Podcast Summary
Friendship and shared interests: Exploring the unknown and being open to new experiences can lead to valuable connections and insights. Respect personal boundaries and allow people their private moments.
Friendship and shared interests can bridge the gaps between seemingly disparate fields and individuals. In this episode of StarTalk, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Adam Savage, both with distinct backgrounds in science and pop culture, found common ground and built a friendship. They discussed Savage's new book, sharing stories and appreciating each other's passions. The conversation showcased how exploring the unknown and being open to new experiences can lead to valuable connections and insights. Additionally, the episode highlighted the importance of respecting personal boundaries and allowing people to have their private moments. Overall, the episode emphasized the power of curiosity, creativity, and the shared human experience.
Unexpected discoveries during experiments: Stay open to new discoveries and follow curiosity, even when they deviate from the planned objective, as they can lead to important innovations.
Serendipitous discoveries, or what scientists call "serendipity," can lead to important innovations, even if they don't fit neatly into the original plan. This was exemplified during an episode of Mythbusters when Jamie Hyneman discovered that beach sand could filter saltwater to create fresh water. Despite not fitting into the episode's narrative, Jamie's excitement about this discovery led to its inclusion, showcasing the value of following one's curiosity and interests, even when they deviate from the planned objective. This idea resonates with the maker community, as they often encounter unexpected challenges and discoveries during their creative processes. Additionally, the concept of chirality, which refers to the left and right handedness of molecules, was mentioned as another example of unexpected discoveries leading to new insights. Overall, the importance of staying open to new discoveries and following one's curiosity, even when they seem unrelated to the original goal, was emphasized throughout the discussion.
The Complexity of Creativity: From Building Furniture to Writing: Despite challenges and setbacks, persistence and inspiration are key to overcoming complexity in creative endeavors, whether it's building furniture or writing a novel.
The complexity of assembly, whether it's in creating structures or writing, can lead to feelings of frustration and dejection when things don't fit together perfectly. This is true in various aspects of life, such as building furniture from IKEA or writing a novel. The precision required in these tasks can be compared to the challenge of dealing with chiral parts, where the order of operations is crucial. Even renowned writers experience writer's block and seek inspiration through various means, like organizing their workspace or reading the works of others. It's essential to remember that setbacks are a natural part of the creative process and to keep pushing forward, even when progress seems slow or impossible. As the author Mary Carr once said, "if I can't think about what to write, I sit at my desk and I copy writers I love in longhand because my fidelity at the desk is to be writing, whether it's my own writing or not."
The Importance of Tools for Problem-Solving and Innovation: Both practical skills and innovative thinking are crucial for problem-solving and progress. Having the right tool, be it a physical object or an idea, can significantly impact success.
Tools and knowledge are essential for problem-solving and innovation. During a conversation on Startalk, Adam Savage and Salman Rushdie discussed various tools and their importance. Savage shared his experiences with different tools, emphasizing the value of having the right tool for the job. Rushdie, on the other hand, highlighted the significance of ideas and the power of rejecting reality to substitute one's own. Mitch Morris, an Instagram user, asked about the most important tool ever invented. Both Savage and Rushdie provided their perspectives, with Savage suggesting money as a tool to hire someone else, and Rushdie emphasizing the importance of ideas. They also touched upon the debate between mechanical know-how and advances in material science, with no clear answer given. Throughout the conversation, the importance of having the right tool, be it a physical object or an idea, was a recurring theme. The discussion underscored the significance of both practical skills and innovative thinking in solving problems and driving progress.
The balance between mechanical know-how and material science: Both mechanical expertise and material advancements are essential for future inventions. A balance between the two is necessary to effectively utilize new materials and push humanity forward.
Both mechanical know-how and advancements in material science are crucial for the future of invention. While material science will continue to advance, having a strong foundation in mechanical knowledge allows us to utilize these new materials effectively and adapt to changes. However, some materials, like 3D-printed titanium, can be so advanced that they don't require extensive mechanical knowledge, as their properties are built into the material itself. Ultimately, a balance between the two is necessary for pushing humanity forward. For instance, Neil's new show, Savage Builds, showcases this synergy by combining mechanical know-how with innovative materials to create extraordinary projects.
Exploring the Future of Technology and Science: Mike's belief in room temperature superconductors and its potential implications on future tech, and Adam's passion for armor and its connection to the past, showcase the endless possibilities and fascination with the future and technology's impact on our lives.
Technology and science are constantly evolving, leading to advancements that were once considered science fiction becoming a reality. Mike, also known as Pumaking, discussed his belief in the potential of room temperature superconductors and the implications it could have on future technology, such as hovering spaceships and a deeper understanding of the human brain. Meanwhile, Adam shared his passion for armor, reminiscing about his obsession with the movie Excalibur and building a suit of armor as a teenager. These conversations highlight the endless possibilities and fascination with the future and the impact of technology on our lives.
An Apprenticeship with a Master Armor Maker from Excalibur: The speaker cherishes his experience working as an apprentice to create King Arthur's armor from Excalibur and remains deeply connected to the movie, which inspired Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings series.
The speaker had an intense experience working as an apprentice with Terry English, the master armor maker who created the suits for the movie "Excalibur." They spent 10 days in Cornwall, England, crafting a suit of King Arthur's armor, which is now a cherished possession. The speaker went to great lengths to ensure the armor's safe travel, even checking it as luggage with a GPS tracker. The speaker's connection to "Excalibur" extends beyond just being a fan, as Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings series, was inspired by the movie. The speaker's top five movies include "Excalibur," "The Matrix," "All That Jazz," "The Conversation," and a toss-up between "The Man and the Woman" and "West Side Story." The speaker's dedication to these films is so strong that they have watched each director's commentary multiple times.
Our top five lists are shaped by personal taste and experiences: Failure is an essential part of the creative process, view it as an iteration rather than a setback.
Both personal taste and experiences shape our top five lists, and failure is an essential part of the creative process. Neil deGrasse Tyson shared his eclectic top five films, which range from "The Matrix" to "West Side Story," emphasizing that these lists can be quantum and have multiple dimensions. He also discussed his past experiences as a dancer and a writer, and how they influenced his interests. Tyson also highlighted the importance of failure, stating that it is not a negative but a necessary part of the creative process. He encouraged listeners to view failure as an iteration rather than a setback, and to continue striving for improvement in their art and science projects.
Embrace the value of failure: Failures provide crucial learning experiences and data, inspiring creativity and innovation
Failures and wrong turns in the path to success hold significant value. They provide crucial learning experiences and data that can prevent others from making the same mistakes. The scientific community recognizes this, but it's essential for everyone to embrace the value of failure. It's not a negative result, but an opportunity to learn and grow. The Mythbusters team discovered this firsthand, and even their mistakes inspired creativity and innovation. So, next time you encounter a wrong turn or a failure, remember that it's just an experiment rich in data and a valuable learning experience.
Building on the foundation of past knowledge and experiences: Creativity involves using past knowledge and experiences to build something new and innovative.
Creativity is built on the foundation of what has come before. Mythbusters' Carrie Byron, Tory Belleci, and Grant Imahara discovered something explosively dangerous, which they decided to keep hidden from the world. This discovery was so terrifying that even bomb squads around the world were thankful it wasn't released. When it comes to creating something new, there's no way to isolate an invention or idea before it's brought into existence. Everything we create is influenced by what we've seen and experienced. As Adam Savage explained, we "stand on the shoulders of giants," learning from those who came before us. For Savage, this concept was particularly evident after seeing Ridley Scott's Alien at age 17. The alien's design, by HR Giger, left a lasting impression, inspiring Savage to recreate and expand upon it. However, Savage believed that the alien could have been more creative, as most life forms on Earth don't have mouths and teeth. Instead, he pointed to The Blob (1958) as an example of true creativity, as it was a formless, terrifying entity that could consume its victims through vents and turn red after consuming its first victim. In short, the process of creativity involves building upon existing knowledge and ideas to create something new and innovative.
Embrace your unique urges and explore unconventional sources of inspiration: Trust your instincts, give permission to pursue unusual ideas, and be open to inspiration from unexpected places like books or observations. Embrace your weird urges for innovative and groundbreaking ideas.
Creativity often stems from following our unique urges and exploring unconventional sources of inspiration. Neil deGrasse Tyson emphasized the importance of trusting our instincts and giving ourselves permission to pursue the seemingly strange or unusual ideas that come to us. He shared that inspiration can strike at any moment, and can come from unexpected places like a book or a simple observation. When asked about the origin of his most unique ideas, Tyson admitted that he didn't have a sound bite answer, as inspiration often comes after putting in the hard work of reading, experimenting, and tinkering with various ideas. Ultimately, the most fertile sources of inspiration are those that challenge us to think differently and push the boundaries of what we know. So, embrace your weird urges and be open to the unexpected, as these experiences may lead to your most innovative and groundbreaking ideas.
The Power of Combining Existing Knowledge to Create Something New: Great inventors and geniuses don't just have unique ideas, they accumulate experiences and knowledge throughout their lives and assemble them into something new. Keep learning and exploring to create your own masterpiece.
Key takeaway from this episode of StarTalk is that great inventors and geniuses are not necessarily born with unique ideas, but rather accumulate various experiences and knowledge throughout their lives, which they later assemble into something new. Adam Savage, a former Mythbusters host, echoes this perspective, sharing his own experiences of creating new things by combining existing bits and pieces. This cosmic perspective encourages us to keep learning and experiencing new things, as we never know what we might be able to create in the future. So, keep exploring, keep learning, and who knows what you might be able to assemble from the pieces of your own life. As a reminder, Adam Savage's new Science Channel program is called "Savage Builds," and it premieres on June 12th, 2019. Stay tuned for more inspiring conversations on StarTalk, and remember, as always, to keep looking up!