StarTalk Radio Cosmic Queries – Before the Big Bang
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Mar 11, 2025 Dive into the cosmic wonders of what existed before the Big Bang and the nature of time travel. Explore the significance of being made of stardust and how it connects us to the universe. Enjoy a humorous take on Captain Kirk's wardrobe dilemmas while contrasting leadership styles in Star Trek. Discover the importance of international collaboration in scientific ventures like the Large Hadron Collider and ponder the mysteries of infinity and the multiverse, all while enjoying playful banter and wit.
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SSC Cancellation
- The Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) project in Texas was canceled due to perceived cost overruns.
- This shifted the center of particle physics research to Europe, leading to the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN's Large Hadron Collider.
SSC and the Cold War
- Neil deGrasse Tyson suggests that the SSC's cancellation was politically motivated, linked to the end of the Cold War.
- He argues that cost overruns were used as an excuse when the perceived need for the project diminished.
Before the Big Bang
- The question of what existed before the Big Bang remains a scientific frontier.
- While theories like the multiverse exist, they are currently unverifiable.
