Cool Worlds Podcast
coolworldslab
Conversations between Professor David Kipping and guests, spanning astronomy, technology, science and engineering. This is the official podcast of the Cool Worlds Lab at Columbia University and their popular YouTube channel ”Cool Worlds”. Podcast episodes are filmed and can be found online through our YouTube channels.
Episodes
Mentioned books
4 snips
Aug 8, 2023 • 1h 14min
#5 Kathryn Johnston - The Milky Way, Dark Matter vs MOND, Gaia
Professor Kathryn Johnston discusses the structure and components of the Milky Way, the uncertainty of counting stars, the role of dark matter and its evidence, modified gravitational force, mapping the Milky Way with the Gaia mission, the nature of astronomy and the excitement of data, and the impact of studying the Milky Way on one's career and perspective on life.
Jul 14, 2023 • 1h 5min
#4 Hod Lipson - Automated Physics Discovery, ChatGPT, Future of AI
In this week's episode, David is joined by Hod Lipson. Prof Lipson is the Director of the Creative Machine Lab at Columbia University and is a leading researcher in the field of artificial intelligence, self-replicating robots and self-learning machines. We dive into his work on machines that can discover new physics, the trajectory of current AI and the future of humanity and AGI.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to www.coolworldslab.com/support
6 snips
Jun 24, 2023 • 1h 18min
#3 Chiara Mingarelli - NANOGrav, Background Gravitational Waves, Black Holes
In this week's episode, David is joined by Chiara Mingarelli. Prof Mingarelli is currently moving from the University of Connecticut to Yale University and is theorist working on the so-called background gravitational wave signal. Predicted for decades but incredibly elusive, we are on the cusp of detecting this signal for the first time. Learn all about what this signal is and what it means for astronomy in today's episode.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to www.coolworldslab.com/support
Jun 16, 2023 • 59min
#2 Wendy Freedman - The Crisis in Cosmology, Standard Candles, Future of Cosmology
Leading cosmologist Wendy Freedman discusses the crisis in cosmology, advancements in cosmology from glass plates to CCDs, historical observations of dark matter, challenges of science communication in cosmology, unknown systematics in cosmological measurements, tension between measurements of cosmic background and cepheids, and importance of independent checks in cosmology.
Jun 3, 2023 • 54min
#1 Rebecca Charbonneau - Astrohistory, Carl Sagan, Cold War SETI
In our inaugural episode, David is joined by Rebecca Charbonneau. Dr Charbonneau holds a PhD in the History of Science from Cambridge University, and served as the Historian-in-Residence at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics from 2020-2022. She is currently a Janksy Fellow at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and working on an upcoming book exploring the history of SETI - the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence.
To support this podcast and our research lab, head to www.coolworldslab.com/support
