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
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In a world increasingly shaped by science and technology, how do we determine what constitutes truth? What role does society play in shaping scientific knowledge consensus? And what are the implications for the future of research and innovation? In this episode, I sit down with Steve Fuller, a renowned sociologist of science from the University of Warwick in the UK, for a thought-provoking conversation. Steve and I explore the deep connections between science and sociology, discussing how scienc...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 In this thought-provoking installment, host Brian Keating sits down with legendary evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins for an electrifying conversation that spans the wonders of science, atheism, artificial intelligence, and the tapestry of human existence. A live audience in Vancouver brings their best questions, challenging Dawkins on topics from the acceleration of evolution to the place of h...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 In this special bonus audio essay, Brian shares personal reflections inspired by his recent experience hosting evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins on the final North American stop of Dawkins' legendary speaking tour. After a career filled with interviewing Nobel laureates and deep thinkers—from Sam Harris to Peter Thiel's Venice conferences—Brian turns inward to explore a fresh idea: the "giving valve." Dr...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 What if alien life is everywhere, but we’ve been looking for it in all the wrong places? We assume life needs water, carbon, a warm little pond—just like Darwin said. But what if life doesn't care about what we assume to be necessary? Today, we’re joined by Dr. Nathalie Cabrol, director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute. Cabrol has spent her career exploring Earth’s most extreme environments—boil...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 Can geometric unity actually solve the deepest mysteries of our universe, or will it join the many others that have tried unsuccessfully in the past to create a new unified theory? Eric Weinstein is one of the most revered thinkers of our generation. Though not an academic physicist, he proposed a unified theory of physics in 2013, which is supposed to have the potential to explain phenomena that string theor...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 Brian Keating takes us on a journey through the fascinating life and legacy of Isaac Asimov—but not as the sci-fi visionary you might expect. Instead, Brian explores Asimov the scientist: the prolific chemist, professor, and master storyteller who wrote more nonfiction science books than anyone in history. Discover how Asimov made chemistry come alive—turning even the most complex topics into vibrant, page-tu...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 Could a black hole erase your past? Wipe out every memory, every detail, that makes you who you are? That’s just one of the crazy questions we explore as we encounter the insane paradoxes of black holes. Black holes don’t just trap matter. They trap information too. This is what makes them one of the greatest mysteries of our universe. They challenge our fundamental understanding of physics and our reality. E...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 This conversation explores the life and legacy of Richard Feynman, exploring his pivotal role in the Manhattan Project, his unique personality, and his innovative teaching methods. Feynman's contributions to physics and his playful approach to science are highlighted, alongside the complexities of his character and the lasting impact he has had on future generations of scientists. - Key Takeaways: 00:00 The C...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 What happens when a civilization begins to doubt its own foundations, dismissing facts, evidence, and even reason for not being woke enough? In an age where biology, history, warfare, and even science are increasingly shaped by ideology, what does it mean to defend truth at all? Douglas Murray, one of the most influential public intellectuals worldwide, has spent his career warning us that the West is in trou...
Welcome to a fascinating journey into the limits of imagination, geometry, and scientific discovery. In this premiere episode of "The Scientists," a new series on the Into The Impossible Podcast Network, host Brian Keating—Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics at UC San Diego—dives deep into the curious world of "Flatland," Edwin Abbott Abbott's mind-bending Victorian novel. But this isn't just dusty literature; it's a geometric allegory that shaped some of the greatest scientific mind...
Welcome to the debut episode of "The Scientists," a captivating new series from the Into the Impossible Podcast Network, hosted by Brian Keating, Chancellor's Distinguished Professor of Physics at UC San Diego. Each week, Brian takes us on a journey into the extraordinary minds behind history’s greatest scientific breakthroughs—not just exploring what these giants of science discovered, but delving deep into who they were, what drove their relentless curiosity, and the very human obsessions that...
Consensus is the AI powered results engine I use every day in my research. Visit https://bit.ly/ConsensusApp and sign up for one year for *FREE* with code KEATING25 just for listeners of The INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast! What if the best person to solve the mystery of alien communication isn't a SETI researcher or a radio astronomer, but instead a theoretical physicist trained in the deepest notions of physical law, symmetries, and quantum field theory? Well, today, I’m joined by Latham Boyle, a ...
Dr. Brian Keating joins Spencer Klavan to discuss one of the most brilliant, complicated, and misunderstood men in all of Western history. No, not Elon Musk. Galileo Galilei! They cover Galileo's daring philosophy of science, his contributions to human knowledge, his devout Catholic faith, and his many, many mistresses and children. Plus: what can believers learn from scientists, and vice versa? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Win Extraterrestrial Metal: join my mailing list 💥 https://briankeating.com/yt 💥 Mike is an astronomer and professor of planetary astronomy at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). His groundbreaking discoveries of dwarf planets like Eris, Haumea, and Makemake shook up the astronomy world and led to the controversial redefinition of what constitutes a planet. Why was Pluto actually demoted? And is there a hidden Planet Nine lurking in the outer solar system? As a treat for all my m...
Brian Keating dives into some of the universe's biggest mysteries, from the search for extraterrestrial life and the nature of the Big Bang to cutting-edge discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope. Joined by Young and Alive, they explore how scientific beliefs are constantly evolving, how astronomers confront existential threats like asteroids, and why a sense of wonder drives the quest to understand our place in the cosmos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
As a listener of Dr. Brian Keating, you get a special 20% off discount. 👉 Head over to The Economist's website at www.economist.com/Keating to get started. What really happened during the controversy over the discovery of Haumea? Why was Pluto actually demoted? And is there a hidden Planet Nine lurking in the outer solar system? I’m joined today by none other than the Pluto Killer himself, Mike Brown. Mike is an astronomer and professor of planetary astronomy at the California Institute of Tech...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 Dick Bond is a theorist who has helped reshape our understanding of dark matter, entropy, and 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. As a treat for all my mem...
Brian Keating explores the buzz around a possible sign of alien life on exoplanet K2-18 b, discussing the detection of dimethyl sulfide—a molecule that on Earth is linked only to biology. He urges caution, explaining that while the findings are exciting and headline-grabbing, the evidence is not yet conclusive and scientific skepticism is essential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Please 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 ...
Andrew 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...
As 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 comp...
Prof. 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
Bob 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
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 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 elu...
Prof. Brian Keating and Fraser Cain discuss the evidence for the Big Bang and the impact of the James Webb telescope on our current understanding of the Universe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 Are tech billionaires and politicians waging a war on science? Why is there a growing distrust in science? And has theoretical physics been intentionally sidelined to limit major breakthroughs? Here today to discuss the rise of anti-science are Avi Loeb and Eric Weinstein! Avi Loeb is a leading astrophysicist, professor at Harvard University, director of the Galileo Project, and founding director of Harvard’s...
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 💥 Are We Searching for Aliens the Wrong Way? Historically, SETI has focused primarily on radio waves because they can travel vast distances through interstellar gas and dust with minimal absorption and require l...
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 💥 Are tech billionaires and politicians waging a war on science? Why is there a growing distrust in science? And has theoretical physics been intentionally sidelined to limit major breakthroughs? Here today to d...
Harvard Professor Avi Loeb joins Brian Keating to explore the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, discussing his Galileo Project and the quest for physical evidence of alien technology. Loeb critiques mainstream science's reluctance to investigate anomalies and government secrecy, advocating for transparency and data-driven research. He also touches on theoretical physics, the simulation hypothesis, and the potential societal impact of first contact, emphasizing humility and public engagement in scientific discovery.
Join Prof. Brian Keating as he delves into a thought-provoking conversation with Prof. David Kipping about the fascinating world of cosmology, focusing on inflation, B-modes, and the thrilling quest for the Nobel Prize. Explore the highs and lows of scientific discovery, the allure of the multiverse, and the ethical intricacies behind groundbreaking research, all while examining how human ambition and curiosity drive the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Don't miss this compelling exploration of ...
