Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

Latest Episodes:

Will We Ever Find a Theory of Everything? Brian Keating & Curt Jaimungal Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

Will we ever find the theory of everything? What’s the real difference between artificial intelligence and artificial wisdom? And do experimental physicists really need a deeper understanding of theory than the theorists themselves?

I had the incredible pleasure of diving into these profound questions with Curt Jaimungal, host of the popular podcast and YouTube channel Theories of Everything. In our insightful conversation, we explored the nature of theoretical physics, the role of experimental science, and the ongoing quest to understand the origins of the universe, from the Big Bang to the possibility of a cyclical cosmos.

Tune in.

Key Takeaways:

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:34 My goals in life
00:02:44 Artificial intelligence vs. artificial wisdom
00:09:20 Gödel's incompleteness theorem
00:19:55 Theoretical vs. experimental physics
00:27:00 What textbooks are there for experimental physics?
00:36:50 What's needed for a Theory of Everything?
00:40:56 What are the limits of experimental physics?
00:42:37 Free will, reductionism, and God
00:51:34 Eric Weinstein's geometric unity
00:59:12 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Check out Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal:

🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w

💻 Website: https://www.curtjaimungal.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

Why I Worry Every Time Someone Says to “Follow the Science” w/ Georgia Howe Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

I’m a scientist.

But every time someone says to “follow the science,” I worry.

Why?

Find out in my conversation with Georgia Howe from The Daily Wire. The Daily Wire is a news website and media company founded in 2015 by political commentator Ben Shapiro and film director Jeremy Boreing.

Enjoy!

Key Takeaways:

00:00 Intro
01:08 Knowledge vs. wisdom
02:42 Follow the science
08:42 Politics and science
11:23 Integrity in science
14:07 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Check out PragerU:

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

➡️ 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

Are We Living in a Simulation? Nick Bostrom (2022) Sep 17, 2024

Show notes

What if everything you know is just a simulation?

In 2022, I was joined by the one and only Nick Bostrom to discuss the simulation hypothesis and the prospects of superintelligence.

Nick is a Professor at Oxford University, where he heads the Future of Humanity Institute as its founding director. He is the most-cited professional philosopher in the world aged 50 or under and is the author of some 200 publications, including Anthropic Bias (2002), Global Catastrophic Risks (2008), Human Enhancement (2009), and Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies (2014), a New York Times bestseller.

With a background in theoretical physics, computational neuroscience, logic, and artificial intelligence, there is no one better to answer this question than him!

Tune in.

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Key Takeaways:

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:44 Judging a book by its cover
00:05:22 How could an AI have emotions and be creative?
00:08:22 How could a computing device / AI feel pain?
00:13:09 The Turing test
00:20:02 The simulation hypothesis
00:22:27 Is there a "Drake Equation" for the simulation hypothesis?
00:27:16 Penroses' orchestrated objective reality
00:34:11 SETI and the prospect of extraterrestrial life
00:49:20 Are computers really getting "smarter"?
00:53:59 Audience questions
01:01:09 Outro

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Additional resources:

📚 Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom: https://a.co/d/fYC5DH0

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➡️ 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

What Do Our Genes Reveal About Our Past? w/ Richard Dawkins [Ep. 458] Sep 17, 2024

Show notes

What do our genes reveal about our past?

Richard Dawkins, one of the world’s most influential and thought-provoking scientists, explored the most profound principles of evolutionary history in his new book, The Genetic Book of the Dead.

Dawkins is a renowned evolutionary biologist, zoologist, and author. He is also a prominent figure in New Atheism alongside Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens and is well known for his criticisms of creationism and intelligent design.

I had the extraordinary privilege of discussing his new book in our two-part interview. In addition to judging his book, we explored the evolution of sex drive and aesthetic appreciation, genetics, the intersection of theoretical and experimental science, the potential of artificial intelligence, and more.

Tune in to learn about genes from one of the most prominent evolutionary biologists of our time!

P.S. Don’t forget to check out part one of our interview: https://youtu.be/BdiOFaMUASU

Key Takeaways:

00:00 Intro
01:30 Judging a book by its cover
06:01 Do genes die?
07:53 Can genes predict the future?
11:26 The extended phenotype
22:42 The hypothetical scientist of the future
28:53 A colony of symbiotic vertical viruses
32:51 Final exit to the future
36:10 What evolutionary purpose does music serve?
43:25 The palimpsest
49:38 AI, pain, and evolutionary processes
56:25 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Learn more about Richard Dawkins:

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

💻 Website: https://richarddawkinstour.com/

➡️ Join Richard Dawkins and me in Canada on October 6, 2014 https://admitone.com/events/richard-dawkins-vancouver-9488912

➡️ 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

Brian Keating Discusses Cosmic Origins and Simulation Hypothesis With George Noory Sep 13, 2024

Show notes

I was recently invited on Coast to Coast AM to discuss topics ranging from cosmic origins and the simulation hypothesis to religion and the Nobel Prize. Enjoy!

Coast to Coast AM is a late-night radio talk show covering various topics. Most often, the topics relate to paranormal phenomena or conspiracy theories. It was hosted by its creator, Art Bell, from its inception in 1988 until 2003 and is now hosted by George Noory.

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Key Takeaways:

00:00 Intro
01:02 Simulation hypothesis
05:36 The multiverse theory
08:56 How I lost the Nobel Prize
17:28 Discussing the Big Bang
20:03 Giant telescopes and observatories
25:56 Science vs. religion
28:18 Audience questions
47:00 Outro

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Additional resources:

➡️ Check out Coast to Coast AM:

💻 Website: https://www.coasttocoastam.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/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

Is Earth Unique? Mario Livio and Jack Szostak on the Odds of Alien Life [Ep. 457] Sep 10, 2024

Show notes

Does life exist beyond Earth, or is our planet genuinely unique? Can we recreate the origins of life in a lab? And what role does Mars play in the quest for cosmic life?

I had the extraordinary honor of discussing this with two outstanding scientists, Mario Livio and Jack Szostak. Mario and Jack just released their new book, Is Earth Exceptional?, which seeks to answer whether life is a freak accident or a chemical inevitability.

Tune in and join us for this mesmerizing exploration!

Mario Livio is an astrophysicist and author known for his work in cosmology and his popular science books. Livio has significantly contributed to our understanding of dark energy, black holes, and other cosmic phenomena.

Jack Szostak is a prominent biologist and Nobel Laureate known for his significant contributions to understanding life's fundamental processes. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009, along with Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol Greider, for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.

Key Takeaways:

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:33 “Life existing only on Earth is arrogant.”
00:04:09 Miller–Urey experiment
00:08:35 Does extraordinary evidence exist?
00:10:12 Judging a book by its cover
00:14:11 The origin of life
00:22:18 Thoughts on Rare Earth by Ward and Brownlee
00:24:59 The role of magnetite in the origin of life
00:31:30 Life on Mars?
00:55:15 Drake equation
00:58:54 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Learn more about Mario Livio:

💻 Website: https://www.mariolivio.com/

➡️ Learn more about Jack Szostak:

💻 Website: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2009/szostak/facts/

➡️ 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

Sara Walker: How the Origin of Life Could Guide Our Search for Aliens [Ep. 456] Sep 01, 2024

Show notes

What is the connection between the origin of life on Earth and the search for extraterrestrial life? Could a revolutionary new theory guide us in our search for aliens? And is consciousness an inevitable outcome of life’s complexity, or is it something more mysterious?

I had the pleasure of discussing these fascinating issues with the incredible astrobiologist and theoretical physicist Sara Walker. Sara has greatly contributed to our understanding of how life emerges from non-living matter and how information processing in biological systems differs from that in non-living systems. Her work often explores the intersections of physics, biology, and information theory, seeking to uncover the fundamental principles that govern the transition from chemistry to biology.

In this episode, we dive deep into the mysteries of life, assembly theory, consciousness, and life beyond Earth.

Tune in!

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Key Takeaways:

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:40 The origin of life and our search for aliens
00:05:31 Judging a book by its cover
00:10:04 Assembly theory and consciousness
00:15:33 What’s the testable hypothesis?
00:21:25 Is life a miracle?
00:30:47 Criticisms of assembly theory
00:43:35 Intelligent design
00:46:35 The concept of time in physics
00:51:08 The future of assembly theory
00:58:30 Predicting life on other planets using assembly theory
01:04:05 What if life didn’t originate on Earth?
01:07:19 Issues with assembly theory and Johannes Jäger
01:21:19 The day after aliens
01:26:44 Outro

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Additional resources:

➡️ Connect with Sara Walker:

✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/Sara_Imari/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alien_matter/

—

➡️ 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

Do We Need New Laws of Physics to Explain the Origins of Life? Brian Keating & Lee Cronin Aug 30, 2024

Show notes

Do we need new laws of physics to explain the origins of life?

I had an amazing discussion about this with the one and only Lee Cronin on Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal. We talked about life, consciousness, physics, chemistry, assembly theory, the Drake equation, and more!

Lee Cronin is a chemist and the Regius Chair of Chemistry in the School of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow. His research focuses on synthetic life forms, the self-assembly of molecules, and the origin of life. He’s also a leading expert in the field of digital chemistry, pushing the boundaries of chemistry using advanced robotics and AI.

Curt Jaimungal is the host of the popular podcast and YouTube channel "Theories of Everything," known for exploring theoretical physics, consciousness, Ai, and God in a technically rigorous manner.

Tune in!

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Key Takeaways:

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:43 My opening statements
00:04:07 Lee’s opening statements
00:09:26 Why defining "life" is difficult
00:19:50 Disagreements on the origin of life
00:31:51 Is the definition of entropy wrong?
00:50:45 Order that doesn’t involve entropy
00:56:22 Abundance of life in the universe
01:10:36 An answer to the Fermi Paradox
01:19:17 Assembly theory explained
01:36:32 Searching for UFOs
01:50:14 Lee's gripes against the Galileo Project and Avi Loeb
02:08:27 Audience questions
02:15:39 Should UAP data be given to scientists?
02:25:56 Do we need new laws for life?

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Additional resources:

➡️ Follow Lee Cronin:

✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/leecronin/

💻 Website: https://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/cronin/

➡️ Check out Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal:

🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w

💻 Website: https://www.curtjaimungal.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

Confessions of an Alien Hunter with Seth Shostak (2021) Aug 27, 2024

Show notes

What is the current state of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI)? Why do scientists often raise their eyebrows at UFO sightings? And what might the future of SETI look like with ongoing technological advancements?

I had the privilege of diving into these fascinating topics with the professional alien hunter Seth Shostak!

Seth Shostak is an astronomer and author who directs the search for extraterrestrials at the SETI Institute in California—trying to find evidence of intelligent life in space. He is also committed to getting the public, especially young people, excited about astrobiology and science in general.

Seth hosts “Big Picture Science,” the SETI Institute’s weekly radio show. The one-hour program uses interviews with leading researchers and lively and intelligent storytelling to tackle big questions like: What came before the Big Bang? How does memory work? Will our descendants be human or machine? What’s the origin of humor? Big Picture Science can be found on iTunes and other podcast sites.

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Key Takeaways:

00:00 Intro
02:05 Judging a book by its cover
06:49 The Carl Sagan Directors Award and the reorganization of the SETI Institute
09:45 Area 51, Harry Reid and the resurgence of interest in UAPs
11:59 What do you think about new scientific pursuits around UAPs and SETI?
16:47 What do you think about the Drake Equation?
21:18 When can we stop looking?
24:52 What technology could alien civilizations be using?
30:34 How do you handle the criticisms that you are anti-alien?
33:26 What are the latest SETI projects?
37:22 Final questions
44:09 Outro

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Additional resources:

➡️ Learn more about Seth Shostak:

💻 Website: https://sethshostak.com/

✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/SethShostak

📚 Confessions of an Alien Hunter: https://a.co/d/da0IGpk

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➡️ 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

Donald Hoffman On Free Will, Positive Geometries of Consciousness & Spacetime [Ep. 455] Aug 25, 2024

Show notes

Will physics ever be able to explain consciousness? What if our entire understanding of reality is just an illusion shaped by evolution? Could the universe be a sophisticated virtual reality created by our own minds for our own good? And does free will exist after all?

Joining me today to explore these profound questions is none other than Donald Hoffman! Donald Hoffman is a renowned philosopher, famous TED talk speaker, cognitive scientist, and deep thinker.

He is a professor in the Department of Cognitive Science at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of the provocative book The Case Against Reality. This is his third time on my show because we simply never run out of topics, and it’s always refreshing to hear his thoughts and ideas!

So, without further ado, let’s jump right in!

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Key Takeaways: