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Smologies with Alie Ward

Smologies with Alie Ward

DARK MATTER with Flip Tanedo

Jul 31, 2026 · 26 min · 12 segments

It’s invisible. It’s mysterious. It’s all around us – and no one knows what it is. Let’s stretch our brains by pondering Dark Matter! The world’s most affable and endearing theoretical particle…

It’s invisible. It’s mysterious. It’s all around us – and no one knows what it is. Let’s stretch our brains by pondering Dark Matter! The world’s most affable and endearing theoretical particle physicist, Dr. Flip Tanedo makes matter, energy, and gravity make sense. Also: Galactic origins, space ghosts, multiverses, dimensions, and more. You’ll leave with a newfound wonder and the desire to read physics journals for the secrets of life. Follow Dr. Tanedo on Bluesky and check out his website Donations went to The Point Foundation & Feeding America: Riverside & San Bernardino Full-length (\not G-rated) Scotohylology episode + tons of science links More kid-friendly Smologies episodes! Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jake Chaffee, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, and Mark David Christenson Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s invisible. It’s mysterious. It’s all around us – and no one knows what it is. Let’s stretch our brains by pondering Dark Matter! The world’s most affable and endearing theoretical particle…

Speakers: Flip TanedoGuestAlie WardHost

Top entities: Dark matter×7 Point Foundation×5 Alie Ward×6 Fritz Zwicky×4 Dark energy

Show signals: PopularityVery Populartop 5%

Cold-Open & Episode Setup0:00 – 1:06

0:00

Oh, hey.

0:01

It's your three half-scratched-off to-do lists that you really should combine into one, but then you'd have to confront the tasks that you wanna do the least.

0:09

Hi, Ally Ward.

0:10

Oh, hey.

0:10

This is Smologies.

0:11

So what are these episodes? They're shorter, classroom-safe, G-rated, no swears, and digests, if you will, of big episodes that we made for Ologies.

0:21

So we've cut them down to size, and this one is about dark matter.

0:25

And if you are like, "I don't know what that is," then wonderful.

0:29

You've come to the right place 'cause we're gonna talk about it.

0:31

Okay.

0:32

What is life? Where do we come from? Why do I have thoughts? Does anything matter? Does anyone know anything? These are just some of the existential crises you're about to enjoy, all under the guise of understanding particle physics.

0:45

It gets spooky, and I love it.

0:47

Come along.

0:47

So you're about to meet UC Riverside's associate professor of theoretical particle physics.

0:53

He's so lovable.

0:55

Oh, you're gonna love him.

0:56

So his life's work and passion is figuring out how an invisible, mysterious matter fits in our understanding of the universe and nature.

1:04

So okay, on to the episode.

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Dark matterEntity
98%7 mentions
Point FoundationCompanyNonprofit
95%5 mentions
Alie WardPersonAmerican writer and actress
92%6 mentions
Fritz ZwickyPersonSwiss astronomer
88%4 mentions
Dark energyEntity
85%1 mention
University of California, RiversideCollege or UniversityLand-grant university in Riverside, California
82%3 mentions
OlogiesEntityScience podcast
78%7 mentions
AstronomyEntityField of study
75%1 mention
LightEntity
72%1 mention
San BernardinoCityCity in California
68%2 mentions
Feeding AmericaCompanyNon-profit organization
65%1 mention
BlueskySoftware ApplicationSocial media service
62%4 mentions
InstagramSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
58%3 mentions
Vera RubinPersonAmerican astronomer
55%3 mentions
Star Trek: DiscoveryTV SeriesTelevision series
52%3 mentions
TikTokSoftware ApplicationWebsite
48%1 mention
LGBTQEntity
45%2 mentions
Jarrett SleeperPersonActor
42%1 mention
Erin E TalbertPersonResearcher
38%1 mention
AdsWizz, Inc.CompanyCompany
35%1 mention
Cold openEntity
32%1 mention
Ernest MaPersonPhysics researcher
27%1 mention
Greek languageEntityHuman language
27%1 mention
EarthPlacePlanet
22%1 mention
OreoBrand
18%1 mention
Albert EinsteinPersonTheoretical physicist
15%1 mention
Geordi La ForgeEntityFictional character
12%1 mention
Marvel Cinematic UniverseEntityFictional universe
8%1 mention
Beverly HillsCityCity in California
5%1 mention
Infinity StonesEntityFictional artifact
2%1 mention

Energy LevelsScience > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
GalaxiesScience > Physics > Astronomy
Universe StructureScience > Physics > Cosmology > Dark Energy
Dark MatterScience > Physics > Astrophysics
Elementary ParticlesScience > Physics > Particle Physics
AstrophysicsScience > Physics
AstronomyScience > Physics
Particle PhysicsScience > Physics
CosmologyScience > Physics
Dark EnergyScience > Physics > Cosmology
Science
PhysicsScience
Quantum MechanicsScience > Physics
Quantum MechanicsScience > Physics > Astrophysics > Dark Matter
MatterScience > Physics > Particle Physics > Elementary Particles
Discrete Energy StatesScience > Physics > Quantum Mechanics > Energy Levels
Gravitational EffectsScience > Physics > Astronomy > Galaxies

Cold-Open & Episode Setup0:00 – 1:06

0:00

Oh, hey.

0:01

It's your three half-scratched-off to-do lists that you really should combine into one, but then you'd have to confront the tasks that you wanna do the least.

0:09

Hi, Ally Ward.

0:10

Oh, hey.

0:10

This is Smologies.

0:11

So what are these episodes? They're shorter, classroom-safe, G-rated, no swears, and digests, if you will, of big episodes that we made for Ologies.

0:21

So we've cut them down to size, and this one is about dark matter.

0:25

And if you are like, "I don't know what that is," then wonderful.

0:29

You've come to the right place 'cause we're gonna talk about it.

0:31

Okay.

0:32

What is life? Where do we come from? Why do I have thoughts? Does anything matter? Does anyone know anything? These are just some of the existential crises you're about to enjoy, all under the guise of understanding particle physics.

0:45

It gets spooky, and I love it.

0:47

Come along.

0:47

So you're about to meet UC Riverside's associate professor of theoretical particle physics.

0:53

He's so lovable.

0:55

Oh, you're gonna love him.

0:56

So his life's work and passion is figuring out how an invisible, mysterious matter fits in our understanding of the universe and nature.

1:04

So okay, on to the episode.