pbsspacetime

Why Life On Mars Will DOOM Humanity

Recent findings have brought us closer than we’ve ever been to confirming life beyond the Earth. As we wait for this to be confirmed or otherwise, let’s think about what this will tell us about life everywhere, and also about our own imminent destruction.

Three and a half billion years ...

At What Point Does Spacetime Become Quantum? (SCRIPT)

To observe the quantum nature of gravity and of spacetime itself, we need a particle collider the size of the solar system. Or we could just physics smarter and build one on a lab bench. Here’s how.

—-

The quantum world is certainly strange. Objects in multiple places or states at...

The Most Important Satellite You've (Probably) Never Heard Of (Script)

One of the most important reasons we go to space is to know our own planet better. Today I'm going to tell you about an orbiting facility that literally watches Earth's biosphere breath and grow and die with incredible resolution. I'll talk about its profound existential and economic importance, ...

Don Lincoln Interview (Audio Only)

If you're more of podcast fan, we've got Matt's interview with Dr. Don Lincoln as an audio only that you can listen to!

The Top Unanswered Questions in Physics: Interview with Dr. Don Lincoln of Fermi Lab

Watch Matt's interview of Dr. Don Lincoln, where they discuss their favorite unanswered questions from across the fields of physics!

Is there a Simple Proof For a Vast Multiverse? (script)

In 1987, Steven Weineberg wrote a cute little paper entitled anthropic bound on the cosmological constant. I say cute and little because this work feels minor in comparison to say electroeak unification theory that won him the Nobel Prize. Weineberg was foundational in establishing the standard m...

Why The Multiverse Could Be Real (script)

The multiverse pops out of quite a few theories in physics, and has been proposed as a solution to certain vexing problems. But it’s also been argued that the very idea of a multiverse is just bad science. That it’s unfalsifiable and a dead-end to inquiry and as bad a violation of Occam’s r...

Interview with Don Lincoln Tomorrow!

Hello Space Timers,

This is just a reminder that Matt will be with Dr. Don Lincoln of Fermi Lab  on Wed,  August 13th at 5pm EST at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81176117888

Matt and Don will b...

Live Stream with Dr. Don Lincoln!

Hello Space Timers,

We're excited to announce our next Space Time interview will be with Dr. Don Lincoln of Fermi Lab  on Wed,  August 13th at 5pm EST at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81176117888
&...

Why Is All DNA Right Handed? (Script)

The molecular basis of all life is mysteriously asymmetric, only using molecules on one side of what should be the equivalent mirrored pairs. The universe has a similar mirror asymmetry, and it may be that our very DNA inherited its twist from the underlying handedness of reality.

Our unive...

Quantum Entanglement in Quantum Computing: Patreon Interview

Get a first look at Matt's interview with Dr. Mithuna Yoganathan of Looking Glass Universe.

Dr. Mithuna Yoganathan is the creator of the excellent YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/lookingglassuniverse. Ma...

Livestream Interview with Dr. Mithuna Yoganathan on Tuesday June 3rd at 4pm EST

Hey Space Timers! Just a reminder our next Space Time interview will be with Dr. Mithuna Yoganathan of Looking Glass Universe on Tuesday, June 3rd at 4pm EST. If you'd like to join the actual live stream join us https://us0...

Is Our Model of Dark Energy Wrong? (SCRIPT)

The biggest news in cosmology in recent years is that the mysterious universe-accelerating entity that we call dark energy may be fading away. The evidence for this is now strong enough that enormous effort is going into confirming the result. So what’s it going to take, and when are we going t...

Upcoming: Interview Livestream with Dr. Mithuna Yoganathan (Tuesday June 3rd, 4pm EST)

Hey Space Timers! We're excited to announce our next Space Time interview will be with Dr. Mithuna Yoganathan of Looking Glass Universe on Tuesday, June 3rd at 4pm EST. If you'd like to join the actual live stream join us h...

Do Mitochondria Solve the Fermi Paradox? (Script)

Around 2 billion years ago, life had plateaued in complexity, ruined the atmosphere, and was on the verge of self-annihilation. But then something strange and potentially extremely lucky happened that enabled endless new evolutionary paths. The first eukaryote cell was born. This may also explain...

Patreon Livestream: How Black Holes Feast with Dr. Matt Caplan

See our first ever scientist on scientist interview with Dr. Matt Caplan. Dr. Caplan is computational nuclear astrophysicist and longtime Space Time writer. Matt and Matt discuss how real black holes feast on their surrounds and grow to such enormous sizes. We recommend this paper as primer: 2025-05-08 19:39:27 +0000 UTC View Post

Quantum Energy Teleportation is REAL! (script)

The vacuum of space is a chaotic sea of quantum fluctuations. Some have said that this vacuum energy can be harvested to build our future starship engines, or manipulated to build warp drives. It can't. But it is technically possible to move real energy through the quantum vacuum without it passi...

IMMA FIRIN MAH' LAZER

Old meme are old, but pretty images are pretty.

Reminder: Livestream Interviews

Reminder to Everyone on the Patreon,

Our first ever interview with Dr. Matt Caplan will be officially happening on Wednesday, April 30th at 6pm EST. If you'd like to join the actual live stream join us on ht...

Why Didn’t Antimatter Destroy The Universe? (Script)

At one-one-thousandth of a second after the Big Bang, the great annihilation event should have wiped out all matter, leaving a universe of only radiation. Why still don't know why any matter survived. Well, a new finding from the LHC brings us one step closer to understanding why there's somethin...

Earth Had Rings and Might Regain Them (script)

Planet Earth is the jewel of the solar system—the shimmery blue oceans, the verdant green forests, the wispy whimsical cloud formations. Saturn would be the only competitor for most gorgeous planet with that giant ring system. But you know what? If we could put the jewel of the Earth in its own...

March AMA

Here's a reupload of our March AMA with Matt, Graeme & Andrew. Apologies for the delay, there were some technical difficulties uploading the first time. Enjoy!

Interview Livestream w/ Dr. Caplan

Hello Space Timers,

We're excited to announce that our first ever interview with Dr. Matt Caplan will be officially happening on Wednesday, April 30th at 6pm EST. If you'd like to join the actual live stream join us on 2025-04-22 22:25:51 +0000 UTC View Post

Here comes the sun. . .

And I say, "It's all right"—
Unless you're a vampire

Patreon Matt AMA Hangout: April 2nd, 6pm EST

Hey Everyone, 

It's time for next Patreon Space Time hangout with Matt and Andrew! It will be on Wednesday, April 2nd 6pm EST To join just click the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83937869888
<...

How We Know 2024 YR4 (Almost Certainly) WON’T Wipe Us Out (SCRIPT)

Giant space rocks are definitely going to hit the Earth again. We actually do know how to deflect them, but only if we find them and correctly assess their risk firs. But the solar system is a chaotic place. How is it even possible to tell if a space rock will one day collide with the Earth?

Your DNA (Almost Certainly) Comes From Space (Script)

Did you know that many of us have up to 4% neanderthal DNA? And that 100% of your DNA may come from outer space? No joke. At least the biochemistry that defined the coding system of your DNA may have happened off-world, and perhaps even long before Earth existed.

Life is the coolest thing t...

Where would you take a wormhole to?

I mean beyond your own annihilation. . .

Will the Big Bang Happen Again (And Again)? (Script)

How did the universe begin? How can something come from nothing? One way to “solve” this most difficult of philosophical conundrums is to avoid it altogether. Maybe the universe didn’t begin at all. Maybe the Big Bang was just one in an endless cycle.

On February 11th, 2015 a new sho...

The Final Barrier to Nearly Infinite Energy (Script)

They say fusion is 50 years away, and they've been saying that for 50 years. But if so why are billions suddenly being pumped into fusion startups? Well to train LLMs, but there's a reason the technobrats are bullish on fusion in particular. The fact is, the technological challenges have been chi...