Are scientists welfare queens in lab coats?

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

#Natural Sciences #Arts #Society #Science #Physics #Brian Keating #Big Bang Productions Inc

19:15

Can AI compress the years long research time of a PhD into seconds? Research scientist Max Jaderberg explores how “AI analogs” simulate real-world lab work with staggering speed and scale, unlocking new insights on protein folding and drug discovery. Drawing on his experience working on Isomorphic Labs' and Google DeepMind's AlphaFold 3 — an AI model for predicting the structure of molecules — Jaderberg explains how this new technology frees up researchers' time and resources to better understand the real, messy world and tackle the next frontiers of science, medicine and more. For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch . Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

about a year ago 13:12

MP3•Episode home

Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥

Are tech billionaires and politicians waging a war on science? Why is there a growing distrust in science? And has theoretical physics been intentionally sidelined to limit major breakthroughs?

Here today to discuss the rise of anti-science are Avi Loeb and Eric Weinstein!

Avi Loeb is a leading astrophysicist, professor at Harvard University, director of the Galileo Project, and founding director of Harvard’s Black Hole Initiative. Known as the alien hunter, he became famous for his bold and sometimes controversial theories about UFOs and extraterrestrial intelligence.

Eric Weinstein is an investor, financial executive and host of The Portal. Though not an academic physicist, he proposed a unified theory of physics in 2013. He and his brother Bret Weinstein coined the term Intellectual Dark Web to refer to an informal group of pundits. Eric is a vocal critic of modern academic hierarchies and advocates for advances in scientific theory over an emphasis on experimental results.

Additional resources:

➡️ Resources:

🛸 Galileo Project: https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/galileo

🎙️ The Portal with Eric Weinstein: https://ericweinstein.org/

➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms:

✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating

🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1

📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list

✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/

🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast

—

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

Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

542 episodes

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

Are scientists welfare queens in lab coats?

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

359 subscribers

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥

Are tech billionaires and politicians waging a war on science? Why is there a growing distrust in science? And has theoretical physics been intentionally sidelined to limit major breakthroughs?

Here today to discuss the rise of anti-science are Avi Loeb and Eric Weinstein!

Additional resources:

➡️ Resources:

🛸 Galileo Project: https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/galileo

🎙️ The Portal with Eric Weinstein: https://ericweinstein.org/

➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms:

✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating

🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1

📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list

✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/

🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast

—

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

Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

542 episodes

#Natural Sciences #Arts #Society #Science #Physics #Brian Keating #Big Bang Productions Inc

All episodes

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
Our Universe Almost Didn’t Exist (ft. Fred Adams) 59:54

3 days ago59:54

59:54

Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 Is the universe fine-tuned for life, or is it just a lucky accident? Could the multiverse explain why our universe is so perfectly suited for life? And how much can the fundamental constants change before life becomes impossible? Today, I’m joined by Fred Adams, a theoretical physicist from the University of Michigan. Fred works in the general area of theoretical astrophysics with a focus on the study of star formation and cosmology. He is internationally recognized for his work on the radiative signature of the star formation process, the dynamics of circumstellar disks, and the theory of the initial mass function for forming stars. Fred is the author of The Five Ages of the Universe and Origins of Existence, and has dedicated much of his career to understanding the structure and fate of the cosmos. In this episode, we break down the concepts of fine-tuning, the anthropic principle, and the multiverse. Could the universe's perfect conditions for life point to a deeper, purposeful design, or is it just a product of chance? What if there are other universes out there with completely different rules, maybe even with their own forms of life? Trust me, this episode is going to make you rethink everything you thought you knew about existence, so don’t miss out! — Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 01:29 Judging a book by its cover 02:12 DESI results and the equation of state 06:39 The cosmological constant and its role in our universe 12:31 Fine-tuning as a tool 32:37 The Hoyle resonance and carbon production 39:28 Probability distribution and fundamental theory 45:11 Intelligent design and anthropic arguments 52:30 The multiverse and its implications 58:14 Outro — Additional resources: Learn more about Adam: 💻 Website: ⁠ https://freelanceastrophysicist.com/ ⁠ 📚 More Everything Forever: ⁠ https://a.co/d/ajlYHvZ ⁠ — ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating ⁠ 🔔 YouTube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 ⁠ 📝 Join my mailing list: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ https://briankeating.com/list ⁠ ✍️ Check out my blog: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/ ⁠ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ https://briankeating.com/podcast ⁠ — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
We MUST Save Earth Because We Can’t Live on Mars (ft. Adam Becker) 56:25

10 days ago56:25

56:25

Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 What if the future tech billionaires keep promising us isn’t the answer, but part of the problem? In this episode of Into the Impossible, I talk with Adam Becker, author of More Everything Forever, about the big dreams coming out of Silicon Valley—especially when it comes to AI and the future of humanity. We take a hard look at the idea that AI is going to fix everything, launch us into space, and solve all our problems along the way. It’s a powerful story, and a lot of very smart, very rich people believe it. But what if they’re getting the science—and the big picture—wrong? Becker argues that people like Elon Musk and Marc Andreessen are chasing a future that ignores some pretty basic realities: limits on energy, physics, and even society itself. Instead of creating a better world, their vision might actually make things worse, deepening inequality, spreading bias, and putting even more power into the hands of a few. If you’re excited about AI, curious about space, or just wondering where all this is heading, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear. — Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 00:44 AI boom or AI doom? 03:40 What are tech billionaires wrong about? 06:10 Influence of science fiction on tech billionaires 11:05 Religious parallels in AI and space exploration 15:37 The search for extraterrestrial intelligence 24:16 Effective altruism and long-termism 35:28 Optimism and skepticism about AI 44:46 Judging a book by its cover 47:53 Impact of AI on underrepresented communities — Additional resources: Learn more about Adam: 💻 Website: https://freelanceastrophysicist.com/ 📚 More Everything Forever: https://a.co/d/ajlYHvZ — ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
Another Alien Asteroid | Avi Loeb 1:30:13

11 days ago1:30:13

1:30:13

In this episode, I sit down with Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb to explore his provocative new article analyzing the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS — a visitor from beyond our solar system that might not be natural. 🛰️ We dive into his recent article on Medium https://avi-loeb.medium.com/is-the-interstellar-object-3i-atlas-alien-technology-b59ccc17b2e3 and get into: • The strange anomalies in 3I/ATLAS’s orbit, size, and speed 🌌 • How the Dark Forest Hypothesis could change the search for intelligent life 🕵️‍♂️ • Why even unlikely cosmic risks deserve serious scientific attention 🧠 • What Pascal’s Wager teaches us about ignoring possible extraterrestrial probes 🪐 💥 Plus, Avi answers 5 gripping questions designed to maximize your curiosity — from the first signs of alien tech to the biggest risks humanity faces if we stay silent. 🎧 Don’t miss this mind-expanding conversation with one of the boldest thinkers in astrophysics. 1️⃣ “Is This Alien Tech Hiding in Plain Sight?” 2️⃣ “The Dark Forest Theory Just Got Real” 3️⃣ “Avi Loeb: The Alien Probe We Can’t Ignore” 4️⃣ “3I/ATLAS: Interstellar Visitor… or Something Else?” 5️⃣ “What If They’re Watching Us? (The 3I/ATLAS Mystery)” For those of you who don't know him, Avi is a professor of science at Harvard University, theoretical physicist, astrophysicist, and cosmologist. He is also a bestselling author and a dear friend of mine. By the time you see this, Avi will have published his new book, Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars. In it, he explains why we need to become an interstellar species to ensure our survival and lays out a plan for how we can settle among the stars. As usual, we take some time to judge a book by its cover and discuss what went into the making of this book. We also dig into the recent Galileo Project expedition to the Pacific Ocean to retrieve spherules of the first recognized interstellar meteor, IM1, which was led by Avi, and discuss whether they found evidence of alien life. - Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw/join Intro (00:00) Asteroids that are Interstellar (00:44) On extraordinary evidence (08:13) Does Avi have proof of alien technology (13:55) On David Grusch and government obligations (78:01) More on Interstellar and what it means to become an interstellar species (1:16:56) Rapid fire audience questions (1:19:20) Outro (1:50:57) — Additional resources: 📚 Interstellar by Avi Loeb: https://a.co/d/gN18ylO 📺 Watch my most popular videos: Neil Turok https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt5cFLN65fI Frank Wilczek https://youtu.be/3z8RqKMQHe0?sub_confirmation=1 Eric Weinstein vs. Stephen Wolfram https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI0AZ4Y4Ip4?sub_confirmation=1 Sir Roger Penrose: https://youtu.be/AMuqyAvX7Wo Sabine Hossenfelder: https://youtu.be/g00ilS6tBvs Avi Loeb: https://youtu.be/N9lUceHsLRw ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/mailing_list ✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/blog.php 🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
Celebrating 500 Episodes! 1:19:50

14 days ago1:19:50

1:19:50

Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 What drives someone to keep exploring the universe after a lifelong career in cosmology and 500 podcast episodes? In this milestone episode, I finally take the mic solo to answer that and other questions—from the origin of the podcast during the pandemic to why I'm still obsessed with cosmology, teaching, and yes, even faculty meetings (sometimes). I open up about the childlike curiosity that fuels my work and share some spicy takes on academia, dark energy, and controversial theories shaking up our entire industry. Join me for a personal, unfiltered exploration of why, after all these episodes, I’m still as fascinated as ever by the vast cosmos—and the sometimes messy world of academia that surrounds it. — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 The origin of Into The Impossible 00:01:49 What drives me to do what I do? 00:05:22 The search for a TOE 00:08:11 The limits of human understanding 00:10:09 Become a channel member 00:12:52 Early galactic formation and JWST 00:18:29 Eric Weinstein’s theory 00:28:02 A new cosmological model? 00:31:06 String theory and black holes 00:36:54 Entanglement and geometric unity 00:49:06 My thoughts on JWST so far 00:55:37 Impact of Trump’s cuts and the role of universities 01:03:07 My thoughts on Chile 01:05:38 The most important piece of information 01:07:34 Why Eric Weinstein? 01:10:57 Answering criticism 01:12:51 Outro — Additional resources: — ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
The Scientists Ep. 7: Galileo Founded The First Tech Unicorn 28:15

15 days ago28:15

28:15

Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 In this episode, we’re diving into the untold story of one of science’s greatest icons: Galileo Galilei. You might know him as the father of modern astronomy—the man with the telescope who challenged the universe. But forget the dusty textbook legend. This episode peels back the curtain to reveal Galileo as a cunning innovator, unapologetic monopolist, and the original scientific entrepreneur. Settle in for a journey through ambition, ingenuity, and the eternal tension between genius and fallibility. This is Galileo as you’ve never seen him before! - Key Takeaways: 00:00 Galileo: Science, Success, and Bias 05:23 Galileo's Race Against Time 07:49 Kepler's Unfulfilled Telescope Wish 11:06 Galileo: Scientist and Businessman 16:13 "Balancing Passion and Scientific Objectivity" 19:19 Technological Lock-In and Tunnel Vision 23:10 Incentives and Scientific Discoveries 24:13 "Galileo: Discovery and Intellectual Humility" - Resources: Mario Biagioli's Books: 📚 Galileo, Courtier: The Practice of Science in the Culture of Absolutism - https://books.google.com.ph/books/about/Galileo_Courtier.html?id=P-KJeS6ocsoC&redir_esc=y 📚 Galileo's Instruments of Credit - https://books.apple.com/us/book/galileos-instruments-of-credit/id6503622255 Brian Keating's Book: 📚 Losing the Nobel Prize - http://amzn.to/2sa5UpA - The Scientists is a documentary-style podcast series hosted by astrophysicist Brian Keating. Each episode explores the untold stories behind history’s greatest minds—from Nobel laureates to visionary misfits—revealing the personal struggles, intellectual triumphs, and paradigm-shifting ideas that changed the world. Each week, I dive into the life and legacy of a legendary scientist—experimentalists, theorists, and observers alike—and uncover insights you can apply to your own work and worldview. Science didn’t appear fully formed; it was built by real people solving real problems under pressure. Their ideas still shape our future. We’ll examine not just what they discovered, but who they were—from their obsessions and honors to their most spectacular ideas, brilliant blunders, and beautifully human flaws. New episodes weekly. Learn more at BrianKeating.com. 🎙️ Subscribe for compelling science storytelling. 📚 Listen to our companion series Into the Impossible for interviews with living legends. #science #sciencepodcast #historyofscience #nobelprizewinners #famousscientists #scientificdiscoveries #physics #chemistry #thescientistsbriankeating #intotheimpossible #sciencecommunication Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
Did She Just Prove the Multiverse Is Real? (Ft Laura Mersini-Houghton) [Ep. 501] 58:57

19 days ago58:57

58:57

What if the Big Bang wasn’t the beginning? What if our universe is just one in a vast cosmic ocean of universes, and we have the evidence to prove it? In this episode of Into the Impossible, I’m joined by theoretical physicist Laura Mersini-Houghton to explore one of the most provocative ideas in modern cosmology: the multiverse is not only real—it’s testable. Mersini, author of Before the Big Bang, walks us through her bold predictions about the structure of the cosmos, including the mysterious cold spot in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) that she foresaw years before it was confirmed by the Planck satellite. Together, we dissect her groundbreaking theory that our universe began as one branch of a quantum wave function stretching across a multiverse landscape. We talk quantum decoherence, cosmic scars, and how entanglement with other universes could leave measurable fingerprints in our sky. We also debate criticisms from fellow physicists and dive into what these revelations mean for the future of dark energy and cosmological theory. — Key Takeaways: 00:00 What happened before the Big Bang? 01:56 The CMB cold spot prediction 05:16 Quantum entanglement and decoherence 11:31 Criticism and evidence for the multiverse 17:06 The wave function of the universe 20:48 The string landscape and constants of nature 23:54 The cold spot and the hemispherical anomaly 37:20 Thoughts on the recent DESI suggestions 40:46 Judging a book by its cover 47:31 The multiverse and religion 57:29 Outro — Additional resources: ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating ⁠ 🔔 YouTube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 ⁠ 📝 Join my mailing list: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ https://briankeating.com/list ⁠ ✍️ Check out my blog: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/ ⁠ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ https://briankeating.com/podcast ⁠ — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
Timescapes Make Dark Energy Irrelevant! (ft. David Wiltshire) [Ep. 500] 1:15:47

28 days ago1:15:47

1:15:47

What if everything we know about the universe’s expansion is wrong? David Wiltshire offers a radical perspective on cosmic acceleration and dark energy, proposing that both might be illusions created by the varying passage of time in different regions of the universe. Wiltshire challenges the foundations of modern cosmology with his innovative Timescape model. We discuss the foundations of Einstein's theory of relativity, examining how time behaves differently in regions of high and low matter density. Wiltshire explains how this could alter our understanding of the universe’s expansion, potentially eliminating the need for dark energy altogether. His work revisits Mark’s Principle and its influence on cosmology, offering an alternative explanation for cosmic phenomena. This episode will captivate anyone interested in the future of cosmological theory, the mystery of dark energy, and the complex nature of time. Don’t miss out! — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:36 David Wiltshire’s model and its implications 00:02:35 Mach's Principle and its influence on relativity 00:06:28 Gravitational time dilation and its implications 00:42:16 The cosmological equivalence principle 00:42:50 The Timescape Model and its predictions 00:43:53 The role of dark energy and the cosmological constant 00:53:43 The philosophical and psychological implications of Timescape 01:09:41 Outro — Additional resources: ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
The Scientists Ep. 6: The Life of Hedy Lamarr 27:11

5 weeks ago27:11

27:11

Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 This episode, hosted by Brian Keating—Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics at UC San Diego—delves into one of the most fascinating and underappreciated stories at the intersection of beauty, brilliance, and invention. Today, we step away from pure physics and astronomy to explore the remarkable life of Hedy Lamarr, an iconic Hollywood actress whose real genius lay not just on the silver screen, but at the heart of technological innovation. Listen in as Brian Keating brings to life the legacy of a woman who changed the world—not for fame, but for the sheer joy of invention and enduring curiosity. - Key Takeaways: 00:00 Hedy Lamarr: Star and Inventor 03:30 Dual Facade: Performance and Analysis 09:04 Espionage and Escape Plan 10:35 Hedy Lamarr's Hollywood Transformation 13:59 Frequency Hopping Communication Technique 16:35 Hedy Lamarr's Overlooked Invention 22:43 Genius: Curiosity Over Credentials 24:01 "Hedy Lamarr: Beyond Hollywood" - The Scientists is a documentary-style podcast series hosted by astrophysicist Brian Keating. Each episode explores the untold stories behind history’s greatest minds—from Nobel laureates to visionary misfits—revealing the personal struggles, intellectual triumphs, and paradigm-shifting ideas that changed the world. Each week, I dive into the life and legacy of a legendary scientist—experimentalists, theorists, and observers alike—and uncover insights you can apply to your own work and worldview. Science didn’t appear fully formed; it was built by real people solving real problems under pressure. Their ideas still shape our future. We’ll examine not just what they discovered, but who they were—from their obsessions and honors to their most spectacular ideas, brilliant blunders, and beautifully human flaws. New episodes weekly. Learn more at BrianKeating.com. 🎙️ Subscribe for compelling science storytelling. 📚 Listen to our companion series Into the Impossible for interviews with living legends. #science #sciencepodcast #historyofscience #nobelprizewinners #famousscientists #scientificdiscoveries #physics #chemistry #thescientistsbriankeating #intotheimpossible #sciencecommunication Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
First Data from Vera Rubin Observatory Rewrites Astronomy (Starting Now) 52:25

5 weeks ago52:25

52:25

In this exclusive interview, Professor Mario Jurić reveals how the Vera Rubin Observatory accidentally discovered 2,000 asteroids in just 10 hours while testing its capabilities on the distant Virgo Cluster—transforming humanity's asteroid discovery rate from 20,000 per year globally to potentially over one million annually with a single telescope. Jurić explains how VRO's revolutionary multi-messenger astronomy capabilities will detect dark matter's effects and light simultaneously, automatically slewing to capture cosmic catastrophes like black hole collisions within 30 seconds of detection. From mapping dark matter in galaxy clusters 54 million light-years away to building Earth's first comprehensive planetary defense system against asteroid impacts, this conversation explores how one observatory is about to fundamentally change both our understanding of the universe and our ability to survive in it. — Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 — Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 03:10 Mario’s reaction to the first data 04:13 Democratizing astronomy and citizen science 06:38 Technical details and capabilities 11:28 First look: A fly-through of the Virgo Cluster 21:42 Rubin and the Lambda-CDM model 28:22 How faint a sensitivity can Rubin achieve 33:03 Asteroid discovery revolution 37:52 Challenges of data analysis 41:38 Astronomy and AI 46:34 What kinds of civilization-changing discoveries might be hiding in the data? 50:48 Outro — Additional resources: 🔹Skyviewer App: https://skyviewer.app/ 🔹First Images from NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory: https://www.youtube.com/live/dF1g-Ru8mjM?si=Y3-lKTSjZAH_oGHl — ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔔 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📝 Join my mailing list: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://briankeating.com/list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍️ Check out my blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://briankeating.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
NEW Dark Energy Data Surprises Scientists (ft. Kyle Dawson) 55:02

6 weeks ago55:02

55:02

Is everything we thought we knew about the universe… wrong? Is the Lambda-CDM model nearing its breaking point? Could dark energy actually be evolving? In this episode of Into the Impossible, I’m joined by Kyle Dawson and Daniel Green to discuss the latest data from the DESI experiment. These new results are making headlines, and rightfully so, as they hold the potential to transform our understanding of the universe completely. Kyle Dawson, a key figure in the DESI project and professor at the University of Utah, explains the findings from DESI’s second data release. Together with Daniel Green from the University of California, San Diego, we dig into how fresh observations of dark energy, baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), and cosmic expansion are revealing cracks in the standard model. We also break down the implications of these results and talk about the possible existence of negative neutrino masses—a topic that’s been gaining a lot of attention in the cosmology community. Don’t miss out! — Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 — Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 01:09 Most surprising results of the DESI experiment 02:38 DESI’s instrumentation and data analysis 05:43 What’s lacking in the CMB? 07:17 The 4.2 sigma tension in cosmological data 10:44 Theoretical models and dark energy evolution 22:16 Neutrino mass, dark energy, and paradigm shifts 28:41 Scepticism about current cosmological models 30:22 Negative neutrino mass 40:35 Technological advancements and the future of DESI 48:15 Outro — Additional resources: ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔔 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📝 Join my mailing list: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://briankeating.com/list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍️ Check out my blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://briankeating.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
The Scientists Ep. 5: Steven Weinberg’s Legacy, Religion, and Cosmology 1:23:45

6 weeks ago1:23:45

1:23:45

Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 Brian Keating reflects on the life and legacy of Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg, the legendary physicist and writer whose influence shaped generations of scientists and thinkers. Driven by the regret of never having hosted Weinberg on the show before his passing, Brian takes listeners on a deeply personal journey—from his formative college years, inspired by Weinberg’s groundbreaking book "The First Three Minutes," to his thoughts on the intersection of science, meaning, and religion. Join Brian Keating as he honors a hero, wrestles with big questions, and invites you to reflect on what truly makes life—and science—impossible to ignore. - The Scientists is a documentary-style podcast series hosted by astrophysicist Brian Keating. Each episode explores the untold stories behind history’s greatest minds—from Nobel laureates to visionary misfits—revealing the personal struggles, intellectual triumphs, and paradigm-shifting ideas that changed the world. Each week, I dive into the life and legacy of a legendary scientist—experimentalists, theorists, and observers alike—and uncover insights you can apply to your own work and worldview. Science didn’t appear fully formed; it was built by real people solving real problems under pressure. Their ideas still shape our future. We’ll examine not just what they discovered, but who they were—from their obsessions and honors to their most spectacular ideas, brilliant blunders, and beautifully human flaws. New episodes weekly. Learn more at BrianKeating.com. 🎙️ Subscribe for compelling science storytelling. 📚 Listen to our companion series Into the Impossible for interviews with living legends. #science #sciencepodcast #historyofscience #nobelprizewinners #famousscientists #scientificdiscoveries #physics #chemistry #thescientistsbriankeating #intotheimpossible #sciencecommunication Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
Eric Weinstein's Theory of Everything Confirmed? 2:29:10

7 weeks ago2:29:10

2:29:10

How are recent DESI experimental results challenging the traditional view of dark energy as a fixed cosmological constant? Are foundational assumptions in Einstein’s general relativity limiting progress in theoretical physics? And how do tensions in cosmological measurements, like the Hubble constant discrepancy, reflect deeper issues in physics? In this episode, we’ll explore these fundamental questions with none other than Eric Weinstein! Eric is one of the most revered thinkers of our generation. Though not an academic physicist, he proposed a unified theory of physics in 2013, which is supposed to have the potential to explain phenomena that string theory cannot. In a lecture held live at UCSD in April 2025 at the prestigious Astrophysics and Cosmology Seminar, Eric presented an update to his groundbreaking theory. Today, we’ll discuss his fascinating theory, the future of physics and academia, and much more. Eric is an investor, financial executive, and host of The Portal. He and his brother, Bret Weinstein, coined the term Intellectual Dark Web to refer to an informal group of pundits. Eric is a vocal critic of modern academic hierarchies and advocates for advances in scientific theory over an emphasis on experimental results. He proposed a new unified theory of physics in 2013 and has been an active member of the physics community since then. — Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:29 DESI results and the cosmological constant 00:08:33 Why general relativity is fundamentally limited 00:16:11 Elon Musk’s obsession with Mars 00:26:01 Sharing ideas with broader audiences 00:30:56 Dark energy’s evolving nature 00:34:16 Discrepancies in cosmological measurements 00:43:02 Freeing dark energy from constancy 00:50:16 Einstein’s happiest thought, LLMs and physics 00:59:09 Eric’s thoughts on Lenny Susskind, Joe Rogan, and Terrence Howard 01:04:44 Pseudoscience and the debunking community 01:23:55 The future of academia and academic freedom 01:48:45 Political polarization in the United States 01:56:43 October 7th 02:00:50 Remembering Jim Simons and Chern-Simons theory 02:21:10 Outro — Additional resources: ➡️ Learn more about Eric: 🎙️ Website: https://ericweinstein.org/ ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔔 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📝 Join my mailing list: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://briankeating.com/list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍️ Check out my blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://briankeating.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
The Scientists Ep. 4: Carl Sagan's Five Principles 27:33

7 weeks ago27:33

27:33

Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 Brian Keating deep dives into the remarkable life and legacy of Carl Sagan—one of history’s greatest science communicators. In this special episode of "The Scientist," Brian explores how a kid from Brooklyn rose to become the voice of science for a generation, making the universe both vast and intimately personal for millions. This episode blends firsthand accounts, critical biographies, and personal reflections to extract five powerful principles from Sagan’s career—offering insights into how we, too, might inject more wonder, rigor, and responsibility into our own journeys. Whether you’re a scientist, a dreamer, or simply curious about your place in the cosmos, this episode promises an inspiring look at an imperfect but extraordinary man who changed how we see our universe. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Reflections on Carl Sagan's Legacy 03:13 Young Sagan Challenges Venus Theories 07:10 Carl Sagan: Public Engagement Advocate 10:26 Carl Sagan's Influential Responsibility 14:31 "Overview Effect: A Vision for Humanity" 16:59 Embracing Change and Courage in Science 22:13 "Challenging Sagan: Science vs. Optimism" 25:20 Galileo's Earth Observations Legacy 26:21 Demand Evidence, Keep Wondering - Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw/join 📚 Get a copy of my books: Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner, with life changing interviews with 9 Nobel Prizewinners: https://a.co/d/03ezQFu My tell-all cosmic memoir Losing the Nobel Prize: http://amzn.to/2sa5UpA The first-ever audiobook from Galileo: Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems: Ptolemaic and Copernican https://a.co/d/iZPi9Un 📺 Watch my most popular videos:📺 Neil Turok https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt5cFLN65fI Frank Wilczek https://youtu.be/3z8RqKMQHe0?sub_confirmation=1 Eric Weinstein vs. Stephen Wolfram https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI0AZ4Y4Ip4?sub_confirmation=1 Sir Roger Penrose: https://youtu.be/AMuqyAvX7Wo Sabine Hossenfelder: https://youtu.be/g00ilS6tBvs Avi Loeb: https://youtu.be/N9lUceHsLRw Follow me to ask questions of my guests: 🏄‍♂️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 Subscribe https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list; just click here http://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Detailed Blog posts here: https://briankeating.com/blog ️ Listen on audio-only platforms: https://briankeating.com/podcast #universe #podcast #briankeating #intotheimpossible #science #astronomy #cosmology #cosmicmicrowavebackground #intotheimpossible #briankeating Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
Answering Your Cosmic Questions: The Multiverse, the Big Bang and Life on Exoplanets 50:01

8 weeks ago50:01

50:01

Please join my mailing list here 👉 ⁠https://briankeating.com/list⁠ to win a meteorite 💥 In this electrifying episode, recorded live at UC San Diego, Brian pulls back the cosmic curtain to explore some of the deepest mysteries in science—and what they might mean for our understanding of everything. You'll learn how scientists use the mysterious property of light called polarization to uncover secrets from the dawn of the universe, chase evidence for the Big Bang, and even perform your own light experiment along the way. The conversation ventures into the origins of our universe, the search for other forms of life, and the tantalizing possibility that our universe might be just one among countless others in a sprawling multiverse. But it doesn't stop at science. Brian and his audience wrestle with the blurry boundaries where facts confront faith: Can scientific discovery ever answer the big metaphysical questions, such as the existence of God or consciousness after death? What does the intersection of cosmology and religion tell us about our place in reality? With detours into modern cosmological theories, debates about inflation, the search for life on other planets, and even the role AI might play in future discoveries, this episode keeps curious minds on their toes. - 00:00 "Polarization: Unlocking Cosmic Secrets" 04:36 Wave Polarization Explained 09:11 Questioning the Big Bang Singularity 10:52 Detecting Gravitational Waves' Cosmological Impact 15:39 Pope Endorses Science-Bible Alignment 18:52 Gene's Role in Evolutionary Drive 19:55 Deepak Chopra: Preparing for Death 26:03 "Universe vs. Multiverse Debate" 26:50 Debating Multiverse in Astronomy 31:39 "Geometric Social Commentary Revealed" 34:24 Extraterrestrial Life Evidence: Near Zero 36:54 "Expensive Material Suggests Earth-Mars Connection" 39:29 "AI-Powered Creativity and Research" 45:11 "Choosing Enrichment Over Leisure" 45:49 "Never Stop Learning" - Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw/join 📚 Get a copy of my books: Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner, with life changing interviews with 9 Nobel Prizewinners: ⁠https://a.co/d/03ezQFu⁠ My tell-all cosmic memoir Losing the Nobel Prize: ⁠http://amzn.to/2sa5UpA⁠ The first-ever audiobook from Galileo: Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems: Ptolemaic and Copernican ⁠https://a.co/d/iZPi9Un⁠ 📺 Watch my most popular videos:📺 Neil Turok https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt5cFLN65fI Frank Wilczek https://youtu.be/3z8RqKMQHe0?sub_confirmation=1 Eric Weinstein vs. Stephen Wolfram https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI0AZ4Y4Ip4?sub_confirmation=1 Sir Roger Penrose: https://youtu.be/AMuqyAvX7Wo Sabine Hossenfelder: https://youtu.be/g00ilS6tBvs Avi Loeb: https://youtu.be/N9lUceHsLRw - Follow me to ask questions of my guests: 🏄‍♂️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 Subscribe https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list; just click here http://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Detailed Blog posts here: https://briankeating.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on audio-only platforms: https://briankeating.com/podcast ⁠#universe⁠ ⁠#podcast⁠ ⁠#briankeating⁠ ⁠#intotheimpossible⁠ ⁠#science⁠ ⁠#astronomy⁠ ⁠#cosmology⁠ ⁠#cosmicmicrowavebackground⁠ ⁠#intotheimpossible⁠ ⁠#briankeating⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1
Should Creationism Be Taught Alongside Evolution? [Ep. 496] 1:07:19

8 weeks ago1:07:19