The Gray Area with Sean Illing

The jazz musician’s guide to the universe

Listen Later

How is the origin of our universe like an improvised saxophone solo? This week, Sean Illing talks to Stephon Alexander, a theoretical physicist and world-class jazz musician. Alexander is the author of The Jazz of Physics and his most recent book, Fear of a Black Universe. This episode features music by Stephon Alexander throughout, from his latest 2024 album Spontaneous Fruit and his 2017 EP True to Self.


Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), host, The Gray Area

Guest: Stephon Alexander (@stephstem), theoretical physicist, Brown University

Enjoyed this episode? Rate The Gray Area ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Be the first to hear new episodes of The Gray Area by following us in your favorite podcast app. Links here: https://www.vox.com/the-gray-area

Support The Gray Area by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store
The Gray Area with Sean IllingBy Vox
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

10,606 ratings

More shows like The Gray Area with Sean Illing

View all
Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,459 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,894 Listeners

On the Media by WNYC Studios

On the Media

9,233 Listeners

The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

4,113 Listeners

Explain It to Me by Vox

Explain It to Me

7,882 Listeners

Switched on Pop by Vulture

Switched on Pop

2,676 Listeners

Pivot by New York Magazine

Pivot

9,737 Listeners

Gastropod by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

Gastropod

3,650 Listeners

Decoder with Nilay Patel by The Verge

Decoder with Nilay Patel

3,142 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

113,357 Listeners

Good One by Vulture

Good One

1,482 Listeners

Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

Radio Atlantic

2,403 Listeners

Today, Explained by Vox

Today, Explained

10,321 Listeners

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

7,246 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,511 Listeners

Land of the Giants by Vulture

Land of the Giants

2,164 Listeners

Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast by MKBHD

Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

41 Listeners

Unlocking Us with Brené Brown by Vox Media Podcast Network

Unlocking Us with Brené Brown

23,565 Listeners

A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe by Vox Media Podcast Network

A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe

739 Listeners

Hard Fork by The New York Times

Hard Fork

5,596 Listeners

Good Noticings by Vox Media Podcast Network

Good Noticings

6,493 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,510 Listeners

Unexplainable by Vox

Unexplainable

2,307 Listeners

Cover Story by New York Magazine

Cover Story

1,216 Listeners

The Interview by The New York Times

The Interview

1,608 Listeners

Not Just Football with Cam Heyward by Cam Heyward

Not Just Football with Cam Heyward

150 Listeners

Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF by Vivian Tu

Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF

1,794 Listeners

Prof G Markets by Vox Media Podcast Network

Prof G Markets

1,473 Listeners

The Opinions by The New York Times Opinion

The Opinions

632 Listeners

Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird by Sue Bird

Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird

435 Listeners

Solutions with Henry Blodget by Vox Media Podcast Network

Solutions with Henry Blodget

34 Listeners