Hi darling!
This week I discuss what it is actually like to work in academia and research, and the science behind 'stranger things'... Are scientists “still in school”? Do professors just teach all day? And is the science in Stranger Things even remotely realistic?

In this solo episode of Alex the Physicist & Friends, I break down what a career in science and academia really looks like, from PhDs and postdocs to permanent academic positions. I talk honestly about the pros, cons, instability, freedom, pressure, and misconceptions that come with working in research, especially in physics.

We also dive into the real science behind Stranger Things, unpacking wormholes, spacetime, exotic matter, and how much of sci-fi is grounded in real physics (and where it definitely takes creative liberties).
The paper I mentioned by Kip Thorne can be found here https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.61.1446

Alongside that, I share life updates from California and Stanford, what I’m currently working on in gravitational wave research

@alexthephysicist

Hi Darling!
This week I sit down with Julia Bauman, a genetics PhD student at Stanford University. Driven by curiosity about what makes people who they are and a desire to help treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, which has affected her family, Julia began her path on a pre-med track before realising research was where her passion truly lay and choosing a PhD over an MD. Alongside her research Julia makes science publication explainer videos on TikTok, where she has built a following of over 33,000 as a science communicator.

In this conversation, we talk about her journey from medicine to research, the motivations behind her science communication, and the challenges of balancing content creation with PhD life, as well as her uncertainty around how it might evolve in the future.

Follow Julia on TikTok: @60_secondscience

Thanks for listening!
@alexthephysicist

Hi Darling!
Happy new year!! New year, new season of Alex the Physicist & Friends!
A new season means a new format and I'm changing up the solo podcast episodes, bringing you more of the chaos, more of the science and just generally more fun. New features include Dr Darlings hotline, weekly updates (in life and in science), Darling's Delight and the Chaos forecast. This week I discuss my 2025 and what I have planned for 2026, power laws (thanks Uri), vacuum bags and NYE plans! Can't wait to take you on this journey with me this year, bring on the chaos.