How Many Grains of Sand Does It Take to Make a Heap?

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Mathematicians have this a problem calledwell, colloquially, it's called the problem of the heap. How many grains of sand does it take to make a heap of sand? Can it one? No. Ad i think a little more legitimate than that would be, what is the smallest whole number? Digit,. The smallest whole number that has no interesting properties to it? Kdonow, so for example, the number one. It's like, it's just one. Two is the only even prime number you're not going to break out into three. But one is the loneliest number.

In this thought-provoking conversation on life, the universe, and everything, Neil deGrasse Tyson tackles the world’s most important philosophical questions about the universe with wit, wisdom, and cutting-edge science. For science geeks, space and physics nerds, and all who want to understand their place in the universe, this enlightening new book offers a unique take on the mysteries and curiosities of the cosmos, building on rich material from his beloved StarTalk podcast, along with dozens of his most popular tweets on science. Shermer and Tyson discuss: the universe, multiverse, big bang, big rip, dark matter, dark energy, gravity, gravitational waves, origins of morality, hard problem of consciousness, consensus science, the unknown, Fermi’s paradox, extraterrestrials, and artificial intelligence.