Into the Impossible With Brian Keating Big Bang Productions Inc.

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The multiverse has captured the imagination of scientists and thinkers for centuries, sparking debates in physics, philosophy, and beyond.

But is it a valid scientific theory or just science fiction? 

I’ve had the pleasure of exploring this issue with the leading expert in this field, physicist and author Paul Halpern. Halpern is a professor of physics at Saint Joseph’s University and the author of eighteen popular science books, including Flashes of Creation, The Quantum Labyrinth, Einstein's Dice, Schrodinger's Cat, and Synchronicity. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. 

Halpern recently published The Allure of the Multiverse: Extra Dimensions, Other Worlds, and Parallel Universes, which tells the epic story of how science became besotted with the multiverse and the controversies that ensued. Today, we’re going to dive headfirst into this fascinating investigation!

Tune in.

Key Takeaways:


00:00:00 Intro

00:01:17 Judging a book by its cover

00:06:39 Bruno’s speculations about exoplanets

00:11:20 Why is the multiverse such a controversial theory? 

00:16:54 Richard Feynman And John Wheeler

00:23:31 Can we falsify the multiverse?

00:30:30 Has anyone ever written a biography of Bob Dickey? 

00:39:11 Inflationary models, multiverse and cyclic cosmology

00:45:36 Evidence of bubble collisions in the CMB? 

00:57:45 String theory and the multiverse

01:01:41 Outro


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Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known.

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Welcome everyone to a fascinating deep dive with the late Daniel Dennett!

In our interview, we tackled fascinating problems like free will, human consciousness, ethics, and the philosophy of science. He also explained why he’s sounding the alarm on AI!

Shortly after our interview, Daniel sadly passed away at the age of 82. He was a renowned philosopher, thought-provoking writer, brilliant cognitive scientist, and vocal atheist. He was the co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies, the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, a member of the editorial board for The Rutherford Journal, and a co-founder of The Clergy Project.

Known as one of the "Four Horsemen" of New Atheism, he was at the forefront of discussions on consciousness, free will, and the impact of Darwinian evolution on religious belief. Dennett's works, including "Breaking the Spell" and "Consciousness Explained," have provoked both admiration and controversy, challenging readers to reconsider deeply held beliefs about the mind and its relationship to the physical world. Needless to say, I was thrilled to have Dan on the show!

The world has truly lost an extraordinary soul and a groundbreaking thinker.

RIP

Key Takeaways:


00:00:00 Intro

00:09:27 Judging a book by its cover

00:12:29 Dan's critique of Sam Harris's position on free will

00:21:43 The evolutionary advantage of music

00:29:01 Language, nonverbal communication, and artificial intelligence 

00:34:33 Are brains computers?

00:46:04 Sounding the alarm on AI

00:51:38 Bioengineering and bioethics 

00:57:21 Philosophy of physics 

01:02:47 The evolution of academia

01:09:08 Audience questions 

01:23:10 Outro


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Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known.

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Today on Into the Impossible, we’re exploring the fascinating realm of time with none other than the timekeeper himself – Chad Orzel. 

Chad is a professor of physics and science communicator renowned for his popular science books, How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog, Breakfast with Einstein, and How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.com. 

In his most recent book, A Brief History of Timekeeping, Chad revisits the delicate negotiations involved in Gregorian calendar reform, the intricate and entirely unique system employed by the Maya, and how the problem of synchronizing clocks at different locations ultimately required us to abandon the idea of time as an absolute and universal quantity. 

From sundials to sandglasses and mechanical clocks, this sharp and engaging story isn't just about the science of timekeeping—it's a riveting tale encompassing politics, philosophy, and the very essence of space and time.

Tune in!

Key Takeaways:


00:00:00 Intro

00:01:07 Judging a book by its cover

00:05:07 Galileo’s telescope helmet

00:10:23 The connection between time and astronomy

00:13:11 Why is longitude so hard to measure?

00:15:32 The relativity of simultaneity

00:22:12 The future of education after COVID

00:25:55 The standard definition of time

00:31:19 Attosecond clocks

00:36:33 Why time is so much more perplexing than space

00:40:23 How to teach students new things

00:43:14 On education  

00:49:05 Outro


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➡️ Learn more about Chad Orzel:
✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/orzelc/ 
📚 Website: https://chadorzel.com/

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Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known.

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On April 8th, 2024, the USA will be treated to a rare celestial phenomenon—a total solar eclipse. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow that temporarily darkens parts of the Earth. Astronomers and enthusiasts eagerly await the chance to witness this remarkable event and delve deeper into the mysteries of our solar system. 

Today, I want to do a deep dive into solar eclipses so that you can better appreciate them, whether you’ll be able to see the one on Monday or not. Eclipses are awe-inspiring phenomena that bridge the gap between wonder and discovery and have fascinated humanity for millennia. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in! 

Key Takeaways:


00:00:00 Intro 

00:01:37 Ancient observations 

00:03:02 Cultural and religious significance 

00:04:27 Scientific contributions 

00:05:47 Practical applications 

00:09:09 Solar eclipse of 2024

00:10:40 Outro


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Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known.

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Today on Into the Impossible, we're joined by the renowned cosmic journalist Rebecca Boyle. 

As a lifelong lunar enthusiast, Rebecca has extensively studied how the Moon has shaped human history and life on Earth. Rebecca's new book, aptly titled ‘Our Moon,’ explores the mysteries of the Moon, from its crucial role in stabilizing Earth's orbit and shaping our climate to its influence on the evolution of life itself. Furthermore, she sheds light on how ancient civilizations used the Moon's phases to measure time, laying the foundations for scientific observations that continue to this day. 

Today, she has kindly joined us to share her insights and discoveries. So, without further ado, let's dive right into this pure lunacy!

Rebecca Boyle is a journalist covering the cosmos, focusing on astronomy, space exploration, and history. She is a contributing editor at Scientific American, a contributing writer for Quanta Magazine and The Atlantic, and a frequent contributor at the New York Times, Popular Science, Smithsonian Air & Space, and many other publications. She has received numerous writing awards throughout her career, and her work has been anthologized multiple times in The Best American Science & Nature Writing. Boyle is a former newspaper reporter, a former Space Camp attendee, and a lifelong Moon enthusiast.

Key Takeaways:


00:00:00 Intro

00:01:24 Judging a book by its cover

00:05:08 Rebecca’s personal connection to the Moon

00:11:16 The Moon in occultism and modern science

00:13:36 Women’s menstrual cycles and the Moon

00:16:03 The Moon’s impact on climate change on Earth

00:18:50 How Earth beat the odds

00:22:58 Early life formation and the impact of the Moon

00:26:48 Going back to the Moon and colonizing space

00:35:53 Audience questions

00:38:38 Outro


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Additional resources:

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➡️ Learn more about Rebecca Boyle:
✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rboyle31 
📚 Our Moon: https://t.co/dVkJ6HUZH8

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Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known.

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When the JWST captured the first images of the earliest galaxies in our universe, scientists were shocked. 

The galaxies appeared to be way too bright, way too big, and way too mature to have formed so soon after the Big Bang. This discovery has, rightfully so, sparked a massive debate among astrophysicists. Some even started to question the standard model of cosmology. 

However, using new simulations, some astrophysicists decided to investigate this controversy. Among these extraordinarily talented and bright minds is today’s guest, Chris Hayward, founding member of the FIRE project. 

Tune in to discover the truth about the mysterious brightness at cosmic dawn!

Key Takeaways:


00:00:00 Intro

00:01:02 What is a FIRE simulation?

00:03:11 The mysterious brightness at cosmic dawn

00:12:36 How FIRE provides information on the maturity of a galaxy

00:16:18 Galaxy dynamics and black holes

00:18:50 How FIRE simulations can help resolve tensions in cosmology

00:27:32 “I was made for science.” 

00:34:09 The experimental minimum 

00:39:54 What if the universe is actually 26 billion years old? 

00:43:35 What's next for this type of research?

00:47:25 Outro


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Additional resources:

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➡️ Read more about the Mysterious Brightness at Cosmic Dawn https://www.simonsfoundation.org/2023/10/05/bursts-of-star-formation-explain-mysterious-brightness-at-cosmic-dawn/

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Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known.

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