Janna Levin chats with Rainer Weiss, a pioneering physicist and MIT professor who helped develop the LIGO detector, alongside comedian Matt Kirshen. They delve into the fascinating world of gravitational waves, exploring their significance and relation to black holes. Rainer shares personal anecdotes about teaching relativity and the early skepticism faced in securing funding for LIGO. The conversation demystifies complex scientific concepts, linking Einstein's revolutionary ideas to our understanding of the universe, and highlights the challenges in detecting these cosmic ripples.

Astrophysicist Janna Levin and comedian Matt Kirshen discuss interstellar travel, black holes, time loops, and the possibility of life on exoplanets. They explore the dynamics of falling into a black hole, wormholes, event horizons, and dark energy, with a touch of humor and scientific exploration.

Matt Kirshen, Brooks Wheelan, and Andy Wood discuss various topics in science, including comet close calls, speeding neutrinos, the Turing test, space junk, seals and kangaroos, the unintended climate consequences of Christopher Columbus, and the history of medical body dissections.