The Peter McCormack Show #128 - Paul M. Sutter - The Universe, Consciousness & Why We Might Be Alone
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Nov 13, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Paul M. Sutter, a renowned theoretical cosmologist and science communicator, dives deeply into the cosmos. He explains the observable universe and the intriguing concept of dark matter and energy. Sutter also explores the delicate balance of life beyond Earth, the challenges of human missions to Mars, and the high stakes of James Webb Space Telescope's discoveries. His passion for connecting complex theories to human experiences shines through as he ponders whether we are truly alone in the universe.
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Limits Of The Observable Universe
- We only have access to our observable universe (~90 billion light years), so concepts about other universes are speculative.
- Early-universe physics may invalidate our usual concepts of time, space, and causality.
Cosmic Horizons And Flatness
- The observable universe has multiple horizons (Hubble radius, particle horizon) that limit what can ever be seen or reached.
- The universe appears geometrically flat in our observable patch, but its global shape is unknown.
How The Cosmic Web Emerged
- The large-scale cosmic web formed from tiny density fluctuations amplified by gravity.
- Filaments, clusters and voids encode the universe's composition and history.