Kelsey Johnson: My Quest to Decode the Cosmos [Ep. 467]

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Can science, philosophy, and religion work together to address humanity's biggest questions? What lessons can the cosmos teach us about our place in the universe and the future of humanity? And how do we bring back that sense of curiosity that seems to have faded among professionals?

Here today to invite us into her daring quest to decode the universe’s secrets is the brilliant Kelsey Johnson. Kelsey is an accomplished astronomer, professor, and science communicator known for her groundbreaking work in astrophysics and her unique approach to blending science with philosophy and existential inquiry. She is a faculty member at the University of Virginia, where she has made significant contributions to the understanding of starburst galaxies, molecular clouds, and magnetic fields in the universe. Kelsey also founded the Dark Skies, Bright Kids program, which introduces rural communities to the wonders of astronomy.

Tune in to learn more about curiosity, the intersection of science and philosophy, and the universe’s mysteries.

Key Takeaways:

00:00:00 Intro

00:13:06 What inspired Kelsey to write Into the Unknown

00:16:23 Why scientists lose their curiosity

00:18:33 Judging a book by its cover

00:24:18 Balancing science and philosophy

00:31:55 The role of religion in understanding science

00:37:21 The cosmic marshmallow test

00:47:04 Dark Skies, Bright Kids

00:50:53 The Fermi paradox and the search for extraterrestrial life

01:00:55 Changing perspectives in cosmology

01:05:48 Starburst galaxies

01:08:03 Molecular clouds and feedback

01:10:38 Magnetic fields

01:12:59 Arthur C Clarke’s three laws

01:19:31 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Learn more about Kelsey Johnson:

📚 Get Into the Unknown on Amazon: https://a.co/d/5XW0bmG ✖️ Follow Kelsey on Twitter: https://x.com/ProfKelsey

➡️ 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.

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