Podcast
Into the Impossible With Brian Keating
Hosted by Big Bang Productions Inc. · EN
Think like a physicist. Wonder like a human. Into the Impossible is where Cosmic Conversations happen — uniting Nobel Prize winners, iconoclasts, authors, and technologists to explore reality’s deepest questions. From AI to aliens, from biophysics to the brain, from the cosmos to the multiverse, Brian Keating, Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics at UC San Diego covers it all.
If you’ve ever asked What’s out there? or What’s next?, this is where curiosity meets clarity.
Learn to think like this. 🎙 Full episodes, notes & more: briankeating.com/podcast
61episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Entropy and Coherence Could Change Everything We Know About the Universe! w/ Dick Bond [Ep. 487]
Apr 15, 202500:53:59Tap to summarizePlease join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥Could entropy and coherence change everything we know about the universe? How does quantum information flow in the cosmic superweb? And will quantum mechanics reveal our universe’s deepest secrets? Today, I’m joined by the one and only Dick Bond, a theorist who has helped reshape our understanding of dark matter, entropy, and quantum mechanics, to discuss how every aspect of the universe could be a result of quantum mechanics. Dick is a renowned astrophysicist known for his significant contributions to cosmology and the study of the universe's large-scale structure. He has worked extensively on topics such as dark matter, dark energy, the cosmic microwave background (CMB), and quantum cosmology. We also have a treat for you at the end of the episode, as Dick will grace us with a lecture titled Entropy in a Coherent Universe: Quantum Information Flows in the Cosmic SuperWeb. Don’t miss out! —Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 01:29 Lecture preview 06:42 Training the next generation of scientists 10:59 Influences and early career 15:18 The role of entropy and coherence in quantum mechanics 20:41 Challenges in communicating science 31:32 The multiverse and quantum mechanics 36:22 The role of information in physical reality 40:34 The Hubble tension and dark energy 47:10 Outro —Additional resources: ➡️ Learn more about Dick Bond: 💻 Website: https://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~bond/ ➡️ 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 so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Andrew Huberman’s Guide to Eye Health
Apr 10, 202500:16:44Tap to summarizeAndrew Huberman and Brian Keating dive deep into optimizing astronomical vision and the physiological challenges faced at high altitudes. Huberman shares insights on nose breathing, creatine supplementation, and adapting to extreme environments like the South Pole. The conversation also touches on eye health, offering practical advice for dealing with jet lag, light adaptation, and conditions like dry eyes and glaucoma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Earth Growing an AI Brain? Planetary Computation Explained with Ben Bratton [Ep. 486]
Apr 6, 202500:51:37Tap to summarizeAs a member of the Into the Impossible family, you get a special 20% discount on a subscription to The Economist. Visit their website at https://www.economist.com/Keating to get started.Pique is offering 20% off for life AND a free Starter Kit with your purchase—that's a rechargeable frother and glass beaker to make the perfect cup every time. Just go to http://piquelife.com/impossible Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥What is planetary computation, and why does it matter? Are humans and AI truly separate, or are we actually co-evolving? And how did we end up building a megastructure that’s quietly reshaping governance, knowledge, and power on a planetary scale?Here to shed light on our evolving technological reality is Ben Bratton, philosopher of technology and professor at UCSD. Ben is the Director of Antikythera, a research program at the Berggruen Institute focused on the future of planetary computation. The program explores five core areas: planetary computation, synthetic intelligence, recursive simulations, hemispherical stacks, and planetary sapience. He is also the author of The Stack, a groundbreaking book that introduced the term “planetary computation” and mapped its political, social, and philosophical implications.In our wide-ranging conversation, Ben explains how computation has evolved far beyond servers and algorithms to become an organizing force of the planet itself. We also dive into the future of AGI, the ethics of machine valence, terraforming Earth as a philosophical imperative, non-biological life, and how speculative design and planetary sapience might reframe humanity’s role in the cosmos.—Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 01:02 Antikythera and planetary computation 07:50 AI and the limits of computation 18:04 Terraforming and the future of humanity 19:55 The role of language in AI 31:01 Planetary data centers and future energy needs 34:00 Techno signatures 39:10 Science and philosophy 41:09 The Stack: On Software and Sovereignty 45:52 Outro —Additional resources: ➡️ Learn more about Ben Bratton: 💻 Website: https://bratton.info/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjaminbratton ✖️ X: https://x.com/bratton 📚 The Stack: https://amzn.eu/d/j80ENZW ➡️ 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 so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Cosmology, Cosmic Inflation & Nobel Prizes | Dr. Brian Keating on Know Time
Apr 3, 202501:00:02Tap to summarizeProf. Brian Keating talks about the origins of the universe, the Big Bang, cosmic microwave background radiation, cosmic inflation, BICEP & POLARBEAR experiments, the Simons Array and the Nobel Prize! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Can Future Telescopes Solve Dark Matter Mysteries? | Bob Kirshner
Mar 29, 202500:24:10Tap to summarizeBob Kirshner and Brian Keating explore the future of the TMT and GMT telescopes in studying dark energy and exoplanets. They also consider recent controversies in cosmology regarding dark energy and the potential for astronomical measurements of neutrino mass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Christof Koch Exposes the Fatal Flaw in AI Consciousness [Ep. 484]
Mar 23, 202500:58:37Tap to summarizePique is offering 20% off for life AND a free Starter Kit with your purchase—that's a rechargeable frother and glass beaker to make the perfect cup every time. Just go to http://piquelife.com/impossible Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥What is consciousness? Will we ever be able to create digital twins of ourselves that are conscious? And can artificial intelligence ever truly experience consciousness?Here today to enlighten us on these elusive yet fascinating topics is Christof Koch! Christof is a renowned neuroscientist and one of the leading figures in the field of consciousness. He is best known for his work in exploring the neural bases of consciousness, particularly in relation to the brain's structure and function. A key proponent of Integrated Information Theory, Christof is also about to release his new book, Then I Am Myself the World, an essential read for anyone seeking to understand humankind and the future we are creating.Join Christof and me as we delve into the mystical and mysterious world of consciousness.—Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 00:43 Judging a book by its cover 03:03 Defining consciousness 05:55 Progress in understanding consciousness 07:43 Integrated information theory 12:42 Consciousness in non-human systems 15:58 Meditation, psychedelics and dancing 17:58 AI scientists and digital twins 26:56 The perception box 31:43 Quantum mechanics and consciousness 38:25 How to calculate phi 44:01 Quantum computers and consciousness 48:00 Audience questions 52:49 Outro —Additional resources: ➡️ Learn more about Christof Koch:💻 Website: https://christofkoch.com/ 📚 Then I Am Myself the World: https://a.co/d/agleHRB ➡️ 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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Meta’s Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun: The Path Toward Human-Level Intelligence in AI [Ep. 473]
Dec 29, 2024Summary readyPlease join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥What are the current limitations of AI? What advancements do we need to achieve human-like intelligence? And how can we develop AI safely to align with our values? Here today to offer us an astounding look behind the scenes of AI development is Meta’s chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun! Yann is a pioneer in AI and a Turing Award winner who has been at the forefront of major breakthroughs in machine learning and neural networks. As the architect behind transformative AI technologies, Yann joins us to demystify the path toward human-level intelligence and the challenges that lie ahead. He also introduces the Joint Embedding Predictive Architecture (JEPA), a potential game-changer for enabling AI to model and predict complex real-world scenarios.Tune in for a look into the future of AI!—Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:11 Is AI barely as smart as a cat? 00:08:50 Joint-Embedding Predictive Architecture (JEPA) 00:30:25 Comparing self-supervised learning and dark matter 00:39:23 AGI and human-level intelligence 00:51:50 Preventing loss of control over powerful AI 01:02:45 Future of AI and education 01:10:56 What was Yann wrong about? 01:12:14 Outro Additional resources: ➡️ Learn more about Yann LeCun:📱 Website: https://yann.lecun.com/ ✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/ylecun ➡️ 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
SummaryUAP Disclosure: Eyewitness encounters with Ryan Graves (#334)
Jul 31, 2023Tap to summarizeSee the Video of this episode here! https://youtu.be/tnQtfv93agA"The gimbal object...we had never seen anything like that before!"In today's episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Ryan Graves, who shares his encounters with multiple unidentified objects that flew past Navy F-18 aircraft over extended periods.As we delve into this extraordinary event, we explore the complexities surrounding unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) and the challenges of reporting them. From the stigma surrounding UAP sightings to the need for standardized reporting procedures, we uncover the implications for aviation safety and discuss the importance of gathering data to ensure the security of our airspace. Join us as we navigate the mysterious realm of UAPs and contemplate their significance in our modern world. Get ready to explore the unknown on The INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast.Ryan's fresh off his congressional testimony: Wednesday's hearing included testimony from two former U.S. Navy aviators, Ryan, and David Fravor, both witnesses to separate highly publicized encounters with what appeared to be unconventional aircraft operating in U.S. military airspace.Today's hearing included testimony from a whistleblower who has alleged the Pentagon is hiding evidence of "non-human intelligence." David Grusch, a decorated former combat officer and veteran of the Pentagon's intelligence community testified, and we discussed his claims. In a report published last month, Grusch alleged that he had received "extensive classified information about deeply covert programs that he says possess retrieved intact and partially intact craft of non-human origin." Grusch's statements have received attention from major news outlets and U.S. politicians.Watch Ryan's testimony here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ7Dw-739VYPlease join my mailing list 👉 briankeating.com/list for your chance to win a real meteorite 💥!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-699430514497Support The INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast by supporting our sponsors:Post your free listing at LinkedIn Jobs https://www.linkedin.com/impossible Thanks HelloFresh! Go to https://www.hellofresh.com/impossible and use code 50impossible for 50% off plus free shipping!As an Into The Impossible listener, you can get 15% off a MASTERCLASS annual membership masterclass.com/impossible Subscribe to the Jordan Harbinger Show for amazing content from Apple’s best podcast of 2018! https://www.jordanharbinger.com/podcasts Please leave a rating and review: On Apple devices, click here, https://apple.co/39UaHlB On Spotify it’s here: https://spoti.fi/3vpfXok On Audible it’s here https://tinyurl.com/wtpvej9v Find other ways to rate here: https://briankeating.com/podcast Support the podcast on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/drbriankeating Become a Member on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw/join= Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →The Realistic Future of AI With Peter Diamandis & Brian Keating on Moonshots and Mindsets (#322)
Jun 11, 2023Tap to summarizeSee the video here: https://youtu.be/nzy4jVOPC6EPeter and Brian discuss asteroids, multiverses, and how AI will impact the universe. Brian Keating is a renowned astrophysicist, cosmologist, inventor, and author. He is a professor at the University of California, San Diego and director of the Arthur C. Clarke Center for the Human Imagination. Keating's groundbreaking research on cosmic microwave background radiation has earned him prestigious awards, and his book "Losing the Nobel Prize" has received critical acclaim. Visit his website: https://briankeating.com/Follow the Brian's Podcast, INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE, on Apple devices https://apple.co/39UaHlB, Spotify spoti.fi/3vpfXok, Audible it’s here: adbl.co/3MeLPTj or, briankeating.com/podcastSubscribe to Moonshots and Mindsets here: https://youtu.be/bJ190tosW5ASubscribe to the Jordan Harbinger Show for amazing content from Apple’s best podcast of 2018! https://www.jordanharbinger.com/podcasts Please leave a rating and review: On Apple devices, click here, https://apple.co/39UaHlB On Spotify it’s here: https://spoti.fi/3vpfXok On Audible it’s here https://tinyurl.com/wtpvej9v Find other ways to rate here: https://briankeating.com/podcast Support the podcast on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/drbriankeating or become a Member on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Niall Ferguson: DOOM! (#273)
Nov 20, 2022Tap to summarizeNiall Ferguson’s most recent book is Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe. In this book he posits that disasters are inherently hard to predict. Pandemics, like earthquakes, wildfires, and financial crises. and wars, are not normally distributed; there is no cycle of history to help us anticipate the next catastrophe. But when disaster strikes, we ought to be better prepared than the Romans were when Vesuvius erupted, or medieval Italians when the Black Death struck. Yet in 2020 the responses of many developed countries, including the United States, to a new virus from China were badly bungled. Why? While populist leaders certainly performed poorly in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Ferguson argues that more profound pathologies were at work.Drawing from multiple disciplines, including economics, cliodynamics, and network science, Doom offers not just a history but a general theory of disasters, showing why our ever more bureaucratic and complex systems are getting worse at handling them.Niall Ferguson, MA, D.Phil., is the Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and a senior faculty fellow of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard, where he served for twelve years as the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History. He is the author of sixteen books. In 2003, Ferguson wrote and presented a six-part history of the British Empire for Channel 4, the UK broadcaster. The accompanying book, Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power, was a bestseller in both Britain and the United States. The sequel, Colossus: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire, was published in 2004 by Penguin, and prompted Time magazine to name him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The international bestseller, The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World, published in 2008 was adapted into a PBS series, winning the International Emmy award for Best Documentary, as well as the Handelszeitung Economics Book Prize. In 2011 he published Civilization: The West and the Rest, also a Channel 4/PBS documentary series. A year later came the three-part television series “China: Triumph and Turmoil.” The book based on his 2012 BBC Reith lectures, The Great Degeneration: How Institutions Decay and Economies Die, was a New York Times bestseller within a week of its publication. Ferguson has been a contributing editor for Bloomberg Television and a columnist for Newsweek. He began writing a twice-a-month column for Bloomberg Opinion in June 2020.www.niallferguson.comtwitter.com/nfergusConnect with me:🏄♂️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 Subscribe https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list; just click here http://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Detailed Blog posts here: https://briankeating.com/blog.php 🎙️ Listen on audio-only platforms: https://briankeating.com/podcast Subscribe to the Jordan Harbinger Show for amazing content from Apple’s best podcast of 2018!Can you do me a favor? Please leave a rating and review of my Podcast: 🎧 On Apple devices, click here, https://apple.co/39UaHlBscroll down to the ratings and leave a 5 star rating and review The INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast.🎙️On Spotify it’s here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2G3PRMUhxGQkyQzLiiCqlf?si=8656119458df4555🎧 On Audible it’s here : https://www.audible.com/pd/Into-the-Impossible-With-Brian-Keating-Podcast/B08K56PXJX?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp&shareTest=TestSharOther ways to rate here: https://briankeating.com/podcast- Support the podcast on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/drbriankeating or become a Member on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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