Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

By: Big Bang Productions Inc.
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  • Summary

  • A podcast about how we understand the world, scientifically and as humans. Each conversation brings together visionaries from the worlds of arts, sciences, humanities, and technology discussing the nature of reality and how we collaborate to create the future. Hosted by Dr Brian Keating, Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics at UC San Diego. For show notes go to: https://briankeating.com/podcast
    © 2023 Big Bang Productions Inc.
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Episodes
  • Cumrun Vafa: Puzzles to Unravel the Universe (2020)

    Cumrun Vafa: Puzzles to Unravel the Universe (2020)
    Oct 1 2024
    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 Singularities 00:28:31 ADS and 5 dimensions 00:30:48 String theory 00:34:49 Supersymmetry 00:40:22 On religion 00:52:45 A scorecard for physics 00:55:21 What would your "ethical will" be? 01:02:50 What have you accomplished that once seemed impossible? 01:06:30 Outro Additional resources: ➡️ Learn more about Cumrun Vafa: 📚 Puzzles to Unravel the Universe: https://a.co/d/iWnNDup 💻 Cumrun’s website: https://www.cumrunvafa.org/ ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://x.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 ✨ Member's only playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUMOmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw 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 subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • How the Higgs Field Gives Mass to Everything in the Universe with Matt Strassler

    How the Higgs Field Gives Mass to Everything in the Universe with Matt Strassler
    Sep 29 2024
    Have we been completely wrong about the Higgs boson? What if it’s not what we think but something far more elusive? And what does the origin of mass in the universe have to do with music? Here today to explore these mind-bending questions is theoretical physicist Matt Strassler. Matt is known for his work in particle physics, particularly in the context of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and quantum field theory. He has been involved in research on the Higgs boson, supersymmetry, and other topics in high-energy physics. In our insightful interview, we dive into the mysteries of quantum physics, the nature of space, and how waves—not just particles—form the building blocks of reality. Tune in to find out how the Higgs field gives mass to everything in the universe! Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:24 Deepak or Matt? 00:03:18 Judging a book by its cover 00:06:27 Energy, frequency, and vibration 00:11:53 What is a phib, and why should the reader care? 00:16:15 Galileo’s impact 00:20:51 The Higgs field and the Higgs boson 00:28:17 Fine-tuning problems of matter and anti-matter 00:33:57 Renormalization 00:38:59 The luminiferous ether 00:49:08 Why Mach didn’t play a part in Matt’s book 00:52:08 Inflation and the Higgs field 00:55:35 Rapid questions 01:03:21 Outro Additional resources: ➡️ Learn more about Matt Strassler: 💻 Website: https://profmattstrassler.com/ ✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/mattstrassler 📚 Waves in an Impossible Sea by Matt Strassler: https://a.co/d/1E8MxT8 ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://x.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 ✨ Member's only playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUMOmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw 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 subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Searching for Extraterrestrial Life with Dr. Luke Barnes and Dr. Jay Richards

    Searching for Extraterrestrial Life with Dr. Luke Barnes and Dr. Jay Richards
    Sep 26 2024
    Are we alone in the universe? I had the great pleasure of discussing this fundamental existential question with astrophysicist Dr. Luke Barnes and philosopher Dr. Jay Richards! In this exciting discussion, we dove headfirst into the implications of the SETI project, the Rare Earth hypothesis, and the possibility of habitable planets in other solar systems. Together, we explored the probabilities and challenges of the search for extraterrestrial life, taking into account the vastness of the universe and the fine-tuning required for life to exist. Tune in to find out more about the search for extraterrestrial life! This debate was hosted by the Hoover Institution. Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:50 Cosmic fine-tuning 00:12:13 The Privileged Planet 00:21:09 When did the fine-tuning take place? 00:28:05 The SETI project 00:30:59 The lack of life on Mars 00:39:40 Why we’re so fascinated by this question 00:57:28 Quantum mechanics and Einstein’s relativity 01:02:01 Human exceptionalism 01:08:46 Science and religion 01:12:58 Outro Additional resources: ➡️ Check out my incredible colleagues: 🔔 Hoover Institution: https://www.hoover.org/ 🔔 Hoover Institution YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HooverInstitution ✖️ Dr. Luke Barnes: https://x.com/lukebarnesastro/ ✖️ Dr. Jay Richards: https://x.com/drjayrichards/ ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://x.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 ✨ Member's only playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUMOmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw 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 subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 15 mins
Natural History Physics
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What listeners say about Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

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Profile Image for COSMOS

Great Guests, great topics

Greatest guests, Great topics. Thoughtful discussions with guests at the top of their fields. For listeners who crave pioneering into subjects that extend to the edges of what humanity knows, this is the podcast for you. Thanks Brian!

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Profile Image for starling01

Great Podcast!

I've just started listening to Brian Keating's podcasts and I know I'm going to binge them. So entertaining, and so thought provoking, and so clear. I hesitated to listen to the September 6 with Steven Koonin since I thought, no way am I going to spend time with a climate change denier. I'm glad I trusted Brian though and gave him a chance. The podcast may not have changed my mind but the time spent hearing the science, the statistical model, and Brian's careful and respectful presentation was a total pleasure. Very highly recommended!

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Profile Image for Tony

Insightful & An Awesome Listen For Anyone

Even if you're not an expert of the cosmos (like me) this podcast is very easy to digest and super interesting. The big question of "How did the universe begin?" is not an easy one to answer, but it's a super cool topic to dive into. Dr. Keating takes you on a journey with other scientists to tackle this question and other intriguing phenomena throughout time and space. I love these deep dives and even if we never really find out how it all began I'll keep going into the impossible to learn more about our universe.

Highly recommend!

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Profile Image for Mike

Must Have Science Podcast

If you like interesting discussions on today’s hot science topics, then Brian’s podcast should be part of your weekly listening routine.

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Profile Image for Azriella

Content Accessible and Enjoyable

The personalities of each guest quite down to earth in their human discussions of esoteric concepts.
The thought process fascinating.
Have recommended highly to everyone!

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Fascinating and often inspiring

I have been binging this podcast recently, here and on other platforms. There have been many great episodes but the ones with Shep Doeleman, Heino falcke, Rai Weiss and Barry Barish really resonated with me for both the depth of the technical discussion, passion and interest from both the guests and Dr. Kearting, and the unguarded nature with which they answered the more personal questions.

Going through the history of the podcasts, I think Dr. Keating has grown as an interviewer becoming stronger in the follow-up to guest responses and striking a good balance in the science topics explored. Not to say early episodes were weak. For me, the content of the episodes and passion of the discussions are the main appeal, and those stood out for their excellence right from the beginning.

I would like to thank Dr. Keating for putting these out there. I hope you are able to continue for as long as people keep doing science,

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Profile Image for Amazon Customer

Manna for the mind

If your goal is to comprehend the universe on a larger scale or explore the properties of celestial bodies. These podcasts will help you in your goal.

Dr. Keating’s personal insights on a wide range of topics, coupled with such highly respected guest are manna for the mind.

From the beginning of my goal to learn about how this wonderful universe works or at least as an observer trying to understand how I believe it might work through my lens jump started by reading Wrinkles In Time by Smoot and Davidson. Then years later finding myself bored with yet another rendition of the double slit experiment I searched for podcasts by physicist near me. Finding the Into the Impossible podcast has never once been disappointing. As a fellow San Diegan I am thrilled with the likelihood that I’ll be lucky enough someday to meet Dr. Keating in person.

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Profile Image for Christian Ruiz

Amazing podcast

Engaging, interesting, and very informative.
I really like professor Brian’s enthusiasm at explaining science.

By the way, the audio quality is simply great

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Profile Image for Philip Greenspun

Superconducting brain expansion

My brain is conducting information very slowly indeed, but I enjoyed the superconducting podcast! (The robot-inserted commercial interruptions are confusing, though. Maybe Audible can make its software as smart as the people interviewed on this podcast.)

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Profile Image for Dex Doomsday

Science unveiled!

A positively thought provoking podcast, whether or not you're a serious fan of science!

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