc...

The Science and Business of (medical) Drug Delivery with Matt Campea 28.02.2025

Join us for this episode of the Hyperthesis as we delve into the world of the body and the small with our guest, Dr. Matt Campea. Currently working as a Scientific Specialist with Cytiva, we delve into his current work on customizable nanoparticles and previous research on drug-loaded nanoparticles. This includes developing improved methods to help with cancers, schizophrenia, and other challengin...

Demystifying Quantum Materials with Monika Azmanska 21.02.2025

In this episode of the Hyperthesis, we welcome Monika Azmanska, a PhD student at McMaster University working with Dr. Pat Clancy. Monika's research focuses on experimental condensed matter physics, where she examines the electronic and magnetic properties of quantum materials using neutron and x-ray scattering. We discuss what a quantum material is and delve into photonics and hydrogen storage...

Tinkering Soft Matter, and Microwaving Grapes with Hamza Khattak 15.02.2025

Join the Hyperthesis team as we welcome Dr. Hamza Khattak as our guest. To start, we discuss a paper which heavily cites work done by Dr. Khattak with his work on grapes in a microwave. We delve a bit into his past research, which made headlines and was featured in a variety of science communication media. We then explore the diverse work that Dr. Khattak does as a research associate at MacMaster...

Year 2024 in Review 08.02.2025

The Hyperthesis team rings in the new year with looking at what happened in 2024. We first discuss our own research journeys in 2024, highlighting some major events and milestones. We then discuss our plans for 2025, including working to finish our PhDs. We then turn to major stories in science from 2024, highlighting some interesting stories and research from each month. We delve into everything...

Building Semiconductor Devices with Abhishake Goyal 28.12.2024

In this episode, we welcome our special guest Abhishake Goyal. Abhishake is a PhD candidate in the Laboratory of Organic Photonics and Iontronics at Queen's university. His work focuses on the development and fabrication of semiconductor devices. The novel method they develop opens door to tunable photonic devices. We delve into the principles of semiconductors and the manufacturing processes used...

Let's Put Telescopes on Balloons with Mayukh Bagchi 13.12.2024

Join Pheely, Liam, Patrick and special guest Mayukh Bagchi on the Hyperthesis Podcast! Mayukh is currently a PhD candidate at Queen's University. His research focuses on balloon radio astronomy. Balloon astronomy involves letting very large balloons float into the upper atmosphere whilst carrying scientific equipment to observe and take measurements of the cosmos. We discuss the various benefits o...

How Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Works with Duncan Osmond 06.12.2024

Join Liam, Pheely, and Patrick as we welcome Duncan Osmond to Hyperthesis. Duncan is currently a Systems Engineer with the Naval Engineering Test Establishment, but has a background in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) research. While we briefly touch on the open part of his current work, we delve deeper into MR and his research at the University of New Brunswick. Before then, Patrick talks about t...

The Hidden Nature of Electric Fields and the Aharonov Bohm Effect 30.11.2024

Join the Hyperthesis team as we venture into the realm of quantum mechanics by discussing Berry phases and the Aharanov-Bohm Effect. We break down these complex concepts and talk about their impact on quantum mechanics in general. Before then, we discuss new results from research on creating new elements in a science-based version of alchemy. Finally, we end off the episode discussing the life of...

Black Holes to the Extreme(al) with Billy Sievers 22.11.2024

Welcome to the Hyperthesis, where this week, we welcome special guest Billy Sievers. Billy is a Ph. D Student at McMaster University studying self-intersecting surfaces inside black holes and connections to quantum gravity. Before we dive into his research (and get a fun quiz on dimensions), Liam tells us about a trinary black hole system and it's discovery and chaos. Patrick ends the episode with...

Making Light of Dark Matter at SNOLAB with Jean-Marie Coquillat 16.11.2024

Join Patrick, Pheely, Liam, and special guest Jean-Marie Coquillat as we explore the depths of dark matter detection. After discussing the current state of the art of dark matter detectors at SNOLAB, we speak with Jean-Marie about his current research on the NEWS-G dark matter detector. Jean-Marie speaks about how the detector operates and how he is working on rejecting background noise the limits...

Well... About the 2024 Nobel Prizes 08.11.2024

Celebrate with the Hyperthesis as we discuss the Nobel Prizes awarded in Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine and Physiology for 2024. We delve into the meaning and controversy behind the prizes, especially discussing the foundations of AI. Before then, we discuss the history-making landing performed by SpaceX as they caught part of the largest rocket ever as it landed back on Earth. We mention the Ig...

Guess Who's Back? (for Season 7) 01.11.2024

Join Patrick, Pheely, and Liam as we recap our summer of research as we start our seventh season of the Hyperthesis. We provide updates about our summer, going a little bit in depth from everything we did. This includes using dams as inspiration for ultracold atom theory, creating digital twins of forests, and talking about the publication from some of our hosts and past guests. We end the episode...

Scientific Method in Theoretical Physics 08.06.2024

Join the Hyperthesis team as we wrap up our sixth season for a summer break filled with research and travel. To start, we discuss a publication put out by Pheely based on work done during his Master's degree. He goes into the intricacies of clustering and the idea of no free lunch as he examines trade-offs of clustering and avoiding clustering. As we segue into our main topic, we discuss the d...

Give Us Some Space (Exploration)! 01.06.2024

Space! The final frontier. Join the Hyperthesis team on our one hour mission to explore space and what the future of space exploration holds for humanity. Before delving into the topic of space exploration, including the why and how, Liam shares his thoughts on the recent Canadian Association of Physicists Congress, including some great presentations and the quality of the food. Pheely ends off th...

Can Biology be Quantum? Also... Dancing Raisins 24.05.2024

Join the Pheely, Liam, and Patrick for episode 82 of The Hyperthesis podcast! In this episode we discuss the field of Quantum biology which proposes that certain functions in living organisms may only be explained through quantum mechanics. Some particular examples that are covered include our sense of vision and smell, enzyme catalysis inside of the cells of organisms, and the ability for birds t...

Understanding Nature Through Statistics with Dr. Jonathon Riddell 10.05.2024

Join the Pheely, Liam, and Patrick as they welcome Dr. Jonathon Riddell to the show. Johnathon is a quantum many-body physicist at the University of Birmingham in the UK who studies the foundations of statistical mechanics. We dive into everything from thermalization and quantum many bodies to how chaotic systems can be described as we explore the complex research involved in Jonathon's work....

Science of Spectral Analysis 05.05.2024

Join us for the 80th episode of the Hyperthesis as we discuss everything from spectroscopy and water walkers to a poem about spectres. Patrick talks about a spectroscopy conference he attended recently while Liam discusses a paper about bugs on top of water and how that relates to micro plastics. Finally, Pheely sends us off with some etymology and a poem. Missed an episode? Find us on Spotify Pod...

The Ethical Dilemmas of Artificial Intelligence with David Eliot 27.04.2024

Join the Hyperthesis team (including Patrick this time) as we welcome our guest David Eliot, a PhD student at the University of Ottawa. David researches the social impact of artificial intelligence along with the idea of a data economy. We discuss the intricacies of what is needed to train popular AI models while also touching on the social aspects of using AI programs and how our data is used. Be...

Two Theorists on a Random Walk 20.04.2024

In this episode of the Hyperthesis Podcast we have a more relaxed conversation in store for our listeners! We are missing 1/3 of our brainpower because Patrick is away at a conference in Spain. Lucky man! Without our favourite experimentalist to keep everything on track, Liam and Pheely decide to take a random walk through various topics ranging from logic to relativistic quantum mechanics. Missed...

Our Solar Eclipse Experience 12.04.2024

Join the Hyperthesis team in our discussion of the 2024 solar eclipse event that we experienced. We start with a topic of the early universe bubbling event which can create a phase transition that can be detected the upcoming space gravitational wave interferometer. Then we talk about our viewing of the eclipse, what it was really like, and how we feel about this monumental lifetime event. We ende...

Once-a-Lifetime Experience of Total Solar Eclipse 05.04.2024

Join the Hyperthesis team as we discuss the upcoming total solar eclipse of 2024 in Ontario. Patrick is on a journey to see this once a lifetime event which he will be flying in from Alberta! We start this episode off by discussing putting astronomical instruments to orbit around the moon, rather than around the earth. Then we talk about how an eclipse works, and how rare the total solar eclipses...

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