Into The Impossible

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Get ready to embark on a cosmic journey with Jason Steffen, author of Hidden in the Heavens and one of the brilliant minds behind the groundbreaking Kepler Mission. This live episode of The INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast promises to be an unmissable masterclass in exoplanet science, filled with awe-inspiring discoveries, behind-the-scenes stories, and lessons that redefine our place in the cosmos. What You’ll Discover:

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What are the leading theories of everything, and are we any closer to discovering the one true theory of everything? In this 90-minute summit, some of the world’s top physicists—Max Tegmark, James Beacham, Stephon Alexander—go beyond the hype to explore the very heart of physics.  Einstein began the monumental task of unifying quantum mechanics with general relativity, but will we ever succeed in unifying all the forces of the universe? Can it be done? If so, when? Join us for this thought-provoking discussion and find out! Key Takeaways:  00:00:00 Intro  00:00:45 What is a theory of everything? 00:05:25 State of the field and personal perspectives  00:20:42 Experimental challenges  00:34:13 Mathematical foundations, the multiverse, and theoretical beauty  01:05:12 Where do we go from here? 01:14:23 Audience questions 01:25:35 Outro Additional resources:  ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/DrBrianKeating

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Have you ever wondered how your eyes compare to a telescope?  The answer is more surprising than you might think! Today, we will look at the fascinating parallels between the human eye and one of the most powerful astronomical instruments - the telescope.  From lenses and apertures to light detection and color vision, we will explore how these two systems, one biological and the other mechanical, have strikingly similar properties.  Tune in to learn more about how nature's best telescope matches up with cutting-edge technology. This episode is part 1 of a series where we’ll uncover even more intriguing insights about the connections between our eyes and telescopes, so stay tuned! Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro  01:29 How telescopes inspired me as a kid 06:24 Comparing the anatomy of the human eye to a telescope 12:51 Light sensitivity and resolution in the human eye  17:23 Color vision and polarization  21:03 Historical contributions and confirmation bias 25:41 How to improve our astronomical observati

Can science and religion be reconciled to provide a deeper understanding of the universe? How do modern scientific discoveries, like quantum mechanics and cosmology, relate to ancient religious texts? And what role do consciousness and language play in bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and spiritual belief? Here today, to challenge conventional narratives about the relationship between science and religion is host of the Young Heretics podcast, Spencer Klavan! Spencer is an acclaimed author and scholar specializing in classics and literature. He is known for his work on cultural and political commentary, often focusing on the intersection of Western civilization, literature, and contemporary issues.  Tune in to discover ancient wisdom, modern science, and the long-lost link between the two!  Key Takeaways:  00:00:00 Audio essay 00:24:31 Interview introduction  00:26:10 Judging a book by its cover  00:37:25 Reconciling the material with the immaterial  00:43:31 The cosmological argument  00

In 2022, I had the honor of delivering the commencement address at Brown University. I used this incredible opportunity to talk about a personal hero of mine: Galileo Galilei. Galileo was a scientist like no other. He boldly challenged the status quo through his discoveries and relentlessly pursued the truth, even when persecuted for doing so. His journey offers timeless lessons for scientists today, especially for graduate students who will shape the future of science. My goal with this lecture was to inspire the next generation of thinkers, and I hope it does the same for you. Tune in to learn more about how Galileo set the gold standard for scientists. Key Takeaways:  00:00:00 Intro  00:02:06 My early days at Brown University  00:08:08 Galileo’s legacy  00:24:18 Losing the Nobel Prize  00:40:48 Interstellar dust and mistakes  00:46:48 My motto  00:48:29 Audience questions 01:03:39 Outro Additional resources:  ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/DrBrianKeating

What is the cosmic microwave background (CMB), and why is it essential in cosmology? What role do instruments like BICEP and the Simons Observatory play in studying the early universe? And is the multiverse real?  I had the absolute pleasure of discussing these questions with Dr. Hugh Ross, astrophysicist and founder of Reasons to Believe.  In our conversation, Hugh and I discuss my research on polarization signals in the cosmic microwave background (CMB), focusing on my work with the BICEP, POLARBEAR2, and Simons Array telescopes. These signals are key to understanding the inflationary event that shaped the early universe. We explore how ongoing data collection helps us learn more about the universe’s origins. I also share a brief overview of my spiritual journey, from a Catholic upbringing to atheism and now being a practicing Jew with agnostic beliefs. Tune in to learn about the infant universe! Key Takeaways:  00:00:00 Intro 00:00:40 Understanding the cosmic microwave background (CMB)  00:11:30 Cutti

A few weeks ago, I released a video about whether string theory’s biggest competitor, Loop Quantum Gravity, might have suffered a fatal blow. The video sparked a lively debate across YouTube, with creators like Sabine Hossenfelder and Phil Halpern making reaction videos and Carlo Rovelli even reaching out to me personally, asking me to take it down. Now, I want to clarify the situation and share my perspective on whether Loop Quantum Gravity is truly on its last legs—or if there’s more to the story.  Tune in to the Loop Quantum Gravity War! Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:02 My initial video on loop quantum gravity  03:42 Quick recap of my correspondence with Carlo Rovelli 04:32 The problem with string theory and loop quantum gravity 09:25 Reacting to Sabine’s video  13:11 My final thoughts  Additional resources:  ➡️ Check out the videos referenced: 

Discrepancies between different measurements of the Hubble constant have caused a major crisis in cosmology.  Our guest today, the incredible Wendy Freedman, is at the forefront of efforts to resolve this tension. Known for her pioneering work on the Hubble Key Project and her important contributions to the measurement of the Hubble constant, Wendy is now using the James Webb Space Telescope to bring clarity to this debate.  With decades of experience and a deep understanding of the complexity of cosmic measurements, there is no one better to shed light on this issue. So, can the James Webb Space Telescope help solve one of the biggest puzzles in cosmology? Tune in to this episode of Into the Impossible to find out!— Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro  01:18 The role of JWST in solving the Hubble tension  04:01 Comparing different distance indicators 20:45 Standard sirens  34:05 Accurate cosmology vs. precision cosmology  36:35 Vera C. Rubin Observatory and Giant Magellan Telescope 42:50 Wendy’s take on dar

Is string theory actually science? Many argue that string theory cannot be proven and should therefore be abandoned. For them, string theory is not science at all. But are they right? I had the pleasure of discussing this with none other than Cumrun Vafa! Cumrun is a Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in the Department of Physics at Harvard University, where he has been researching and teaching theoretical physics since 1985. His primary area of research is string theory.  In our interview, we discussed whether we should trust string theory, fine-tuning, and the message he'd put into a billion-year time capsule. We also talked about his book Puzzles to Unravel the Universe.  Tune in to learn about string theory! Key Takeaways:  00:00:00 Intro 00:01:20 Judging a book by its cover 00:03:35 What is a puzzle versus a mystery? 00:06:06 Black hole entropy 00:08:12 Godel's Theorem: Are some puzzles not solvable? 00:12:04 Is string theory actually science? 00:17:15 Dimensional analysis 00:21:15