A podcast about how we understand the world, scientifically and as humans. Each conversation brings together visionaries from the worlds of arts, sciences, huma...
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥
Have you ever seen the sun turn green? It’s not a camera trick, not an illusion—it’s the incredible Green Flash.
Recently, I had the honor of appearing on Andrew Huberman’s podcast ( @hubermanlab ), where we explored how the human eye perceives light. Now, Andrew is an expert in the human eye and neuro-optical systems, so it was a real treat to get to explore this phenomenon with one of the world's most excellent experts. During our conversation, Andrew asked, Could the green flash merely be a trick of human physiology or psychology? Today, we'll explore why his hypothesis is not entirely correct and the science behind the phenomena.
I’ve captured this rare emerald glow over 16 times, and in this episode, I’ll teach you how you can see it for yourself. We’ll dive deep into the science behind this phenomenon, bust some myths, and even discuss how climate change is playing a role in its visibility.
Along the way, I’ll share the fascinating physics that explains why the sun’s peak color is green (even though it looks yellow to our eyes) and how the interplay of refraction, dispersion, and Rayleigh scattering creates the Green Flash.
Plus, you’ll get my go-to settings for both smartphones and DSLRs to photograph it like a pro.
—
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Intro
00:29 Understanding the Green Flash
02:27 The Color of the Sun
04:33 Refraction and Dispersion
06:32 Scattering and Its Effects
08:48 Climate Change and the Green Flash
11:06 Capturing the Green Flash
13:28 Best Places to View the Green Flash
14:54 Outro
—
Additional resources:
👁 Train your eyes to see like a professional astronomer: https://youtu.be/lSbyohV1XSE
👉 My full interview with Andrew Huberman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-ukCGQJk2c
➡️ 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
--------
15:59
Can you be a "real" scientist and believe in God? Brian Keating & Michael Dennin Debate
Can a "real" scientist believe in God? Physics professors Brian Keating and Michael Dennin engage in a fascinating discussion about the existence of God, exploring the intersection of science and faith. From cosmic origins to the nature of miracles, these two accomplished scientists examine different perspectives on religion, including insights from Judaism and Catholicism. They tackle challenging questions about the Big Bang theory, multiple universes, and whether scientific evidence can prove or disprove God's existence. The conversation features reactions to arguments from both William Lane Craig and Neil deGrasse Tyson, offering a balanced and nuanced exploration of one of humanity's most fundamental questions.
This inaugural episode of The God Question brings together scientific expertise and personal faith journeys, demonstrating how two physicists with similar backgrounds can arrive at different but respectful conclusions about the divine.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
45:38
Can ChatGPT Truly Reason? Terry Sejnowski Clears the Confusion
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥
Can AI tools like ChatGPT actually "think," or is it just really good at mimicking human conversation? How much of what AI spits out is a reflection of our own ideas and intentions? And where's all this tech headed in the future?
Today, I’m joined by Terry Sejnowski, a renowned computational neuroscientist and pioneer in AI and deep learning. Based at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the University of California, San Diego, he bridges neuroscience and AI to explore how biological brains and artificial systems learn and process information.
Terry is also the co-creator of the Boltzmann Machine, a game-changing algorithm that has shaped today’s AI and is a foundation for modern neural networks. He has also written some incredible books, including The Deep Learning Revolution” and “ChatGPT and the Future of AI.
In our conversation, we discuss the current state of AI, what’s next, the ins and outs of prompt engineering, the mirror hypothesis (how AI reflects us), its impact on productivity, and the ethical challenges we must tackle.
Tune in to discover the truth about AI!
—
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Intro
00:36 Judging a book by its cover
07:05 The impact of AI on human capabilities
12:32 Einstein's happiest thought and can AI think?
16:51 Can AI come up with something novel?
24:20 The role of learning and neural networks in AI
32:37 The future of AI and its potential impact
46:43 The mirroring effect
50:52 Practical applications of AI
54:00 Outro
—
Additional resources:
➡️ Learn more about Terry Sejnowski:
📚 ChatGPT and the Future of AI: https://a.co/d/cZnuZbs
➡️ 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
--------
59:54
An Astronomer and a Philosopher Search for Truth in the Infinite | Jordan B. Peterson
Jordan Peterson sits down with experimental cosmologist Dr. Brian Keating. They discuss the importance of awe for the human spirit, the fundamental ethos behind all true science, the idea of the useless genius, and the necessity of sacrifice for improvement of the self and the broader community.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
1:39:25
Alien Civilizations, Exomoons, and Cool, Habitable Worlds | David Kipping [Ep. 474]
Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥
Could life exist on moons orbiting distant planets? Are We Alone? What if the key to understanding life's origins lies in the moons of distant worlds?
Exoplanetary scientist David Kipping is here to answer these big questions. He is a professor at Columbia University, the leading mind behind exomoons, and also the host of the Cool Worlds Lab.
He shares his groundbreaking research, including the discovery of Kepler-1708 b-i, a potential exomoon candidate. He explains why moons, like Earth’s, might be the unsung heroes in stabilizing conditions for life and how the latest tools, like the James Webb Space Telescope, are changing the game for astronomers.
But that’s not all. You’ll hear about the role of panspermia (yes, life traveling between planets!), the fine-tuning of our universe, and what it takes to push the boundaries of scientific communication.
If you’ve ever pondered the question, “Are we alone?” or simply love a good cosmic mystery, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. Tune in now for an eye-opening journey through the cosmos and beyond!
—
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Intro
01:58 David Kipping's background and motivation
05:09 The role of moons in the origin of life
10:59 Bayesian frameworks and panspermia
19:30 Exomoon detection and research strategy
32:40 JWST observations and data analysis
41:14 Balancing scientific communication and public engagement
50:48 Future missions and their impact on exomoon research
54:49 Advice for young scientists and final thoughts
57:32 Outro
—
Additional resources:
➡️ Learn more about David Kipping:
📱 Website: https://www.coolworldslab.com/
✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/david_kipping
🔔 YouTube Channel: Cool Worlds Lab
✍️ Kepler-1708 b-i Study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-021-01539-1
➡️ 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
A podcast about how we understand the world, scientifically and as humans. Each conversation brings together visionaries from the worlds of arts, sciences, humanities, and technology discussing the nature of reality and how we collaborate to create the future. Hosted by Dr Brian Keating, Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics at UC San Diego. For show notes go to: https://briankeating.com/podcast