From Big Bang to James Webb: Exploring Space with Nobel Laureate John Mather
Show Notes
From artificial limbs to memory foam, many inventions have emerged from our quest to understand the cosmos.
In this episode we explore cosmic history, space's impact on technology, and the enduring human fascination with space exploration. To take us on this journey is astrophysicist John Mather, a Nobel Prize winner for his work on the COBE satellite and a key figure in the James Webb Space Telescope project.
Prepare to be intrigued and left with a sense of wonder about the universe's influence on our world.
Topics Covered:
– Innovations through the pursuit of space
– John’s early life
– Proving The Big Bang Theory
– The mysteries of quantum mechanics
– Leading the James Webb Telescope
– Images from James Webb
– Are we alone?
– New telescopes
– Engineering in space for earth
– What would you like to see solved in your lifetime?
– What came before The Big Bang?
– Misconceptions about space
– Can humans be a multiplanetary species?
- Private vs public spending in space
– What’s the future of space exploration?
Resources:
- COBE satellite imagery: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/cobe_20th.html
- Images from the James Webb Telescope: https://webbtelescope.org/images
- Exoplanet transmission spectrum: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/2022/032/01G72VSFW756JW5SXWV1HYMQK4
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