Into the Impossible With Brian Keating
Into the Impossible With Brian Keating
Big Bang Productions Inc.
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
Canadian Prepper & Brian Keating: Will Humans Soon Go EXTINCT?
Remastered from our interview in May 2023 Will humans soon go extinct? Are we already on borrowed time?  I had the honor of discussing this with none other than the Canadian Prepper himself! Canadian Prepper is an educational YouTuber who talks about self-defense, survival, and all things preparedness. He analyzes current events, reviews innovative equipment, and theorizes about the demise of civilization as we know it. In our interview, we dive deep into extinction-level events. Tune in! Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Are we on borrowed time? (02:17) Why are we so obsessed with end times? (14:22) Types of civilizations (20:37)  Fermi paradox and the great filter (26:52) — Additional resources:  📢 Ownership of your health starts with AG1. Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 and 5 FREE AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase 👉 https://drinkag1.com/impossible ➡️ Check out Canadian Prepper: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfgtuaUadGgOA-91geQ8Qog  ➡️ 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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 29
39 min
Lawrence Krauss: The Mysterious Origins of Dark Energy
✨ To try everything Brilliant has to offer—free—for a full 30 days, visit https://brilliant.org/DrBrianKeating The first 200 of you will get 20% off Brilliant's annual premium subscription. ✨ I had the pleasure of participating in an exciting onstage dialogue with the renowned theoretical physicist Lawrence M. Krauss. We had a lively discussion about the mysteries of the Universe, the latest scientific discoveries, and their implications for our understanding of existence. From the origins of dark energy to nuclear war, pandemics, and climate change - we delved into it all! Join us for A Night at the Museum, presented by the Origins Project.  Lawrence M. Krauss is a highly acclaimed theoretical physicist, commentator, bestselling author, President of The Origins Project Foundation, and host of the Origins Podcast. Among his many significant scientific contributions was the 1995 proposal that most of the Universe's energy resides in empty space.  Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Dark energy and its mysterious origins (02:01) Laymen, theorists, and experimentalists (09:51) Teaching controversies in science (16:34) Einstein’s creativity and the role of embodiment in AI (20:12) Advice to aspiring students (26:50) Nuclear war, pandemics, and climate change (30:44) UFOs and aliens (41:40) Which technology will be most useful in my area of physics? (44:48) Outro (49:41) — Additional resources:  📢 Ownership of your health starts with AG1. Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 and 5 FREE AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase 👉 https://drinkag1.com/impossible ➡️ Check out Lawrence Krauss:  📚 The Edge of Knowledge by Lawrence Krauss: https://a.co/d/2Dtwy3x  💻 Website: https://lawrencemkrauss.com/  ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LKrauss1 ➡️ 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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 26
52 min
David Chalmers: The Matrix is REAL!
Is the Matrix really real? And if so, which pill would David Chalmers take?  Join us for a mind-bending journey through virtual worlds, human consciousness, technology, philosophy, and religion, and find out!  David Chalmers is an Australian philosopher and cognitive scientist specializing in the areas of philosophy of mind and philosophy of language. He is a Professor of Philosophy and Neural Science at New York University and co-director of NYU's Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness (along with Ned Block).  Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Judging the book by its cover (01:49) Defining the hard problem of consciousness (04:50) Why is there tension between physics and philosophy (07:20) The Chalmers equation for the simulation hypothesis? (11:57) What have we learned about consciousness from computer analogs? (21:24) AI physicists (32:08) What is it from bit? Or is that bit from it? (40:10) What does it take for the maker of the simulation to be god or godlike? (47:50)  Why create the world (or the simulation)? (53:49) Can there be a substrate-free creator (simulator)? (57:43)  Why do you claim we can't know if we are in a simulation? (1:06:32) Would you take the red pill? (1:08:41)  Outro (1:16:43) — Additional resources:  📢 Ownership of your health starts with AG1. Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 and 5 FREE AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase 👉 https://drinkag1.com/impossible 📚 Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy by David Chalmers: https://a.co/d/3pzidPf ➡️ 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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 23
1 hr 21 min
Brian Greene: Does the Multiverse Actually Exist?
Is it still possible to make a case for string theory? And should we treat the multiverse as a serious idea and explore it mathematically? Here to discuss these fundamental questions with me today is the one and only Brian Greene. Brian Greene, of course, needs no introduction. He is an American theoretical physicist and mathematician. He’s a professor at Columbia University and the director of Columbia’s Center for Theoretical Physics.  Greene has gained a lot of popularity through his books that bring complex physical issues closer to general audiences: The Elegant Universe (1999), Icarus at the Edge of Time (2008), The Fabric of the Cosmos (2004), and The Hidden Reality (2011), a book he promoted in the TV show The Big Bang Theory!  In this episode, Brian and I discuss the experimental relevance of string theory, the multiverse hypothesis, the likelihood of alien life, and much more.  Tune in! Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) What’s the experimental minimum? (01:05) String theory’s experimental relevance (08:35) An alternative path to Einstein’s equations (20:17) Are we neglecting some ideas? (25:35) Calabi-Yau manifolds in string theory (34:26) Lorentz invariance and signals that are faster than the speed of light (40:13) The multiverse and its implications for science (57:47) Inflation doesn’t resolve all questions (1:02:18) The role of a scientist as an educator (1:15:04) UFO sightings and the likelihood of alien life (1:27:45) Outro (1:38:26) — Additional resources:  📢 Ownership of your health starts with AG1. Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 and 5 FREE AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase 👉 https://drinkag1.com/impossible 👨‍💻 Check out AppSumo's Black Friday offers: http://appsumo.8odi.net/BRIAN ➡️ Check out Brian Greene:  📚 The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene: https://a.co/d/3LUjEA2  💻 Website: https://www.briangreene.org/  ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bgreene  ➡️ 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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 20
1 hr 43 min
Cumrun Vafa: 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? Here to discuss these claims with me is none other than Cumrun Vafa! Cumrun is the Hollis 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 why we should trust String Theory, Fine Tuning, and the message he'd put into a billion-year time capsule. We also talked about his recently released book Puzzles to Unravel the Universe.  Tune in!  Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Judging a book by its cover (01:04) What is a puzzle versus a mystery? (03:37) Is string theory actually science? (10:37) Dimensional analysis (17:02) Singularities (19:41) ADS and 5 dimensions (27:04) Abandoning string theory (34:12) Supersymmetry (35:12) On religion (39:50) A scorecard for physics (52:18) What would your "ethical will" be? (56:51) What have you accomplished that once seemed impossible? (1:02:22) — Additional resources:  🥗 Thanks, HelloFresh! Go to HelloFresh.com/50impossible and use code 50impossible for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months. 📝 With a MasterClass annual membership, you can take one-on-one classes from the world’s best for $10 a month with your annual membership, get unlimited access to every class — and even better, right now, as an Into The Impossible listener, you can get 15% off when you go to MASTERCLASS.com/impossible. 🧑‍💻 Visit LinkedIn.com/IMPOSSIBLE to post your job for free! 📚 Puzzles to Unravel the Universe by Cumrun Vafa: https://a.co/d/iWnNDup  💻 Cumrun’s website: https://www.cumrunvafa.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/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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 17
1 hr 8 min
Michael Turner Explains the Origins and Mysteries of Dark Energy
Welcome to a very important, meaningful, and delightful episode of Into the Impossible, with an impossibly brilliant guest who has inspired me since my young days as a graduate – Michael Turner!  Michael Turner is a renowned theoretical cosmologist and professor of physics at the University of Chicago. He is a pioneer in exploring what he calls the dark side of the Universe. He coined the term dark energy, and his ideas led to the cold dark matter theory of structure formation.  Michael’s contributions to modern physics are truly invaluable, and I am beyond thrilled to have him as a guest on my show.  Join us as we explore the origins and evolution of the Universe!  Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Judging a book by its cover: The Early Universe (01:44) Was there a Big Bang or not? (06:23) The most important discoveries in physics (12:44) The origin of dark energy (29:32) The Hubble constant and its precision (41:44) Magnetic fields, dark energy, and resolving the Hubble tension (48:20) Dark photons and dark stars (55:24) Outro (1:01:47) — Additional resources:  🥗 Thanks, HelloFresh! Go to HelloFresh.com/50impossible and use code 50impossible for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months. 📝 With a MasterClass annual membership, you can take one-on-one classes from the world’s best for $10 a month with your annual membership, get unlimited access to every class — and even better, right now, as an Into The Impossible listener, you can get 15% off when you go to MASTERCLASS.com/impossible. 🧑‍💻 Visit LinkedIn.com/IMPOSSIBLE to post your job for free! 📚 The Early Universe by Michael Turner and Edward Kolb: https://a.co/d/2HkzzzK  ➡️ 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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 14
1 hr 7 min
Martin Rees Predicts the Future of Humanity and Science!
What’s written in our stars? Here to read humanity's horoscope is none other than Lord Martin Rees!  Lord Martin Rees has played a huge role in my career and is an inspiration to me and millions of scientists around the world. There is literally nothing beyond his purview, and our conversation bore this out -- we covered everything from A to Z: artificial intelligence to zoology! Nothing was off-limits – we even shared our mutual and controversial distaste for alchemy and astrology! Lord Rees of Ludlow, the Astronomer Royal, is the Co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and an Emeritus Professor of Cosmology & Astrophysics at Cambridge University. He is the 38th Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. He is the author of ‘On the Future’ and 10 other books and the 60th President of the Royal Society. Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Judging a book by its cover: On The Future (01:48) Reading the Queen's horoscope (03:08) Do physicists envy mathematicians? (06:46) Why is Einstein so often a target of criticism? (10:21) The steady-state of the universe debate and cosmology's earlier days (15:56) Martin's prediction that the CMB could be polarized (22:02) Theories of Everything. Do we need them? (29:12) Complex vs. complicated (37:30) There may be some benefits to the pandemic! (56:09) What do you think about blockchain and Bitcoin? (57:56) How coins got their ridges (59:51) What is your ethical will? (1:16:14) Outro (1:26:10) — Additional resources:  🥗 Thanks, HelloFresh! Go to HelloFresh.com/50impossible and use code 50impossible for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months. 📝 With a MasterClass annual membership, you can take one-on-one classes from the world’s best for $10 a month with your annual membership, get unlimited access to every class — and even better, right now, as an Into The Impossible listener, you can get 15% off when you go to MASTERCLASS.com/impossible. 🧑‍💻 Visit LinkedIn.com/IMPOSSIBLE to post your job for free! 📚 On the Future: Prospects for Humanity by Lord Martin Rees: https://amzn.eu/d/48JcB1Y  ➡️ 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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 11
1 hr 32 min
EXCLUSIVE: Katherine Freese Has Evidence of Dark Stars!
Katherine Freese first presented the concept of dark stars at a conference in 2007. It was not well received at the time, as there was no evidence for it, and finding it seemed impossible. That is until recently… Katherine Freese is a renowned theoretical physicist, professor of physics at the University of Texas at Austin, and a member of the Simons Observatory. She works on a wide range of topics in theoretical cosmology and astroparticle physics, including her quest to identify the dark matter and dark energy that permeate the universe. She wrote The Cosmic Cocktail: Three Parts Dark Matter, published in June 2014 by Princeton University Press. She is one of the most renowned scientists that exists today, and I’m excited to have her back on the show to discuss Hubble tension, natural inflation, dark energy, and, of course, the star of the show (pun intended), dark stars! Tune in.  Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) In honor of Steven Weinberg (01:09) Katie’s take on Hubble tension (03:28) Natural inflation and the particle responsible for it (08:43) Katie’s take on dark energy (16:25) Philosophical and theological implications of Katie’s research (21:11) Katie’s philosophy as an educator (22:58) Katie presents her proof of dark stars (29:29) Pedagogical expectations (43:10) Outro (48:04) — Additional resources:  🥗 Thanks, HelloFresh! Go to HelloFresh.com/50impossible and use code 50impossible for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months. 📝 With a MasterClass annual membership, you can take one-on-one classes from the world’s best for $10 a month with your annual membership, get unlimited access to every class — and even better, right now, as an Into The Impossible listener, you can get 15% off when you go to MASTERCLASS.com/impossible. 🧑‍💻 Visit LinkedIn.com/IMPOSSIBLE to post your job for free! 📚 The Cosmic Cocktail: Three Parts Dark Matter by Katherine Freese: https://a.co/d/9r13mlp  💻 Check out my first interview with Katherine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hp0lBRf7WQ  ✖️ Katherine’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/ktfreese  ➡️ 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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 8
52 min
Leonard Susskind: What REALLY Happens Inside a Black Hole?
What's really going on in a black hole? Why are there so many theories of everything? And did Leonard Susskind, the father of string theory, ever feel like an impostor? Find out in this thrilling interview with none other than Susskind himself. Susskind is an American physicist and a professor of theoretical physics at Stanford University. He is also the founding director of the Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics. In 1995, Susskind was the first to give a precise string-theoretic interpretation of the holographic principle and the first to introduce the idea of the string theory landscape in 2003.  In this interview, we discuss Susskind's popular science book, The Black Hole War, which covers the black hole information paradox and the related scientific dispute between Stephen Hawking and Susskind himself. We also talk about other developments in modern physics and more! Tune in! Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) The difference between writing for broad and small audiences (05:56) Impostor syndrome (08:58) The first image of a black hole (19:33) The horizon of a black hole and the existence of a singularity (22:05) Mathematician envy (36:51) Why are there so many theories of everything? (44:07) Three things that would push him to believe in the Multiverse (48:25) Audience questions (57:06) Who would Lenny have for coffee? (1:05:33) What would he put in his ethical will? (1:10:51) Outro (1:17:34) — Additional resources:  🥗 Thanks, HelloFresh! Go to HelloFresh.com/50impossible and use code 50impossible for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months. 📝 With a MasterClass annual membership, you can take one-on-one classes from the world’s best for $10 a month with your annual membership, get unlimited access to every class — and even better, right now, as an Into The Impossible listener, you can get 15% off when you go to MASTERCLASS.com/impossible. 🧑‍💻 Visit LinkedIn.com/IMPOSSIBLE to post your job for free! 📚 The Black Hole War by Leonard Susskind: https://a.co/d/a9WGKAc  ➡️ 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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 5
1 hr 23 min
Bret Weinstein & Heather Heying: The Modern World Is Out Of Sync With Humans!
Humans have never lived in such abundance as we do today. Yet we are miserable, divided, and lonely. We have everything we need to flourish, so why are we wilting? Today’s extraordinary guests, Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein, say it’s because the modern world is out of sync with our ancient brains and bodies! They explore this bold thesis in their book A Hunter Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century, which we will discuss extensively in this interview.  Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein are evolutionary biologists who have been invited to ad­dress the US Congress, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Education and have spoken before audi­ences across the globe. They both earned PhDs in Biology from the University of Michigan, where their research on evolution and adaptation earned awards for its quality and innovation. They have been visiting fellows at Princeton University and, before that, were professors at the Ever­green State College for fifteen years. Join us as we explore evolution, the challenges of modern life, frogs, the American red squirrel, the education system, religion, and much more! Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Judging a book by its cover (01:17) What’s so fascinating about frogs? (04:10) Is modern life out of sync with human biology? (08:41) What’s wrong with experiments on kids? (10:14) Why are we wired for novelty? (14:13) What are your obligations to humanity as a consumer? (34:24) What's wrong with Universities? (42:48) The Omega Principle (56:08) Are there cultural telomeres? (1:02:58) Audience questions (1:10:43) What would Heather put in her ethical will? (1:28:13) What Would Bret put in his ethical will? (1:33:05) Outro (1:42:02) — Additional resources:  🥗 Thanks, HelloFresh! Go to HelloFresh.com/50impossible and use code 50impossible for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months. 📝 With a MasterClass annual membership, you can take one-on-one classes from the world’s best for $10 a month with your annual membership, get unlimited access to every class — and even better, right now, as an Into The Impossible listener, you can get 15% off when you go to MASTERCLASS.com/impossible. 🧑‍💻 Visit LinkedIn.com/IMPOSSIBLE to post your job for free! ➡️ Check out Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein:  💻 Bret’s Website: https://www.bretweinstein.net/  📚 A Hunter Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century: https://a.co/d/5Gbb6G3  💻 Heather’s Website: https://www.heatherheying.com/  ➡️ 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. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 2
1 hr 46 min
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