The book tells the story of both Galileo Galilei and his intelligent and devout daughter, Suor Maria Celeste. It uses the 124 surviving letters from Maria to her father to provide a new perspective on Galileo's life, particularly his trial before the Inquisition for advocating the Copernican system. The narrative delves into the social and psychological forces at play during Galileo's trial, including the political pressures of the Thirty Years' War and the impact of the plague on Italy. It also vividly portrays the harsh life of the 'Poor Clares' in the convent where Maria lived, highlighting her significant role in supporting her father despite her own challenging circumstances.
Mike Brown's "How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming" is a witty and insightful account of the author's role in the reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet. Brown, a leading astronomer, recounts the scientific discoveries that led to the debate surrounding Pluto's planetary status. He explains the complexities of planetary definitions and the process of scientific consensus-building. The book is written in a conversational style, making it accessible to both scientific experts and the general public. Brown's personal experiences and reflections add a human element to the story, making it engaging and thought-provoking. The book has been praised for its humor, clarity, and its contribution to the public understanding of science.
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Astronomers have detected strange gravitational forces pulling at objects beyond Neptune. Some believe these forces could be caused by an undiscovered ninth planet—but if Planet 9 is real, why haven’t we found it yet? And if it doesn’t exist, what else could be shaping the outer edge of our solar system?
Here today to explore this issue and reveal extraordinary new evidence of Planet 9, is none other than Konstantin Batygin, one of the world’s foremost experts in this field. A professor at Caltech, Konstantin specializes in planetary astrophysics, the formation and evolution of the solar system, orbital dynamics, exoplanet behavior, and the physics of planetary interiors and atmospheres.
In this episode, he not only breaks down the latest evidence for Planet Nine but also shares insights from his research on Jupiter’s magnetic field. Plus, Konstantin gave us exclusive permission to feature his lecture on these topics—an unmissable opportunity to learn from one of the best in the field!
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Key Takeaways:
- 00:00:00 Audio essay
- 00:03:08 What is Planet 9 and why it matters
- 00:12:47 Perihelion distribution dynamics
- 00:14:17 The most unstable component of the Kuiper Belt
- 00:16:46 Why is it so hard to prove Planet 9?
- 00:20:29 The Three-Body Problem
- 00:26:57 Rubin Observatory and the search for TNOs
- 00:30:42 Konstantin’s lecture on Planet 9
- 00:43:32 The importance of Jupiter
- 00:52:41 The role of entropy on planetary formation
- 00:56:04 Konstantin’s lecture on Jupiter
- 01:37:39 Outro

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Additional resources:
➡️ Learn more about Konstantin Batygin:
đź’» Website: https://www.konstantinbatygin.com/
đź“š Publications: https://www.konstantinbatygin.com/publications
➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms:
✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating
đź”” YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1
đź“ť Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list
✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/
🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast
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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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Into the Impossible With Brian Keating 
