Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

Michael Turner Explains the Origins and Mysteries of Dark Energy (#367)

Nov 14, 2023

Renowned theoretical cosmologist Michael Turner explores the origins and mysteries of dark energy, discussing the history of the cosmological constant, the Hubble tension, and the nature of dark energy. They also touch on the upgrade of the Bicep Array and the role of teamwork in theoretical physics.

01:07:44

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Episode guests

Michael Turner

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Quick takeaways

Michael Turner coined the term 'dark energy' and contributed to the cold dark matter theory of structure formation in cosmology.

The Big Bang theory explains the events after the Big Bang, not the Big Bang itself, and is supported by evidence from cosmic microwave background radiation.

The Hubble tension, arising from discrepancies in measuring the expansion rate of the universe, may be resolved by considering errors in measurements or the presence of new physics.

Deep dives

The Dark Energy Discovery and Michael's Contributions

Michael Turner, a theoretical cosmologist, is known for his pioneering work on dark energy. He coined the term 'dark energy' and was instrumental in developing the cold dark matter theory of structure formation. His contributions to modern physics are invaluable.

Introduction

2min

The Early Universe: Cover Art and Peculiar Properties of Galaxies

21min

Upgrade of Bicep Array and the Role of Experimentalists

2min

The Role of Teamwork and Skill Sets in Theoretical Physics

5min

Origins and Mysteries of Dark Energy

11min

Dealing with Existential Dread and the Vastness of the Universe

2min

Exploring the Hubble Tension and Possible Explanations

4min

The Nature of Dark Energy

19min

Welcome to a very important, meaningful, and delightful episode of Into the Impossible, with an impossibly brilliant guest who has inspired me since my young days as a graduate – Michael Turner!

Michael Turner is a renowned theoretical cosmologist and professor of physics at the University of Chicago. He is a pioneer in exploring what he calls the dark side of the Universe. He coined the term dark energy, and his ideas led to the cold dark matter theory of structure formation.

Michael’s contributions to modern physics are truly invaluable, and I am beyond thrilled to have him as a guest on my show.

Join us as we explore the origins and evolution of the Universe!

Key Takeaways:

Intro (00:00)
Judging a book by its cover: The Early Universe (01:44)
Was there a Big Bang or not? (06:23)
The most important discoveries in physics (12:44)
The origin of dark energy (29:32)
The Hubble constant and its precision (41:44)
Magnetic fields, dark energy, and resolving the Hubble tension (48:20)
Dark photons and dark stars (55:24)
Outro (1:01:47)

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📚 The Early Universe by Michael Turner and Edward Kolb: https://a.co/d/2HkzzzK

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