How to Talk to Aliens (ft. Daniel Whiteson)

Dr Brian Keating November 7, 2025
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Dr Brian Keating

@drbriankeating

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🧠Our Universe’s Brightest Minds🧠 Every week I provide you with long-form interviews with a brilliant thought-leader or a deep-dive into a fascinating STEM subject. I'm the Chancellor's Distinguished Professor of Physics at UC San Diego where my team & I study the origin & evolution of space, time, & matter. Scientists are obligated to explain their work in simple terms to non-experts. I think scientifically and I will teach you how to, too. I wrote INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE & LOSING THE NOBEL PRIZE, which was selected as a 'Best Science Book' at Science Friday and one of the best non-fiction books of all time according to Amazon. I'm on a mission to magnify curiosity, stoke imagination, & inspire minds of all ages.

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Get my book Focus Like a Nobel Prize Winner: https://a.co/d/hi50U9U Today we explore the intriguing idea of aliens arriving with advanced knowledge of physics, as discussed in Daniel Whiteson's new book. • Daniel speculates on the challenges humanity might face in understanding alien concepts, even if they offer groundbreaking scientific insights. • The conversation delves into philosophical questions about existence and perception, such as whether a field exists when not observed. • Daniel introduces his theory of gravity that operates without traditional numerical values, challenging conventional scientific frameworks. • Topics also include the future of artificial intelligence, the search for exotic particles, and the implications of advanced alien knowledge on human understanding. What if aliens show up with a better understanding of physics, we can't even recognize that's what they're offering. How would you react? This is his hope that aliens might carry the product of millions, billions, or kazillions of years of alien scientific thought that would catapult us unimaginably into the future. But Daniel speculates on why we might not be able to understand even the language it's written in. Join us today for a conversation about Daniel Whiteson's new book, Do Aliens Speak Physics? And a Romp Through the Drake Equation The Future of Artificial Intelligence, and physics, and even the search for exotic new particles. Now let's go deep into the impossible. Key Takeaways 00:00:00 – 00:00:10 - Aliens imagined bringing new physics instead of destruction — a metaphor for transformative understanding. 00:01:21 – 00:02:12 - Introduction of Do Aliens Speak Physics? — exploring communication through universal science and math. 00:07:47 – 00:09:16 - Discussion of aliens as potential saviors revealing a “theory of everything” — a reflection on human expectations. 00:17:45 – 00:18:42 - Mathematics seen as both a language and a discovery tool in physics — the bridge between thought and universe. 00:19:16 – 00:20:33 - Whiteson reflects on gratitude and evolving beliefs about whether math is truly part of nature or human-made. 00:20:33 – 00:22:22 - Skepticism about whether mathematical structures exist independently of human perception — questioning assumptions. 00:33:33 – 00:35:16 - Debate over the Fermi paradox and cosmic probability — vast space doesn’t guarantee intelligent life. 00:35:54 – 00:37:14 - Two outcomes if aliens arrive — we either confirm universal truths or learn about human limitations. 00:38:06 – 00:39:50 - Artificial intelligence discussed as a “semi-alien” tool transforming physics research and creativity. 00:53:00 – 00:54:35 - Whiteson previews technical talk on particle detection — machine learning uncovers unseen physical patterns. 00:55:13 – 00:57:03 - Algorithms detect non-helical particle paths — potential for unexpected discoveries hidden in collider data. 00:57:56 – 00:59:17 - Dream of finding “something that doesn’t make sense” — embracing the unknown to advance physics. 00:59:44 – 01:00:32 - Exploration valued for its surprises — science thrives without guaranteed outcomes. 01:00:52 – 01:01:24 - Faith in human curiosity — most scientists act in good faith despite differing methods. 01:02:03 – 01:02:21 - Closing remarks — gratitude, humor, and anticipation for future cosmic and scientific exploration. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additional resources: Buy Daniel's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Do-Aliens-Speak-Physics-Questions/dp/1324064641 Get My NEW Book: Focus Like a Nobel Prize Winner: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FN8DH6SX?ref_=pe_93986420_775043100 Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/yt to win a meteorite 💥 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join this channel to get access to perks like monthly Office Hours: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw/join 📚 Get a copy of my books: Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner, with life changing interviews with 9 Nobel Prizewinners: https://a.co/d/03ezQFu My tell-all cosmic memoir Losing the Nobel Prize: http://amzn.to/2sa5UpA The first-ever audiobook from Galileo: Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems: Ptolemaic and Copernican https://a.co/d/iZPi9Un Follow me to ask questions of my guests: 🏄‍♂️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 Subscribe https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list; just click here http://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Detailed Blog posts here: https://briankeating.com/blog 🎙️ Listen on audio-only platforms: https://briankeating.com/podcast #universe #podcast #briankeating #intotheimpossible #science #astronomy #cosmology #cosmicmicrowavebackground #intotheimpossible #briankeating #danielwhiteson

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