The Next Big Idea Daily

The Weird Force That May Well Kill You

Dec 11, 2025
Join science journalist James Reardon and Dr. Brennan Spiegel, a physician exploring the mind-body connection, as they unravel the mysteries of gravity. Reardon discusses gravity's paradoxical role in the universe, while unveiling how sink vortices mimic black holes. Spiegel shares insights on how gravity influences health, from gut sensitivity to mood. He emphasizes the importance of combating sedentary lifestyles. Discover how gravity not only shapes the cosmos but also our bodies and emotions in unexpected ways!
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INSIGHT

Goldilocks Gravity Shapes Life And Death

  • Gravity shapes both life emergence and causes many deaths, especially falls in older adults.
  • The universe's gravity strength appears finely tuned for life, a puzzle scientists debate.
INSIGHT

Gravity’s Strange Weakness And Uniqueness

  • Gravity is extraordinarily weak compared with other forces but always accumulates because it has no opposite charge.
  • Its nature may be geometric (Einstein) or emergent from an unknown force, making it uniquely puzzling.
ANECDOTE

A Black Hole In Your Sink

  • James Reardon describes how a kitchen sink water pattern mathematically resembles a black hole interior.
  • French physicists mapped the smooth inner circle and surrounding ridge to a black hole's event horizon.
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