A podcast about how we understand the world, scientifically and as humans. Each conversation brings together visionaries from the worlds of arts, sciences, huma...
JWST: The Telescope That Changed How We See the Universe with Richard Panek
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The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been making headlines since its announcement. But what makes the telescope so special? How do astronomers create the captivating images we see online? And is the $10 billion gamble actually paying off?
Here today to invite us into the intricacies of the controversial telescope is none other than Richard Panek, an award-winning science writer who specializes in astronomy and telescopes.
Panek is known for making complex scientific concepts accessible to general audiences by blending them with his excellent storytelling. In his latest book, Pillars of Creation, he tackled the JWST and detailed its story from the very beginning.
Join us as we dive into the telescope’s groundbreaking design, the controversies surrounding it, the remarkable discoveries it has already made, the science behind the stunning images we see, and what the future of astronomy looks like.
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Key Takeaways:
00:00 Intro
00:29 Panic! at the Discs
02:13 Hubble vs. Webb
05:05 Judging a book by its cover
09:26 The discovery of dimethyl sulfide on Kepler K2-18b
11:27 Exoplanet detection and scientific goals
13:33 Historical rhymes in astronomy
16:56 The process and costs of running JWST
21:21 Controversy around naming JWST
28:25 How JWST images are made
37:43 Margin beyond the margin of error
40:11 Assigning colors to infrared images
43:26 The future of NASA’s giant observatories
45:08 The 4-Percent Universe and what’s next for Richard
48:33 Outro
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Additional resources:
➡️ Learn more about Richard Panek:
📱 Website: https://www.richardpanek.net/
📚 Pillars of Creation: https://a.co/d/d86haI5
📚 The 4-Percent Universe: https://a.co/d/hBlWtol
➡️ 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
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53:36
300K SUBSCRIBERS SPECIAL: Your Questions Answered + BIG Announcement [Ep. 476]
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥
Five years ago, I started this podcast from scratch.
My idea was simple: create a platform to interview the world’s most brilliant scientists and make their genius known to as many people as possible.
Since then, I’ve released nearly 500 episodes, interviewed some of the world’s brightest minds, and gained over 300K subscribers! I never thought it was possible, and I’m incredibly grateful to all of my guests and to every single one of you. Without you, this wouldn’t be possible.
To celebrate this incredible milestone, I’m answering all the questions you left for me across different platforms and reflecting on this journey and the lessons I’ve learned.
P.S. I also share a BIG announcement in this episode, so don’t miss out!
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Key Takeaways:
00:00 Intro
00:42 The beginning of my podcasting journey
04:55 Reflecting on community building and limited reach
09:26 Why you should join me on Web 3.0
11:00 Pleasing the algorithm
14:13 On theories of everything and publishing your ideas
20:20 The existence of higher dimensions
23:31 Thoughts on the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
25:59 What happens when things overlap?
28:20 Big announcement!!
31:37 My biggest lesson on YouTube
35:43 My favorite topics to discuss
41:52 Appreciation comments
43:44 Biology and astrobiology
48:02 Roman Goddess of the CMB?
49:43 Balancing fatherhood with having a podcast
54:01 Outro
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Additional resources:
➡️ Check out the videos mentioned:
🪄 Felix Flicker: The Magic of Physics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJJGv-5Rk4I
🧵 Brian Greene: The Truth About String Theory & TOEs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpsxH7mOopM
📚 What Is A Theory of Everything? Featuring Sabine Hossenfelder, Lee Smolin, & Eric Weinstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saamEkrBZfM
🤯 Stephen Wolfram: My Discovery Changes Everything: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-RO3vM10Ok
🧬 The mRNA Breakthrough That Changed Medicine Forever with Nobel Laureate Katalin Karikó: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCq__JpieNQ
🔬 Life's Catalyst: RNA with Nobel Prize Winner Tom Cech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y2knbUnpN0
👽 Is Earth Unique? Mario Livio and Jack Szostak on the Odds of Alien Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPUS-V6XX8E
🛸 Aliens Existed (Now They’re Dead): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl8N_aK_q0Y
➡️ 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
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58:57
Into The Impossible: Unleash Your Curiosity
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1:07
Can you be a "real" scientist and believe in God? Brian Keating & Michael Dennin Debate
Can a "real" scientist believe in God? Physics professors Brian Keating and Michael Dennin engage in a fascinating discussion about the existence of God, exploring the intersection of science and faith. From cosmic origins to the nature of miracles, these two accomplished scientists examine different perspectives on religion, including insights from Judaism and Catholicism. They tackle challenging questions about the Big Bang theory, multiple universes, and whether scientific evidence can prove or disprove God's existence. The conversation features reactions to arguments from both William Lane Craig and Neil deGrasse Tyson, offering a balanced and nuanced exploration of one of humanity's most fundamental questions.
This inaugural episode of The God Question brings together scientific expertise and personal faith journeys, demonstrating how two physicists with similar backgrounds can arrive at different but respectful conclusions about the divine.
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47:28
How to train ChatGPT to serve you | AI Legend Terry Sejnowski [Ep. 475]
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥
Can AI tools like ChatGPT actually "think," or is it just really good at mimicking human conversation? How much of what AI spits out is a reflection of our own ideas and intentions? And where's all this tech headed in the future?
Today, I’m joined by Terry Sejnowski, a renowned computational neuroscientist and pioneer in AI and deep learning. Based at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the University of California, San Diego, he bridges neuroscience and AI to explore how biological brains and artificial systems learn and process information.
Terry is also the co-creator of the Boltzmann Machine, a game-changing algorithm that has shaped today’s AI and is a foundation for modern neural networks. He has also written some incredible books, including The Deep Learning Revolution” and “ChatGPT and the Future of AI.
In our conversation, we discuss the current state of AI, what’s next, the ins and outs of prompt engineering, the mirror hypothesis (how AI reflects us), its impact on productivity, and the ethical challenges we must tackle.
Tune in to discover the truth about AI!
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Key Takeaways:
00:00 Intro
00:36 Judging a book by its cover
07:05 The impact of AI on human capabilities
12:32 Einstein's happiest thought and can AI think?
16:51 Can AI come up with something novel?
24:20 The role of learning and neural networks in AI
32:37 The future of AI and its potential impact
46:43 The mirroring effect
50:52 Practical applications of AI
54:00 Outro
—
Additional resources:
➡️ Learn more about Terry Sejnowski:
📚 ChatGPT and the Future of AI: https://a.co/d/cZnuZbs
➡️ 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
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