Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

Latest Episodes:

Uncovering the Lost Connection Between Science and Faith with Spencer Klavan Oct 15, 2024

Show notes

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
00:55:05 Is faith immune to falsifiability?
01:05:31 Aristotle and modern science
01:23:57 Audience questions
01:34:26 Masculinity, conservatism and homosexuality
01:41:16 Transgendarism, alchemy, and astrology
01:52:44 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Learn more about Spencer:

✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/SpencerKlavan/

📚 Light of the Mind, Light of the World: https://a.co/d/fam2Tx5

🔔 Young Heretics: https://www.youtube.com/@YoungHereticsShow

➡️ 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

Think Like Galileo: My Brown University Commencement Address (2022) Oct 12, 2024

Show notes

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

🔔 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

Exploring the Secrets of the Infant Universe with Hugh Ross (Reasons to Believe) Oct 11, 2024

Show notes

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 Cutting-edge technology, precision cosmology, and the inflation hypothesis
00:33:36 The biggest challenge with inflation
00:45:58 The role of the Simons Observatory
01:00:15 Presenting our data
01:02:47 Neutrinos
01:07:43 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Check out Reason to Believe:

🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RTB_official

🎙️ Website: https://reasons.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

The Loop Quantum Gravity War Oct 08, 2024

Show notes

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:

🔔 Sabine’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlHvW6k2bcM

🎙️ Phil’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5CzrLuCRS4

➡️ 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

Did JWST Just Solve the Biggest Crisis in Cosmology? Wendy Freedman [Ep. 461] Oct 06, 2024

Show notes

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 dark energy
45:32 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Learn more about Wendy Freedman:

💻 Uni website: https://astro.uchicago.edu/people/wendy-l-freedman.php

➡️ 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

Cumrun Vafa: Puzzles to Unravel the Universe (2020) Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

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

What Is The Higgs Field? Matt Strassler [Ep. 460] Sep 29, 2024

Show notes

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

Searching for Extraterrestrial Life with Dr. Luke Barnes and Dr. Jay Richards Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

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

Extra Dimensions Could Change Everything We Know About Physics | Dan Hooper [Ep. 459] Sep 22, 2024

Show notes

Is the universe hiding extra dimensions we can’t see? Could a graviton – a particle we haven’t even proven to exist – change everything we know about the cosmos? And what does the future of physics hold if the standard model fails?

Today, I sit down with the renowned cosmologist Dan Hooper to discuss some of the most complex and exciting theories in modern cosmology. Dan is a leading theoretical physicist at Fermilab and a professor at the University of Chicago, specializing in the mysteries of dark matter, the early universe, and extra dimensions.

In this thrilling episode, Dan and I explore how hidden dimensions and mysterious particles could fundamentally challenge our understanding of the universe!

Tune in!

Key Takeaways:

00:00 Intro
01:12 Judging a book by its cover
03:00 The Kaluza–Klein theory
06:29 Extra dimensions and gravitons
14:05 Supersymmetry and spin-3/2 particles
19:16 The Desi experiment and neutrino mass
24:58 What has Dan been wrong about?
27:40 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Learn more about Dan:

🎶 The Spectral Distortions: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sazg5S1hrbt5Rk4lxoVHy

🎙️ Why This Universe?: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbfIVYxgDnR3dicM18TwS8w

➡️ 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

How Did Tardigrades End Up on the Moon? w/ Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

What are tardigrades, and how did they end up on the moon?

I had the pleasure of exploring the evolution, resilience, and potential use cases of these microscopic creatures that can survive in extreme environments with Daniel Whiteson and Jorge Cham from Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe.

Enjoy!

—

Key Takeaways: