Nathan Myhrvold: Working with Hawking, NASA's Errors, and Innovation
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/YUXHLTlx9DA Patreon for conversations on Theories of Everything, Consciousness, Free Will, and God: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Help support conversations like this via PayPal: https://bit.ly/2EOR0M4 Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802 Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Google Podcasts: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Id3k7k7mfzahfx2fjqmw3vufb44 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802 * * * 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:08 Curt's story of becoming interested in Nathan Myhrvold 00:05:04 How does Nathan remain so productive? (daily habits?) 00:08:49 The difficulty in taking pictures of large storms, waves, birds, and meteors 00:11:54 What problems are outside Nathan's ken? (nuclear power, etc.) 00:15:22 Working with Stephen Hawking (practically, how does one do so?) 00:17:41 Comparing Hawking to Einstein 00:22:24 Newton's contribution to the minting of coins (the ridges are because of him) 00:23:46 What's holding theoretical physics back (since the 80's)? 00:28:43 General relativity and quantum mechanics combine in a candle flame 00:30:21 String theory, Weinstein's Geometric Unity, Wolfram's computational model, and Supersymmetry 00:50:04 Our ideas of "simplicity" in math is wrong 00:50:48 "Laser cooking" and modernist cuisine 00:52:50 Reasons why Curt fasts 00:53:40 About "simplicity" in math and physics, continued 00:54:49 How does Nathan learn a new domain, quickly? 01:00:16 How would Nathan "solve the problem" of COVID? 01:03:18 RNA viruses replicate haphazardly and we're lucky COVID hasn't mutated more 01:10:17 Current lockdown is worse than doing nothing 01:13:20 The WHO suggesting masks were ineffective / counter-effective 01:14:53 The scientists are at fault because... 01:17:10 Was it China's authoritarianism that curbed the numbers or another factor? 01:23:04 What was different about South Korea, in response to COVID? 01:24:30 Herd immunity 01:30:53 COVID compared to the ordinary flu 01:38:34 On the "new strain" 01:42:45 No evidence for COVID being "only seasonal" and same with the common cold 01:46:58 Why did NASA analyze their asteroid as spherical (giving abjectly incorrect data)? 01:50:38 Solutions coming from outside the academy and established institutions 01:52:18 We've underestimated the danger of asteroid collisions because of NASA's data 01:56:27 NASA violated basic physical law, unethically 01:59:20 What's the alternative to trusting mainstream science, when not everyone can investigate an issue on their own? 02:06:28 How do you know what to trust in science without looking into the research yourself? 02:11:10 Food myths: Margarine vs Butter, Olive oil vs bacon oil 02:14:10 Health food advocates have killed people 02:15:19 It's dangerous to physically take someone's temperature before allowing them to enter 02:20:25 Why don't we talk more about geo-engineering solutions to global warming? 02:27:53 Global warming has become capitalism vs. something else 02:30:15 The best solutions global warming via geo-engineering 02:32:03 Myth: You need "fresh" ingredients for the best tasting food 02:34:53 How were the pyramids built? 02:35:26 Opinions on UFO's and Bob Lazar 02:36:03 On the Hard Problem of Consciousness and materialism Subscribe if you want more conversations on Theories of Everything, Consciousness, Free Will, God, and the mathematics / physics of each. * * * I'm producing an imminent documentary Better Left Unsaid http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com on the topic of "when does the left go too far?" Visit that site if you'd like to contribute to getting the film distributed (early-2021).
Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal · Theories of Everything
Show Notes
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:01:08 - Curt's story of becoming interested in Nathan Myhrvold
- 00:05:04 - How does Nathan remain so productive? (daily habits?)
- 00:08:49 - The difficulty in taking pictures of large storms, waves, birds, and meteors
- 00:11:54 - What problems are outside Nathan's ken? (nuclear power, etc.)
- 00:15:22 - Working with Stephen Hawking (practically, how does one do so?)
- 00:17:41 - Comparing Hawking to Einstein
- 00:22:24 - Newton's contribution to the minting of coins (the ridges are because of him)
- 00:23:46 - What's holding theoretical physics back (since the 80's)?
- 00:28:43 - General relativity and quantum mechanics combine in a candle flame
- 00:30:21 - String theory, Weinstein's Geometric Unity, Wolfram's computational model, and Supersymmetry
- 00:50:04 - Our ideas of "simplicity" in math is wrong
- 00:50:48 - "Laser cooking" and modernist cuisine
- 00:52:50 - Reasons why Curt fasts
- 00:53:40 - About "simplicity" in math and physics, continued
- 00:54:49 - How does Nathan learn a new domain, quickly?
- 01:00:16 - How would Nathan "solve the problem" of COVID?
- 01:03:18 - RNA viruses replicate haphazardly and we're lucky COVID hasn't mutated more
- 01:10:17 - Current lockdown is worse than doing nothing
- 01:13:20 - The WHO suggesting masks were ineffective / counter-effective
- 01:14:53 - The scientists are at fault because...
- 01:17:10 - Was it China's authoritarianism that curbed the numbers or another factor?
- 01:23:04 - What was different about South Korea, in response to COVID?
- 01:24:30 - Herd immunity
- 01:30:53 - COVID compared to the ordinary flu
- 01:38:34 - On the "new strain"
- 01:42:45 - No evidence for COVID being "only seasonal" and same with the common cold
- 01:46:58 - Why did NASA analyze their asteroid as spherical (giving abjectly incorrect data)?
- 01:50:38 - Solutions coming from outside the academy and established institutions
- 01:52:18 - We've underestimated the danger of asteroid collisions because of NASA's data
- 01:56:27 - NASA violated basic physical law, unethically
- 01:59:20 - What's the alternative to trusting mainstream science, when not everyone can investigate an issue on their own?
- 02:06:28 - How do you know what to trust in science without looking into the research yourself?
- 02:11:10 - Food myths: Margarine vs Butter, Olive oil vs bacon oil
- 02:14:10 - Health food advocates have killed people
- 02:15:19 - It's dangerous to physically take someone's temperature before allowing them to enter
- 02:20:25 - Why don't we talk more about geo‑engineering solutions to global warming?
- 02:27:53 - Global warming has become capitalism vs. something else
- 02:30:15 - The best solutions global warming via geo‑engineering
- 02:32:03 - Myth: You need "fresh" ingredients for the best tasting food
- 02:34:53 - How were the pyramids built?
- 02:35:26 - Opinions on UFO's and Bob Lazar
- 02:36:03 - On the Hard Problem of Consciousness and materialism
RESOURCES:
- YouTube link: https://youtu.be/YUXHLTlx9DA
- Patreon for conversations on Theories of Everything, Consciousness, Free Will, and God: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal
- Help support conversations like this via PayPal: https://bit.ly/2EOR0M4
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802
- Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e
- Google Podcasts: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Id3k7k7mfzahfx2fjqmw3vufb44
- Better Left Unsaid film: http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com
Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal features long-form, technically detailed interviews with leading researchers in physics, mathematics, consciousness, and philosophy, exploring topics at the level of active research. For academics, graduate students, and anyone seeking depth beyond popular science.
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