Podcast Summary
Limited Senses and the Unseen World: Our cultural biases and reliance on five traditional senses may hinder us from discovering the universe's full complexity and richness
Our five traditional senses limit our perception of the physical world, and we may be ignoring other phenomena that exist beyond them. During a StarTalk episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice discussed various queries from listeners, including one from Victor Ray Rutledge about things in the physical world we ignore since they have always been ignored. Tyson explained that before science and technology advanced, there was no reason to believe the world contained things we couldn't sense. He referenced a chapter in his book "Death by Black Hole and Other Cosmic Quandaries" called "Coming to Our Senses," which delves into this topic. Tyson emphasized that our cultural, philosophical, and emotional biases have led us to believe our senses capture everything, but figures like Anton van Leeuwenhoek, who discovered a whole new world in a drop of pond water, challenged these assumptions. In essence, our limited senses may prevent us from fully understanding the richness and complexity of the universe.
Exploring the Invisible and Microscopic with Science: Science expands our senses and enables us to understand phenomena beyond our natural abilities, from microorganisms to infrared light
Our senses can't perceive everything in the universe, and science allows us to explore and understand the invisible and the microscopic. The story of Antony van Leeuwenhoek and his discovery of animacules, or microorganisms, illustrates this idea. His findings were initially met with skepticism, but the scientific method allowed for verification and further exploration. William Herschel's discovery of infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye, is another example. As scientists, we have tools that expand our senses and allow us to detect and understand phenomena beyond our natural abilities. The universe is full of things that are too small, too large, or otherwise outside of our perception, but science enables us to explore and make sense of it all. So, while we may not have a sixth sense, we have the power of science to uncover the mysteries of the world around us.
International collaborations lead to cost savings and innovation in space: Collaboration in space can lead to significant cost savings and innovation, as demonstrated by India's successful lunar mission at a budget of $75 million. Countries can leverage each other's strengths and expertise, while data sharing can lead to more efficient and effective space exploration.
International collaborations in space can lead to significant cost savings and innovation, as demonstrated by India's successful lunar mission to the South Pole at a budget of $75 million. However, the affordability of such missions for governments versus private enterprises varies greatly. While NASA may not be able to achieve the same results for the same price, collaborations allow countries to leverage each other's strengths and expertise. Competition and profit can also drive innovation and achievement, but not at the expense of collaboration when it makes sense. Data sharing, such as India's contribution to the Artemis Accord, is a form of collaboration that can lead to more efficient and effective space exploration. Ultimately, the goal is to advance the frontier in a peaceful and collaborative manner, with resources like water on the moon becoming valuable assets for further exploration and propulsion into space.
Advanced alien civilizations might not find humans interesting: Despite human intelligence and technological advancements, advanced alien civilizations might not consider us noteworthy due to lack of complexities like mathematics, poetry, music, art, and space exploration.
Even with our technological advancements, the possibility exists that advanced alien civilizations might not consider us interesting or worthy of notice. Neil deGrasse Tyson used the example of chimpanzees, our closest genetic relatives, to illustrate this point. Chimps are intelligent in their own way, but they don't possess the complexities that humans do, such as mathematics, poetry, music, art, and space exploration. While we might be impressed by a chimp's ability to stack boxes or use a stick to extract termites, these actions pale in comparison to human achievements. However, the difference between us and chimps is only 1.5%, and yet it leads to vastly different civilizations. Therefore, an advanced alien civilization might not see the value in observing or interacting with us, even if we possess the ability to do complex mathematics and explore space. This underscores the importance of scientific literacy and continued exploration, as it is these pursuits that set us apart from other creatures on Earth and potentially from other civilizations in the universe.
Perceived insignificance in the universe: Focus on human progress, not impressing advanced aliens. Our collective intelligence may be greater than individual, and aliens might be interested in our technology or culture.
Our perceived significance in the universe might be smaller than we think. A species that is 1.5% beyond us on the intelligence scale would consider us as chimps, and anything beyond that would be unimaginable to us. We should not be overly concerned with impressing hypothetical advanced alien civilizations, as they might not find us interesting. Instead, we should focus on building upon human knowledge and achievements, which are cumulative and enable us to explore the universe further. Our collective intelligence as a species might be greater than our individual intelligence. If aliens were to visit us, they might be more interested in our technological advancements or popular culture, such as Taylor Swift. Ultimately, we should maintain a humble perspective and continue to learn and grow as a species.
Understanding the Universe's Complexities through Einstein's Theory of Relativity: Einstein's theory of relativity explains how matter and energy curve space time, affecting precise measurements, and encourages questioning and learning about the universe's origins
The universe and its concepts, such as space time, can be complex and counterintuitive. Matter and energy, which make up everything, influence the fabric of space time, causing it to curve towards concentrations and slow down in their vicinity. This is described by Einstein's theory of relativity, which calculates the difference in time and corrects it for precise measurements. Despite the mind-bending nature of these concepts, they are essential to understanding the universe. The speaker encourages skepticism and questioning, but also emphasizes the importance of scientific knowledge and discovery. Regarding the origins of the universe, the speaker acknowledges that there are many unanswered questions and theories, but encourages further exploration and learning.
The Big Bang theory and the possibility of multiple universes: The Big Bang theory suggests the universe's birth state led to its rapid expansion, potentially creating new universes, as in quantum physics where energy can tunnel through barriers.
The Big Bang theory not only explains the origin of our universe but also suggests the possibility of multiple universes. The extreme temperatures and densities of the universe's birth state force it to rapidly expand, leading to the creation of new universes. This concept is compared to a hill with a basin where water collects, unaware of a lower point on the other side. Quantum physics suggests that water (or in this case, energy) can tunnel through this barrier, resulting in the birth of a new universe. Meanwhile, the Milky Way's appearance as a cloud in the night sky is due to our limited human perception. With the aid of telescopes, we can resolve the stars that make up this galaxy.
The Milky Way is thin and flat, allowing clear views of the universe above and below: The Milky Way's flat structure allows for unobstructed views of the universe, and black holes don't lose information due to Hawking radiation's precise inventory of consumed matter
The Milky Way galaxy is incredibly thin and flat, much like a crepe, with most of its stars and gas residing in the plane. This means that when we look above and below the plane, we can observe the rest of the universe without much obstruction. Additionally, quirky physicist Peter Jacobs posed an intriguing question: if entangled quarks are produced in the vacuum of space and one enters a black hole, can the remaining quark provide information about what's inside? The answer is yes, but it's more complex than that. The particles that emerge from the black hole's gravitational field, known as Hawking radiation, carry a precise inventory of the matter that the black hole has consumed. This discovery, which pitted Stephen Hawking against Kip Thorne, ensures that black holes do not lose information despite their mysterious nature.
Black Holes and Human Survival in Space: Black holes retain information, humans can't survive long in space without a suit, and black hole evaporation creates particles that hold onto past information
Information is not lost when it falls into a black hole. Instead, Hawking radiation recovers that information until the black hole disappears. Additionally, in space, there is a lack of molecules to draw heat away from the body, causing radiative cooling and leading to a rapid drop in body temperature. Despite this, it's theoretically possible for a human to survive for a few seconds in the vacuum of space without a suit. However, it's important to note that doing so would be extremely dangerous and not recommended. Furthermore, the concept of black hole evaporation is linked to the idea that the gravitational field itself creates particles, which holds onto the memory of what fell in earlier. This idea is quite intriguing and adds to our understanding of the mysteries of the universe.
Exploring the Solar System: Beyond One Destination: NASA's budget is small, making space exploration an affordable investment for discovering new resources and promoting peace through cooperation. Prioritize comprehensive solar system exploration, including Mars, Europa, Enceladus, the moon, and space tourism.
While the human body can withstand extreme temperatures in space, the biggest priority for exploring the solar system should not be limited to just one destination. NASA's current budget is only 0.4% of the federal budget, making space exploration an affordable investment for the discovery of new resources and the potential for peaceful cooperation among nations. With the potential for finding rare Earth elements in space and the abundance of energy, space could be a significant force for peace by eliminating wars over limited resources. Therefore, we should aim for a comprehensive exploration of the solar system, including landing humans on Mars, sending probes to Europa and Enceladus, building a base on the moon, and engaging in space tourism.
The Power of Curiosity and Asking Questions: For just $5 a month, access Cosmic Queries and expand your knowledge by asking your own questions. Invest in learning and exploration, not hot water and tea bags.
Key takeaway from this conversation with Neil deGrasse Tyson is the value of curiosity and asking questions. For just $5 a month, you can access Cosmic Queries and ask your own questions to expand your knowledge. However, it's important to note that the cost doesn't cover basic items like hot water and a tea bag at Starbucks. Instead, it's an investment in learning and exploration. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of continuing to look up and ask questions about the universe and the world around us. So, whether you're a seasoned astrophysicist or just starting your journey of discovery, remember that asking questions is a powerful tool for learning and growth. As Neil deGrasse Tyson often says, "Keep looking up!"