StarTalk Radio Cosmic Queries – Quantumly Stupid
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Nov 11, 2025 What would a four-dimensional being see when gazing at us? Dive into the peculiarities of higher dimensions, including how 2D creatures perceive 3D life! Explore the practicality of space elevators and ponder the biology of aliens. With humorous takes on time travel and the enigmatic nature of black holes, the hosts contemplate their role in galaxy dynamics. Could spacetime really be a cosmic crystal? Tune in for an entertaining blend of cosmic curiosity and scientific speculation!
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What Lower Dimensions Reveal
- A 2D being would appear face-on and reveal its interior to 3D observers because it has no thickness to hide organs.
- By analogy, a 4D being could see inside our bodies and would make exceptional surgeons due to that extra spatial perspective.
Space Elevator Limits On Earth
- A practical space elevator on Earth must reach geosynchronous orbit about 23,000 miles up to remain stationary over a surface point.
- Given modern reusable rockets and falling launch costs, Neil deGrasse Tyson argues a space elevator is technically cool but highly impractical.
Solutions Can Become Obsolete
- The original motivation for a space elevator was to avoid rockets, but routine, cheaper access to space from reusable boosters reduced that need.
- Technological context shifts can turn grand engineering ideas from priorities into curiosities.
