100 - What is Light? A Journey from Ancient Philosophy to Quantum Physics

100 - What is Light? A Journey from Ancient Philosophy to Quantum Physics

August 24, 2026 · 37 min · Season 2 · Episode 9

About this episode

Dan Hooper explores the evolution of our understanding of light from ancient philosophy to modern quantum physics.

Modern physics tells us a lot about light; that it's both a wave and a particle, and that it sets the speed limit of the universe, for example. But how did we come to understand light in this way? In Dan's first solo episode, he takes us through theories of light through the ages, starting from the earliest accounts of ancient ideas and bringing us all the way to modern times. Let us know what you think about this new format! Support the show

People in this episode

Host: Dan Hooper

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Books & works: What is Light?

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