September 26, 2019 8:09 pm
Friday, We Ponder The Deep: Deep Thoughts, Deep Questions, and Deep Space
Who are we? Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? These are the questions that keep us awake at night. On this week’s episode of StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice answer fan-submitted questions that explore our deepest thoughts, ideas, and feelings.
The Hubble Legacy Field image includes observations taken by several Hubble deep-field surveys, including the eXtreme Deep Field (XDF), the deepest view of the universe. Credit: NASA, ESA, G. Illingworth and D. Magee (University of California, Santa Cruz), K. Whitaker (University of Connecticut), R. Bouwens (Leiden University), P. Oesch (University of Geneva), and the Hubble Legacy Field team.
Ever wonder what boggles Neil’s mind? As we all know, Neil is the one who usually provides the information that boggles our minds but, in this instance, the tides have turned. Find out why research being done in the field of neuroscience keeps Neil awake at night. We explore the complexities of the universe and if there are certain aspects of the universe that the human brain cannot comprehend.
Will humans ever create an intelligence greater than our own? If so, what will happen then? You’ll learn why Neil has confidence in humanity given the cumulative nature of our intelligence. We investigate the nonsensical nature of the universe and whether it’s even worth studying. Neil explains why our senses limit us when studying the universe. However, on the flip side, we ponder the idea that humans were created so the universe could study itself.
Then, we get into the meaning of life. Neil shares his take on the meaning of life and the purpose of our existence. Find out how long Neil and Chuck think the human race will survive. We discuss the aging process and the possibility of living forever. And then, to lighten things up, we chat about the vacuum of space!
Discover more about the Moon and how it can be a hindrance to astronomical studies. We debate what should be the current priority, or priorities, of space exploration. We also investigate the shape of space itself and why, when you’re looking out into space, you’re always looking at the past. All that, plus, find out more about higher dimensions and the possibility of our universe containing more dimensions than we can currently process.
Please join us tomorrow night for Cosmic Queries – The Deep at 7pm ET right here on our website, as well as on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you’re a StarTalk+ Patron or an All-Access subscriber, you can watch or listen to this episode ad-free at 7pm, too.
That’s it for now. Keep Looking Up!
-Ian Mullen
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