Inspire Us Podcast

Michael Peskin is a theoretical physicist and Professor at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University, one of the world's leading centres for particle physics research. He is the co-author of An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory, widely considered the definitive graduate-level textbook in the field and used by physicists across the globe.

This episode is a full breakdown of particle physics as simply explained as it gets, by one of the best in the field. We explore one of the deepest questions in all of science, why does anything have mass at all? We unpack the Standard Model of particle physics, the discovery of the Higgs boson, and what the Higgs field actually is and why it matters. We also get into what the Standard Model still cannot explain, how the Large Hadron Collider works and why it discards 99% of its data, and how AI is now being used to push the boundaries of particle physics discovery.

This is a conversation about the frontier of human knowledge where our best equations break down, what lies beyond them, and why physicists like Michael Peskin believe the biggest surprises are still ahead.

Let us know in the comments what you think!

Hope you enjoy!

Bharat Ratra is a distinguished Physicist and Professor of Physics at Kansas State University and a leading cosmologist. He is best known for co-proposing the first dynamical dark energy model in 1988, a foundational idea that helps explain the accelerating expansion of the universe.In this conversation we explore the biggest mysteries in modern cosmology: dark energy, the nature of the universe’s expansion, inflation, and what we still don’t understand about the cosmos. We discuss how our understanding of dark energy might evolve over time and what recent observations might mean for our fundamental of reality.It was an absolute pleasure and privilege to speak with Professor Ratra. We hope you enjoy this conversation. The episode is available now on YouTube and all podcast platforms.

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Ramla Ali is a Somali-British Olympian, boxer, model, humanitarian, and filmmaker whose journey from refugee to representing Somalia on the world stage is nothing short of extraordinary. In this conversation, she reflects on sacrifice, identity, fame, social media, and the bold transition from elite sport into filmmaking.It was an absolute pleasure to speak with Ramla, she's an absolutely lovely person and a great speaker with an inspiring story. We hope you enjoy this podcast and follow for more!Instagram: www.instagram.com/seveneightsixentSisters Club: www.instagram.com/ramlaali_sistersclubProduction company: www.instagram.com/seveneightsixentwww.seveneightsixent.comS7EP8: Ramla Ali - Inspire Us PodcastListen on :Youtube: www.youtube.com/@InspireUsPodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4WAeOo2e2Xf6qOFD1ZagXF?si=c9aeead4dc6847f9Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inspire-us-podcast/id1732848248Follow us on social media:X: https://x.com/InspireUsPodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspireuspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@inspireuspodcast

Kwame Anthony Appiah is a philosopher, cultural theorist and Professor of Philosophy at New York University. He is also the author of the popular “The Ethicist” column in The New York Times, where he explores everyday moral dilemmas through philosophy.In this conversation we explore identity, culture, class and authenticity. We discuss whether modern identity categories like race, gender and nationality are recent inventions, how culture becomes politicised in modern culture wars, and why great cultural works like William Shakespeare belong to everyone rather than to a single nation or race.It was an absolute pleasure and privilege to speak with Professor Appiah. We hope you enjoy this conversation.The episode is available now on YouTube and all podcast platforms.

Graham Priest is one of the world’s leading philosophers of logic. He is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center and also holds positions at the University of Melbourne and University of St Andrews.Priest is best known for developing dialetheism, the controversial philosophical view that some contradictions can actually be true. His work has had a major influence on modern logic, the philosophy of mathematics, and metaphysics. He is also a leading figure in paraconsistent logic, a field that studies logical systems capable of handling contradictions without collapsing into triviality.He has written numerous influential books including In Contradiction, Beyond the Limits of Thought, and Logic: A Very Short Introduction. His work also explores connections between Western philosophy, Buddhist philosophy, paradoxes, and the limits of human reasoning.

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Jonathan Wolff is a leading political philosopher at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University. He has advised governments, shaped public policy debates, and written extensively on inequality, justice, and democracy, and social reform.It was an absolute pleasure to speak with Jonathan Wolff, he's a lovely man. In this episode, we explore the philosophy of inequality, the tension between equality and democracy, nationalism, libertarianism, and whether modern politics is built on hidden assumptions most of us never question.Is equality about money — or about how we treat one another?Can democracy survive if people reject equality?And are we misunderstanding what “left” and “right” really mean?This is a deep conversation on power, justice, and the future of democratic societies.

David Betz is a Canadian academic and Professor of War in the Modern World at King’s College London. He specialises in civil war, insurgency, information warfare, and the changing character of conflict. His research has advised policymakers and military institutions, and his recent academic papers have gained significant media attention for warning that North America, Western Europe, and the UK may soon be entering a phase of civil war.In this episode of Inspire Us, we discuss:– Whether Britain has passed a tipping point– The collapse of political legitimacy– Immigration and social trust– Elite fragmentation– Brexit and national identity– What modern civil conflict could actually look likeIs the UK really heading toward civil war, are these fears overstated, is this a self fulfilling prophecy?

Abdullahi Shafi Mohamed is an emerging leader in international development and humanitarian work, with experience across Kenya, Niger, Somalia and beyond. A Chevening scholar and SOAS Development Studies graduate, he has worked with the United Nations in Somalia supporting government systems and community delivery in one of the world’s most complex operating environments.

In this episode, Abdullahi takes us through Somalia’s collapse after 1991, the shifting conflicts and political realities that followed, and how decades of state absence shaped both governance and society. He reflects on returning to Somalia as part of the diaspora, navigating weak institutions, security constraints, and a system that often rewards loyalty over competence rather than merit. The conversation explores corruption not simply as stolen money, but as the deeper problem of the wrong people occupying positions of responsibility.We also discuss a striking contrast within Somalia today.

While public institutions struggle to deliver services, the private sector in areas such as banking, telecommunications, and utilities has shown remarkable resilience and efficiency. Abdullahi explains what this means for rebuilding a functioning state and why strong institutions remain essential for long-term stability.

The episode also turns to Abdullahi’s personal journey growing up in the Dadaab refugee camp, the changing reality facing refugees today as global support declines, and the psychological experience of living between countries without fully belonging. He shares the motivation behind Telepath, a new initiative designed as a community hub connecting diaspora returnees and young people with mentorship, opportunity, and pathways to contribute to Somalia’s future.

Abdullahi is also a close friend who we met during our Master’s studies, where both this podcast and our work connected to Dadaab refugee camp first began. Recording this conversation two years later is a powerful moment, bringing the story full circle from where it started to where the journey has now taken us.

Topics include Somalia’s state collapse, diaspora return, UN work on the ground, corruption and governance, private sector success, refugee camp life, rebuilding government capacity, and the Talepath initiative.Chapters:00:00 “1991: Somalia Collapsed Overnight” (Civil War & State Breakdown)03:30 From Refugee to Rebuilder: Why I Went Back to Somalia05:17 “I Knew I Wasn’t Welcome” — Migrants in the UK06:38 Working in Somalia Is HARD: Weak State, Security Barriers10:05 Why NGOs Replaced the Government (And the Damage It Causes)15:00 Somalia’s REAL Corruption: The Wrong People in Power22:14 Private Sector vs Government: Why Businesses Work (But the State Fails)31:06 What Gives Hope? Somalia CAN Rebuild — But Not Without Government34:06 Democracy vs Authority in Africa: “We Need Discipline to Function”40:42 Growing Up in Dadaab: The World’s Biggest Refugee Camp44:43 Resettlement Is Ending — Is Somalia the Only Solution Left?50:50 Kenya Never Felt Safe: Deportations, Police, Living on Edge57:26 Talopath: The Plan to Connect Diaspora & Rebuild Somalia1:04:10 Full-Circle Moment: Dadaab Project, Jersey Signed, Final Message