#201 – Konstantin Batygin: Planet 9 and the Edge of Our Solar System

Jul 19, 2021

In this engaging discussion, Konstantin Batygin, a planetary astrophysicist at Caltech, dives into the search for Planet Nine and the mysteries of our solar system. He unravels the intriguing dynamics of the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud, and speculates about the existence of alien civilizations based on their waste. Batygin also reflects on humanity's future in cosmic exploration and the philosophical implications of space commercialization. With humor and insight, he emphasizes the complexity of celestial interactions and our place in the universe.

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INSIGHT

Solar System Overview

Our solar system has inner and outer parts.
The inner part has small planets, while the outer part has gas giants and an icy debris field.

ANECDOTE

Pluto's Shrinking Mass

Pluto was initially thought to be much larger.
Its mass was repeatedly downgraded, revealing it's tiny, like the surface area of Russia.

INSIGHT

Kuiper Belt and Planet Nine

Beyond Neptune lies the Kuiper Belt, a massive icy debris field.
The clustering of long-period Kuiper Belt objects suggests a distant planet's gravitational influence.

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Konstantin Batygin is a planetary astrophysicist at Caltech. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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EPISODE LINKS:
Konstantin’s Twitter https://twitter.com/kbatygin
Konstantin’s Website https://www.konstantinbatygin.com/

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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(07:17) – Overview of our Solar System
(22:14) – What is the Oort Cloud?
(27:10) – Life in the interstellar medium
(28:42) – Are there aliens out there?
(31:22) – How unique is Earth?
(34:02) – Did Jupiter destroy early planets?
(40:16) – How hard is it to simulate the Universe?
(44:49) – Quantum mechanics in evolution of objects in the Solar system
(49:15) – Simulating the first formations around the Sun
(55:02) – Will it be possible to simulate the full history of the Solar System?
(57:23) – How far should we go with the simulation?
(59:43) – Increasing immersion in video games
(1:06:09) – What is Planet Nine?
(1:12:37) – The origin of life
(1:15:02) – Evidence of Planet Nine
(1:17:32) – Discovery of Neptune
(1:18:42) – When will we find Planet Nine?
(1:21:21) – Planet Nine throws rocks into the Kuiper Belt
(1:25:15) – Could Planet Nine be a primordial black hole?
(1:35:20) – Commercial space revolution boosts science and the human condition
(1:42:46) – Solving sex in space
(1:43:24) – Would humans evolve if we couldn’t see the stars?
(1:49:08) – Military funding and science
(1:53:11) – Is Oumuamua space junk from a distant alien civilization?
(2:06:33) – Wild ideas create the future
(2:14:22) – The perfect place to die
(2:16:03) – Greatest song of all time
(2:22:34) – Music enables science for Konstantin
(2:24:51) – Music practice tips for busy people
(2:28:41) – Memories of 1990s Russia
(2:35:14) – Advice for young people
(2:41:10) – Meaning of life