Creon Levit, a scientist with over 30 years of experience at NASA Ames Research Center and currently the chief technologist at Planet Labs, discusses the challenges of rocket engineering, gravity and atmospheric losses, analyzing COVID and the censorship industrial complex, capture and incentives in NASA and the pharmaceutical industry, interference and manipulation on YouTube, contrarianism and society's response to COVID-19, the consequences of refusing a vaccination mandate, apologies throughout history, the internet's impact on society, and the importance of training LLMs on long-term well-being metrics.
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Quick takeaways
Rocket launches require high-energy chemical reactions and high melting point materials due to the extreme energy needed to reach orbit from Earth.
Learning from failures is crucial in both NASA missions and COVID response to avoid repeating mistakes and hold accountable those responsible for missteps.
The COVID pandemic has revealed systemic problems within society, including the silencing of dissenting voices and the need to actively challenge the status quo to foster intellectual growth.
Contrarian thinking and questioning the mainstream can lead to societal progress and innovation, and there is value in striking a balance between conformity and renegade thinkers.
Deep dives
Building Rockets and the Limits of Gravity
During the podcast episode, the guest, a former NASA scientist, discusses the engineering challenges of rocket launches and the limitations imposed by gravity. They explain that the extreme energy required to reach orbit from Earth necessitates the use of high-energy chemical reactions and high melting point materials. They also highlight the razor-thin margins and limited change in technology over the past 60 years. Additionally, they discuss the potential for alternative propulsion methods such as nuclear or beamed energy propulsion.
The Need for Failure Investigation Boards
The speaker draws a parallel between NASA's approach to mission failures and the lack of investigation into the failures of COVID response. They discuss how NASA convenes expert panels to examine failures, and emphasizes the importance of understanding what went wrong to avoid repeating mistakes. They express frustration at the absence of similar investigations during the COVID pandemic, despite the glaring errors that were made. The speaker advocates for comprehensive post-mortem evaluations to hold accountable those responsible for missteps and ensure that lessons are learned.
Nurturing Intellectual Curiosity and Threats to It
The podcast episode touches on the decline of intellectual curiosity and the threats it faces. The speaker highlights how the COVID narrative revealed systemic problems within society, including silencing of dissenting voices and the manipulation of information. They discuss the importance of asking questions, seeking different perspectives, and actively challenging the status quo to foster intellectual growth. The speaker praises those who continue to question conventional wisdom and pursue alternative narratives, despite the social pressures to conform.
The Polarizing Effects of COVID and Contrarian Thinking
The speaker reflects on the polarization and suppression of contrarian voices during the COVID pandemic. They share personal experiences of being a contrarian and facing resistance from those who were previously open-minded. The speaker suggests that contrarian thinking arises from a desire to explore uncharted territories and a resistance to blindly following the mainstream. They also propose an evolutionary explanation: societies might benefit from a balance between conformity and renegade thinkers, who challenge established beliefs and push for progress.
The potential benefits of AI in therapy
AI language models could potentially play a helpful role in therapy, offering support and guidance to individuals who cannot afford therapists. However, careful training and consideration of long-term well-being metrics are crucial to ensure that AI therapies are effective and beneficial.
The potential of fourth-generation nuclear reactors
There is potential for fourth-generation nuclear reactors that have fail-safe mechanisms and can aid in waste disposal. These advanced designs could be a viable and sustainable option for producing clean energy while addressing current waste concerns.
The importance of a failure investigation board for COVID
While progress has been made through the DeSantis commission, further action is needed to conduct a thorough investigation into the handling of COVID-19. The public health integrity committee should continue to meet and issue a comprehensive report to shed light on the failures, misinformation, and impact of the pandemic.
Evolving perspectives on fission power
Perspectives on fission power have evolved slightly, recognizing the potential for certain fourth-generation reactor designs. However, concerns about the safety and waste management of current designs and the potential for catastrophic accidents remain. Further examination and exploration of alternative energy options are warranted to ensure long-term sustainability and environmental well-being.
Creon was employed as a scientist at NASA Ames Research Center for over 30 years working in applied physics, aerodynamics, data visualization, computational chemistry, molecular nanotechnology, celestial mechanics, launch systems, optics, and satellite systems engineering. Since 2015 he has been chief technologist at Planet Labs - a satellite imaging company headquartered in San Francisco. Creon is a Planet Fellow at Planet Labs and a Senior Fellow at the Foresight institute. He serves on various NASA committees, and organizational technical advisory boards.
The views he expresses on this podcast are personal and are not affiliated with any of the above organizations.
Find Creon on X: @creon (https://twitter.com/creon) Fin Creon on Substack: https://creon.substack.com/
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Theme Music: Thank you to Martin Molin of Wintergatan for providing us the rights to use their excellent music.
