Into the Impossible With Brian Keating – Details, episodes & analysis

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! — 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? — 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

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. — 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 — 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  — ➡️ 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

Are we any closer to understanding the fundamental nature of reality? Experimental evidence for any current Theory of Everything is, at best, inconclusive. This is perhaps the greatest fundamental challenge facing physics. That lack of progress has opened up a sea of controversy. In this thought-provoking episode, I joined forces with Matt O’Dowd to debate some of the brightest minds in theoretical physics on the complexities surrounding the quest for a Theory of Everything. We were joined by Eric Weinstein, Sabine Hossenfelder, and Lee Smolin, We discussed the historical context and current challenges of unifying quantum mechanics with gravity, and the need for fresh perspectives and a broader range of approaches. Tune in! — Key Takeaways:  00:00 Introduction to the quest for a theory of everything 03:35 Lee Smolin explains different meanings of "theory of everything" 07:22 Sabina Hossenfelder discusses approaches to quantum gravity 18:38 Eric Weinstein critiques the current state of theoretical physics 34:38 Debate on the role of beauty in physics theories 48:37 Discussion on the testability of quantum gravity theories 59:15 Eric Weinstein explains aspects of his geometric unity theory 1:14:19 Debate on resource allocation in physics research 1:20:25 Advice for young aspiring physicists — Additional resources:  Connect with:  ➡️ Sabine Hossenfelder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SabineHossenfelder Lost in Math: How Beauty Led Physics Astray: https://amzn.to/3kL9huy ➡️ Eric Weinstein The Portal Podcast: https://ericweinstein.org/ The Portal Wiki: https://projects.theportal.wiki/ ➡️ Lee Smolin The Trouble With Physics: https://amzn.to/3agWJpH Einstein's Unfinished Revolution: https://amzn.to/30LW7VV —-- ➡️ 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

Welcome everybody to an existential edition of the Into the Impossible podcast with one of my favorite human beings and one of your favorite human beings too, judging by my comment sections on Twitter and YouTube – Dr. Sabine Hossenfelder! For those of you who don’t know Sabine, she is a German theoretical physicist, talented science communicator, bestselling author, and very successful YouTuber.  Today, Sabine and I talk about her latest book, Existential Physics, the current state of academia, whether we need to reform our educational system, why Sabine keeps changing her mind about dark matter, what the deal is with quantum computers and much more! As always with Sabine, it was a great conversation, so tune in! Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Judging a book by its cover: Existential Physics (01:40) Should scientists promote their research? (04:32) Thoughts on the educational system (18:49) What excites Sabine the most in science (36:12) What annoys Sabine most in science (40:37) Brandolini law and MOND theory (42:19) The global mental health crisis (53:36) Muon g-2 (57:02) Audience questions (1:00:26) Outro (1:09:17) — 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! 🎤 Join me and ⁦Lawrence Krauss for an Onstage Dialogue ⁦at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-onstage-dialogue-brian-keating-lawrence-m-krauss-tickets-699430514497 📚 Existential Physics by Sabine Hossenfelder: https://a.co/d/3AK10pI  ➡️ 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

Is reality real, or are we actually just living in a simulation? How did Galileo influence modern thinking about reality? And are there any drug experiences that you simply can't come back from?  Here today to discuss this with me is renowned philosopher, famous TED talk speaker, cognitive scientist, and deep thinker Donald Hoffman!  Donald 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. So, there is really no one better out there to discuss reality with! Tune in and join us as Donald presents his case against reality.  Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Judging a book by its cover: The Case Against Reality (01:15) How Galileo influenced modern thinking about reality (06:41) Can biology predict how consciousness emerges? (18:30) What is panpsychism? (22:50) Is reality just a linguistic construction? (31:53) How are humans supposed to interact with the “real” world? (42:53) Is consciousness a unique filter into reality? (46:27) Can computers be conscious? (49:44) Are there drug experiences that you can't come back from? (55:45) Outro (1:02:33) — 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! 🎤 Join me and ⁦Lawrence Krauss for an Onstage Dialogue ⁦at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-onstage-dialogue-brian-keating-lawrence-m-krauss-tickets-699430514497 📚 The Case Against Reality by Donald Hoffman: https://a.co/d/dy3tfCc  ➡️ 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

Is the human brain a quantum computer? What is the Orch OR model of consciousness? And is there an afterlife for our quantum souls? Here today to answer these questions and take us on a wild tour through consciousness, imagination, and the human brain is Dr. Stuart Hameroff! Stuart is a professor of anesthesiology and psychology at the University of Arizona and director of The Center for Consciousness Studies. In this interview, we dive deep into Stuart’s research and his passion for everything consciousness, so make sure to check it out!  Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Judging the symposium by its cover (02:06) The Orch OR theory (06:44) The problem of free will (10:14) Elaborating on the Orch OR theory (13:00) How does anesthesia actually work? (26:23) Stuart’s interest in quantum physics (30:10) Artificial intelligence and brain organoids (33:55) AI, Neuralink, and other brain-computer interfaces (38:02) Audience questions (42:54) Outro (55:53) — 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! 🎤 Join me and ⁦Lawrence Krauss for an Onstage Dialogue ⁦at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-onstage-dialogue-brian-keating-lawrence-m-krauss-tickets-699430514497 ➡️ 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

I've recently hit a huge milestone on my YouTube channel, which is currently at a whopping 150k subscribers... And counting! I could not be more grateful to you for tuning in, subscribing, and especially for commenting and leaving questions for me to answer.  So, to thank you, I've prepared a very special bonus episode in which I answer ALL your questions! Buckle up! Today, we’re diving deep Into the Impossible. — 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! 🎤 Join me and ⁦Lawrence Krauss for an Onstage Dialogue ⁦at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-onstage-dialogue-brian-keating-lawrence-m-krauss-tickets-699430514497 ➡️ 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

Today, I have the honor to welcome back one of my favorite guests on the show, Eric Weinstein! Most of you are probably already very familiar with Eric and his work, but for those who don’t know him, Eric is a mathematical physicist, economist, podcaster, public speaker, and one of the most brilliant people I know.  In this episode, we will again discuss the universe's current state, whether we are heading towards nuclear war, the twin nuclei problem of cell and atom, aliens, physics, and much more.  Tune in! Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Are we heading towards a nuclear war? (00:53) What would happen the next day after we discovered aliens? (20:41) Nuclear fission, the Manhattan Project, and the collapse of civilization (26:23) Will we ever get off the planet? (41:22) Intuitive and rational minds (53:47) On theories of everything (56:37) What Eric does to take care of himself (1:14:51) Outro (1:17:04) — 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! 🎤 Join me and ⁦Lawrence Krauss for an Onstage Dialogue ⁦at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-onstage-dialogue-brian-keating-lawrence-m-krauss-tickets-699430514497 ➡️ Check out my previous episodes with Eric:  🛸 Eric Weinstein: UFOs, Portal Podcast Reboot, & 2022 Predictions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMS02ueFso0&t=0s  🌎 Eric Weinstein: What is WRONG With The World?!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzbElaoMfjk&t=0s  💥 Eric Weinstein: Aliens & Nuclear War: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTFy43O8kFs  ➡️ 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

Is AI real or just magic pretending to be real? What’s the difference between education and learning? And what does global warming have to do with marketing?!  Here today, to answer these questions, is one of my heroes, Seth Godin! Seth is an internationally renowned author and public speaker. His name is synonymous with marketing. For over 30 years, Seth has inspired countless individuals, teams, and tribes to think differently about marketing, leadership, and innovation.  Today, Seth and I sit down to discuss his latest book, The Song of Significance, a manifesto for teams desperately seeking ways to navigate the age of disconnection, AI, the educational system, and global warming.  Strap in for another mind-bending conversation!  Key Takeaways:  Introduction (00:00) Judging a book by its cover: The Song of Significance (01:10) AI, magic, and the future of education (05:22) The half-life of companies (16:29) Seth’s writing process (24:13) Final questions (41:47) Outro (44:41) — 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! 🎤 Join me and ⁦Lawrence Krauss for an Onstage Dialogue ⁦at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-onstage-dialogue-brian-keating-lawrence-m-krauss-tickets-699430514497 ➡️ Check out Seth Godin:  📚 The Song of Significance by Seth Godin: https://a.co/d/8nk6Ves  ✍️ Seth’s Blog: https://seths.blog/  📚 The Carbon Almanac by The Carbon Almanac Network: https://a.co/d/8gyGW7V  📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethgodin  ➡️ 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

Noam Chomsky is one of the most influential and highly cited scholars of our time. He is a pioneer in the fields of linguistics and cognitive science. He has deep thoughts about communicating with aliens, meditation, Elon Musk, and free speech. Chomsky is a prolific author and known political activist. We avoided politics, as is the custom for my interviews. Our conversation also covers the Turing Test, neural nets, and artificial intelligence, including why he expects Elon Musk’s Neuralink project to fail. Key Takeaways:  Introduction (00:00) Does Noam Chomsky believe in extraterrestrial life & could we communicate with E.T.? (09:01) Busting (or confirming) linguistic myths with the master (23:57) “There is no scientific method. It’s just being intelligent.” (39:19) Artificial intelligence applications in cognitive science (58:13) Chomsky University would encourage discovery (1:09:46) Thoughts on the negative reaction to the Harper’s Magazine article (1:21:52) What object or knowledge would Chomsky put in or on his monolith? (1:29:59) What did Chomsky think was impossible until he did it? (1:32:16) — Additional resources:  Noam Chomsky has been called "the father of modern linguistics." He has been a professor at MIT since 1955 (now emeritus) and continues to teach at the University of Arizona at the age of 91. Chomsky has received numerous awards and honorary doctorates, along with being a member of multiple professional societies. He has written over 100 books covering topics including linguistics, politics, and philosophy. Read “A Letter on Justice and Open Debate,” the letter in Harper’s Magazine which Chomsky signed https://harpers.org/a-letter-on-justice-and-open-debate/ Find Chomsky on the web: https://chomsky.info and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Noam-Chomsky-294468630182/ 🥗 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! 🎤 Join me and ⁦Lawrence Krauss for an Onstage Dialogue ⁦at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-onstage-dialogue-brian-keating-lawrence-m-krauss-tickets-699430514497 ➡️ 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