Best Natural Kaos Podcasts (2025)

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Righting Wrong When Sorry Isn’t Enough: Constructing an Asian American Theology of Reparations with Grace Yia-Hei Kao 49:35

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24d ago49:35

49:35

How should federal governments attempt to right, or at least remedy, past wrongs? Is it appropriate for victims of group-based harms or their descendants to press current generations to atone for the sins of their predecessors? Grace Kao, Professor of Ethics and the inaugural Sano Chair in Pacific and Asian American Theology at Claremont School of …

1
Righting Wrong When Sorry Isn’t Enough: Constructing an Asian American Theology of Reparations with Grace Yia-Hei Kao 49:35

24d ago49:35

49:35

How should federal governments attempt to right, or at least remedy, past wrongs? Is it appropriate for victims of group-based harms or their descendants to press current generations to atone for the sins of their predecessors? Grace Kao, Professor of Ethics and the inaugural Sano Chair in Pacific and Asian American Theology at Claremont School of …

1
Making a Refuge of Resistance: A History of the U.S. Sanctuary Movement with Lloyd Barba 55:06

2M ago55:06

55:06

Is sacred space protective space? This question lies at the heart of the Sanctuary Movement. From the 1980s to the present, this practice has protected undocumented immigrants at risk of deportation by offering them refuge in churches, where federal immigration agents to this day still fear to tread. In this lecture, Lloyd Barba, Assistant Professo…

1
Making a Refuge of Resistance: A History of the U.S. Sanctuary Movement with Lloyd Barba 55:06

2M ago55:06

55:06

Is sacred space protective space? This question lies at the heart of the Sanctuary Movement. From the 1980s to the present, this practice has protected undocumented immigrants at risk of deportation by offering them refuge in churches, where federal immigration agents to this day still fear to tread. In this lecture, Lloyd Barba, Assistant Professo…

1
Rain of Ash: Roma Jews and the Holocaust 1:06:22

3M ago1:06:22

1:06:22

What paradoxes arise when victims of related persecution tell their stories next to, and after, each other? This question is at the heart of Ari Joskowicz’s highly acclaimed book “Rain of Ash,” which examines the unlikely entanglement of the histories of Jews and Romani people—the only two racialized groups the Nazis targeted for wholesale extermin…

1
Rain of Ash: Roma Jews and the Holocaust 1:06:22

3M ago1:06:22

1:06:22

What paradoxes arise when victims of related persecution tell their stories next to, and after, each other? This question is at the heart of Ari Joskowicz’s highly acclaimed book “Rain of Ash,” which examines the unlikely entanglement of the histories of Jews and Romani people—the only two racialized groups the Nazis targeted for wholesale extermin…

1
Chuck GPT Apocalypse, Part 2 24:21

3M ago24:21

24:21

It’s the end of everything! Welcome back to Part 2 of our season finale featuring Dr. Charles Liu, co-host Allen Liu, and our guest archaeology expert and author, Hannah Liu, MEd. (If you haven’t caught up to Part 1, we highly recommend you do before embarking on the next leg of this journey! Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts!) We pick …

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Chuck GPT Apocalypse, Part 1 27:00

4M ago27:00

27:00

As our fourth season draws to a close, we’ve got an apocalyptic, 2-part ending lined up. That’s right, we’re talking Armageddon, and we don’t mean the 1998 Bruce Willis blockbuster. And of course, if we’re going to delve into the end of everything, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu are going to need the help of our ever popular archaeology expe…

1
Finding Your Place in Space with Sadie Coffin 45:58

4M ago45:58

45:58

Who are the “Redshift Wranglers” and what can they tell us about the evolution of our universe? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome back astrophysics PhD candidate Sadie Coffin from the Rochester Institute of Technology whose focus is galactic evolution, and in particular, the spectroscopy of galaxies and their lights. As alw…

1
Shredding and Stitching Stars with u/Andromeda321 (Yvette Cendes) 48:24

5M ago48:24

48:24

If a black hole shreds a star and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Professor Yvette Cendes, (aka u/Andromeda321 on Reddit), a Radio Astronomer studying transient radio signals from space. As always, though, we start off with the day’s joyfully cool cosmic thing, a report b…

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Early Galaxies, Intelligent Plants and the Geometry of D&D Dice With Justin Cole 38:10

5M ago38:10

38:10

Why is it so difficult to study the evolution of early galaxies? Are metallic D&D dice better than plastic ones? And can you have too many Pokémon tattoos? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Justin Cole, who is currently a grad student at Texas A&M studying the evolution of distant galaxies in pursuit of his PhD in Astronomy…

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Standing on the Edge of Discovery with Dr. Melodie Kao 43:43

6M ago43:43

43:43

What’s it like to stand at the edge of human knowledge, where we don’t know what leap forward in understanding the next technological innovation will herald? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Dr. Melodie Kao, resident radio astronomer at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ, where Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto back in …

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Addressing Antisemitism on Campus: Lessons from History Challenges for Today 59:45

6M ago59:45

59:45

John A. Pérez, Regent Emeritus of the University of California, sits down with Robert Williams, Ph.D., CEO and Finci-Viterbi Executive Director of the USC Shoah Foundation, for a critical conversation about the rise of antisemitism on college campuses. They explore how history shapes present-day challenges, the dangers of misinformation, and the ro…

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Addressing Antisemitism on Campus: Lessons from History Challenges for Today 59:45

6M ago59:45

59:45

John A. Pérez, Regent Emeritus of the University of California, sits down with Robert Williams, Ph.D., CEO and Finci-Viterbi Executive Director of the USC Shoah Foundation, for a critical conversation about the rise of antisemitism on college campuses. They explore how history shapes present-day challenges, the dangers of misinformation, and the ro…

1
Future Fashion: Spacesuits, Exoskeletons & More with Alexia Stylianou 47:01

6M ago47:01

47:01

What will well-dressed astronauts be wearing on the Artemis III mission? Will AI destroy creativity? Can we actually make leather clothing out of mushrooms? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome engineer and futurist Alexia Stylianou, who is designing wearable biometric platforms that can measure human biomechanics to a resolut…

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Half-Baked Stars and Handmade Macarons with Dr. Theron Carmichael 37:22

7M ago37:22

37:22

What is a transiting brown dwarf, why are they so rare, and how do you find them? Equally important, how do you make a good French macaron? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome astronomer and astrophysicist Dr. Theron Carmichael. As always, though, we start off with the day’s joyfully cool cosmic thing: a recent paper in the A…

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Falling in Love with Nature: The Values of Latinx Catholic Environmentalism 49:14

7M ago49:14

49:14

Through a focus on Spanish-speaking Catholics, Amanda Baugh sheds light on environmental actors hiding in plain sight. Drawing from ethnographic research conducted across Los Angeles, Baugh, Professor and Associate Chair of Religious Studies and Director of the MA Program in Sustainability at California State University, Northridge, demonstrates th…

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Falling in Love with Nature: The Values of Latinx Catholic Environmentalism 49:14

7M ago49:14

49:14

Through a focus on Spanish-speaking Catholics, Amanda Baugh sheds light on environmental actors hiding in plain sight. Drawing from ethnographic research conducted across Los Angeles, Baugh, Professor and Associate Chair of Religious Studies and Director of the MA Program in Sustainability at California State University, Northridge, demonstrates th…

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Cold Wars, AI, and Art for Aliens with Rebecca Charbonneau 41:26

7M ago41:26

41:26

What can the history of science tell us about the world we live in today and where we might be headed tomorrow? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome historian of science Rebecca Charbonneau, PhD from the American Institute of Physics and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory with expertise in radio astronomy and the search …

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Megamasers and Magnetic Fields with Dr. Jackie Villadsen 50:25

8M ago50:25

50:25

What’s the difference between a maser and a megamaser? How does uncertainty lead science to its newest discoveries? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome back radio astronomer Dr. Jackie Villadsen, a professor at Bucknell University currently researching star/planet magnetic interaction in exoplanet systems. As always, though, …

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Dodging the Sisters: Why Queer Nuns Keep Going Viral 1:24:17

8M ago1:24:17

1:24:17

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence went viral in conservative media in June 2023 when the L.A. Dodgers announced plans to honor the local house of the order at the team’s annual Pride Night. Reporting on the ensuing scuffle focused largely on sports, politics, and culture wars, not on religion, and it largely misrepresented or overlooked the inter…

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Dodging the Sisters: Why Queer Nuns Keep Going Viral 1:24:17

8M ago1:24:17

1:24:17

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence went viral in conservative media in June 2023 when the L.A. Dodgers announced plans to honor the local house of the order at the team’s annual Pride Night. Reporting on the ensuing scuffle focused largely on sports, politics, and culture wars, not on religion, and it largely misrepresented or overlooked the inter…

1
A Scintillating Cosmic Conversation with Robert Sparks 40:19

8M ago40:19

40:19

Have you ever wondered how data from the telescopes that peer into our universe ends up in the hands of the astronomers who interpret it? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Robert Sparks, currently from the NSF’s NOIRLab, but previously Fermi Lab and the Sloan Sky Survey. The National Optical InfraRed Astronomy Research Lab …

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Comets, Eclipses and Auroras: The LIUniverse Looks Back at 2024 1:00:59

9M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

What were the coolest science and sci-fi events in the LIUniverse in 2024, and what’s in store for us in 2025? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome three members of our production team: Leslie Mullen, our Executive Producer making her first on air appearance, Jon Barnes, our Editor, and Stacey Severn, our Social Media/Patreon …

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Space Lasers, Solar Panels and Stochastic Parrots with Leah Voytovich 45:36

9M ago45:36

45:36

How far can following your passions take you in science? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome the multi-faceted Leah Voytovich, a software development engineer for Project Kuiper who planned on going to med school but instead ended up working on space lasers for Amazon’s satellite internet constellation. As always, though, we …

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A Double Dose of Physics with Dr. Betty Jensen and Dr. Mary Lou West 39:21

10M ago39:21

39:21

What was it like forging a career in physics as a woman in the 1970s? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome the “Dynamic Duo of Physics” – physicist Dr. Betty Jensen and astrophysicist Dr. Mary Lou West. As always, though, we start off with the day’s joyfully cool cosmic thing, a potential new revelation about Jupiter’s Great R…

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Into the Unknown with Dr. Kelsey Johnson Part 2 28:41

10M ago28:41

28:41

Why should people care about fundamental questions of existence or try to understand the principles of our universe? Because we may be the only sentient beings in existence who can! At least, that’s what returning guest Dr. Kelsey Johnson, past president of the AAS and the ASP, and author of “Into the Unknown – The Quest to Understand the Mysteries…

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Into the Unknown with Dr. Kelsey Johnson Part 1 31:14

11M ago31:14

31:14

Why is star formation the workhorse of the universe? What is a flocculent galaxy? Which cosmic cataclysm creates new globular star clusters? And why are we currently seeing such amazing aurora in unusual places? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome astronomer Dr. Kelsey Johnson, past president of the American Astronomical Soci…

1
A HaLIUween Special 41:00

11M ago41:00

41:00

Happy Halloween! In this special episode of The LIUniverse, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome back archaeology expert Hannah Liu, MEd to bring a scientific eye to the holiday and some of its most familiar denizens: witches, werewolves, zombies, black cats and even the Great Galactic Ghoul! As always, though, we start off with the day’s …

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Chuck GPT 4.0 56:54

11M ago56:54

56:54

Welcome to Season 4 of The LIUniverse and thank you for joining us on this journey. We’re kicking off the new season with another Chuck GPT episode devoted to answering your questions, and to do that, we’ve brought back archaeology expert Hannah Liu, MEd. She’s not alone: joining Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu is The LIUniverse’s Social Medi…

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Disenchantment of the World or Fragmentation of the Sacred with Philip Gorski 47:45

1y ago47:45

47:45

The modern world is not disenchanted. On the contrary, it is full of gods and heroes and myths and magic. In this talk, Philip Gorski sketches out a new narrative of Western modernity that can account for this state of affairs: the fragmentation of the sacred. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Humanities] [S…

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Disenchantment of the World or Fragmentation of the Sacred with Philip Gorski 47:45

1y ago47:45

47:45

The modern world is not disenchanted. On the contrary, it is full of gods and heroes and myths and magic. In this talk, Philip Gorski sketches out a new narrative of Western modernity that can account for this state of affairs: the fragmentation of the sacred. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Humanities] [S…

1
The End of Everything with Dr. Katie Mack Part 2 24:33

1y ago24:33

24:33

How did the universe evolve, and more importantly, how might it end? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome theoretical cosmologist and astrophysicist, Dr. Katie Mack, author of the recently published book, “The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking).” In Part 2, we look at dark matter, Gravitational Memory Effect, and mor…

1
The End of Everything with Dr. Katie Mack Part 1 36:14

1y ago36:14

36:14

How did the universe evolve, and more importantly, how might it end? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome theoretical cosmologist and astrophysicist, Dr. Katie Mack, author of the recently published book, “The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking).” You’re going to need your thinking caps for this episode, because the t…

1
Making Space Accessible with Celene Shimmen 39:48

1y ago39:48

39:48

How do you go from a small town in Colorado to being a scientist-astronaut candidate in Australia? And how can you make space accessible for disabled astronauts? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome scientist-astronaut candidate Celene Shimmen. As always, though, we start off with the day’s joyfully cool cosmic thing, the new …

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Sharing Space with Astronaut Cady Coleman, Part 2 27:24

1y ago27:24

27:24

We jump right back in where we left off in Part 1 of our interview with Dr. Cady Coleman, astronaut, chemist, engineer, flautist, and most recently, the author of “Sharing Space: An Astronaut's Guide to Mission, Wonder, and Making Change.” (If you missed it, listen to Part 1 here.) Chuck asks Cady to tell us more about NASA’s decision to not includ…

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Walter Capps and the Study of Religion (Part 2) 1:15:26

1y ago1:15:26

1:15:26

As part of a special series celebrating the legacy of humanist and professor Walter H. Capps, this program examines Capps’ scholarly contributions and the study of religion today, featuring renowned scholars of religion who were Walter’s graduate students: Tomoko Masuzawa, Professor Emerita of History and Comparative Literature, University of Michi…

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Walter Capps and the Study of Religion (Part 2) 1:15:26

1y ago1:15:26

1:15:26

As part of a special series celebrating the legacy of humanist and professor Walter H. Capps, this program examines Capps’ scholarly contributions and the study of religion today, featuring renowned scholars of religion who were Walter’s graduate students: Tomoko Masuzawa, Professor Emerita of History and Comparative Literature, University of Michi…

1
Walter Capps and the Study of Religion (Part 1) 1:03:02

1y ago1:03:02

1:03:02

As part of a special series celebrating the legacy of humanist and professor Walter H. Capps, this program examines Capps’ scholarly contributions and the study of religion today, featuring renowned scholars of religion who were Walter’s graduate students: Edward Linenthal, Professor Emeritus of History, Indiana University Bloomington and Wendy M. …

1
Walter Capps and the Study of Religion (Part 1) 1:03:02

1y ago1:03:02

1:03:02

As part of a special series celebrating the legacy of humanist and professor Walter H. Capps, this program examines Capps’ scholarly contributions and the study of religion today, featuring renowned scholars of religion who were Walter’s graduate students: Edward Linenthal, Professor Emeritus of History, Indiana University Bloomington and Wendy M. …

1
Sharing Space with Astronaut Cady Coleman, Part 1 30:00

1y ago30:00

30:00

What is the overview effect? Why is slow fast when you’re spacewalking? And what would happen to Chuck and Allen’s hair in space? To get the answers to these and other questions, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome back astronaut, chemist, engineer, flautist, and most recently, the author of “Sharing Space: An Astronaut's Guide to Mission…

1
The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover: How the FBI Aided and Abetted the Rise of White Christian Nationalism 1:18:00

1y ago1:18:00

1:18:00

In this program, Lerone Martin, Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, discusses his recent book, The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover, which reveals how Hoover and his FBI teamed up with leading white evangelicals and Catholics to bring about a white C…

1
The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover: How the FBI Aided and Abetted the Rise of White Christian Nationalism 1:18:00

1y ago1:18:00

1:18:00

In this program, Lerone Martin, Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, discusses his recent book, The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover, which reveals how Hoover and his FBI teamed up with leading white evangelicals and Catholics to bring about a white C…

1
Healing a Divided America with E.J. Dionne 53:18

1+ y ago53:18

53:18

Prominent journalist E.J. Dionne, known for his op-eds in The Washington Post and essays in Commonweal Magazine, advocates for bridging societal divides by addressing issues like social isolation and loneliness. As part of the Burke Lectureship at UC San Diego, Dionne, a distinguished professor at Georgetown University, invites audiences to contemp…

1
Healing a Divided America with E.J. Dionne 53:18

1+ y ago53:18

53:18

Prominent journalist E.J. Dionne, known for his op-eds in The Washington Post and essays in Commonweal Magazine, advocates for bridging societal divides by addressing issues like social isolation and loneliness. As part of the Burke Lectureship at UC San Diego, Dionne, a distinguished professor at Georgetown University, invites audiences to contemp…

1
Walter Capps and the Value of the Humanities 1:53:07

1+ y ago1:53:07

1:53:07

What role do the humanities - history, art, philosophy, language, religion - play in the modern world? Prominent leaders of humanities organizations discuss the contributions of noted humanist and professor Walter H. Capps and the value of the humanities today. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Humanities] […

1
Walter Capps and the Value of the Humanities 1:53:07

1+ y ago1:53:07

1:53:07

What role do the humanities - history, art, philosophy, language, religion - play in the modern world? Prominent leaders of humanities organizations discuss the contributions of noted humanist and professor Walter H. Capps and the value of the humanities today. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Humanities] […

1
Chuck GPT 3.0: Gravity, rocket Propulsion, space Tethers, and more! 47:02

1+ y ago47:02

47:02

Does sound travel faster in space? Is the multiverse theory true? Can gravity escape a black hole? In our latest episode of our popular “Chuck GPT” series, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome our Social Media/Patreon Community Director Stacey Severn to answer fan questions collected from Patreon patrons, students, Facebook and YouTube. As…

1
Composing the Cosmos – Musical Explorations of Deep Space with Bruce Lazarus 34:09

1+ y ago34:09

34:09

Is there really a music of the spheres? And why is space so inspirational for creativity? To ponder these cosmic questions, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome noted composer and pianist Bruce Lazarus. As always, though, we start off with the day’s joyfully cool cosmic thing, this time in honor of our guest: the fact that the movie “Oppen…

1
Cosmic Pathways with Dr. Ronald Gamble 38:29

1+ y ago38:29

38:29

Do gravitons exist? What are blazars? How did our universe begin? To grapple with questions on a cosmological scale, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Dr. Ron Gamble, a theoretical astrophysicist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. As always, though, we start off with the day’s joyfully cool cosmic thing, the gravitational wave bac…