Mag World is an effort to develop fluency in logarithmetic, by using simplified notation for numbers that focuses on the magnitude. This develops a corresponding intuitive sense of scale–not just "bigger" or "smaller", but how much bigger, and how much smaller. And what are each of the levels of scale like?
Saul and Mike tally up how much energy Earth actually has -- solar, fossil, nuclear, wind, geothermal, tidal -- and work out whether any of it is enough to get a ship to Tau Ceti, with Project Hail Mary's astrophage as the yardstick.
23 Jul 2026
Mag Computer
Saul and Mike climb the mag scale of computing, using RAM as a proxy for compute power, from the Apollo guidance computer and the Apple II up to today's machines, and what each mag of memory made possible.
21 May 2026
Mag Water
Saul and Mike talk about water, from the Moldau to the Niagara to the Amazon, and glaciers, icebergs, car washes, and hamburgers.
15 Apr 2026
Mag Population
Saul and Mike explore the magnitudes of various populations of creatures on earth, from humans to buffalo to chickens to roundworms to bacteria.
12 Mar 2026
Mag Homelessness
Saul and Mike talk with William Towey of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority about the magnitude of homelessness in Seattle, from the first recorded homeless settler in 1854, to 16,000 counted homeless people in 2024.
6 Feb 2026
Mag Money
Saul and Mike discuss what each mag level of wealth feels like, how the cost of debt changes between levels, and how long it would take a wealth tax to materially affect a billionaire.
29 Jan 2026
Mag Matter
Mass, mining, precious metals, and the periodic table.
15 Jan 2026
Mag Perception
Decibels and frequencies and hot peppers. Making Fech a thing.
1 Jan 2026
Mag Cosmos
Saul and Mike talk about Archimedes, the size of the Universe, and the speed of light.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Host of Mag World?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
