Dr. Brian Keating

I know you afford me the podcaster's predilection of going off on long tangents, but I think this is good. Galileo then said, well, I'm gonna take this telescope and look at these objects that are otherwise look like stars. And in fact, were called basically wanderers because they're the only things that moved. He first looked at the moon.

I know you afford me the podcaster's predilection of going off on long tangents, but I think this is good. Galileo then said, well, I'm gonna take this telescope and look at these objects that are otherwise look like stars. And in fact, were called basically wanderers because they're the only things that moved. He first looked at the moon.

I know you afford me the podcaster's predilection of going off on long tangents, but I think this is good. Galileo then said, well, I'm gonna take this telescope and look at these objects that are otherwise look like stars. And in fact, were called basically wanderers because they're the only things that moved. He first looked at the moon.

Now take yourself back to 1609 when he was first looking at these objects. In 1699, there were no clocks. There were no scientific tools of any real virtue. He, in fact, would invent many of these things. There were simple things like a magnetic compass, a slide rule, which none in your main demographic will know what a slide rule is, but that's OK. Very simple tools.

Now take yourself back to 1609 when he was first looking at these objects. In 1699, there were no clocks. There were no scientific tools of any real virtue. He, in fact, would invent many of these things. There were simple things like a magnetic compass, a slide rule, which none in your main demographic will know what a slide rule is, but that's OK. Very simple tools.

Now take yourself back to 1609 when he was first looking at these objects. In 1699, there were no clocks. There were no scientific tools of any real virtue. He, in fact, would invent many of these things. There were simple things like a magnetic compass, a slide rule, which none in your main demographic will know what a slide rule is, but that's OK. Very simple tools.

They would use tubes and whatnot. But Galileo looked at the moon. And the hypothesis was everything in the universe is orbiting around the Earth. The Earth is the most perfect place in the universe because God puts the things that are most important close to him in the center of the universe. God is the center of the universe. The Catholic Church held this. And everything will go around the Earth.

They would use tubes and whatnot. But Galileo looked at the moon. And the hypothesis was everything in the universe is orbiting around the Earth. The Earth is the most perfect place in the universe because God puts the things that are most important close to him in the center of the universe. God is the center of the universe. The Catholic Church held this. And everything will go around the Earth.

They would use tubes and whatnot. But Galileo looked at the moon. And the hypothesis was everything in the universe is orbiting around the Earth. The Earth is the most perfect place in the universe because God puts the things that are most important close to him in the center of the universe. God is the center of the universe. The Catholic Church held this. And everything will go around the Earth.

And in fact, I'm not going to challenge you because I think you'll defeat me in this. But in your audience, there are probably very many educated, I call them .edu people. There's many, many educated people. I find that even with my brilliant students at UCSD, They can't prove that the Earth is not the center of the solar system.

And in fact, I'm not going to challenge you because I think you'll defeat me in this. But in your audience, there are probably very many educated, I call them .edu people. There's many, many educated people. I find that even with my brilliant students at UCSD, They can't prove that the Earth is not the center of the solar system.

And in fact, I'm not going to challenge you because I think you'll defeat me in this. But in your audience, there are probably very many educated, I call them .edu people. There's many, many educated people. I find that even with my brilliant students at UCSD, They can't prove that the Earth is not the center of the solar system.

In other words, I'll say on my astronomy 101 quiz, I'll say prove that the Earth is not the center of the solar system, which was the whole universe back then, right? And I would say it's about 75%, 80% will not get it right. In fact, I can say to most people, proof the Earth is not flat. I claim the Earth is flat. Prove me wrong. Most people can't prove it.

In other words, I'll say on my astronomy 101 quiz, I'll say prove that the Earth is not the center of the solar system, which was the whole universe back then, right? And I would say it's about 75%, 80% will not get it right. In fact, I can say to most people, proof the Earth is not flat. I claim the Earth is flat. Prove me wrong. Most people can't prove it.

In other words, I'll say on my astronomy 101 quiz, I'll say prove that the Earth is not the center of the solar system, which was the whole universe back then, right? And I would say it's about 75%, 80% will not get it right. In fact, I can say to most people, proof the Earth is not flat. I claim the Earth is flat. Prove me wrong. Most people can't prove it.

They don't know how the proof is constructed. I don't expect them to go and replicate what Aristarchus did 2,000 years ago. But this is knowledge we've had for, as I said, 2,000 years. The knowledge that the Earth goes around the sun and not the other way around is only about 400 years old. But I would say 99%—I know for a fact— I went to Italy actually 10 years ago.

They don't know how the proof is constructed. I don't expect them to go and replicate what Aristarchus did 2,000 years ago. But this is knowledge we've had for, as I said, 2,000 years. The knowledge that the Earth goes around the sun and not the other way around is only about 400 years old. But I would say 99%—I know for a fact— I went to Italy actually 10 years ago.

They don't know how the proof is constructed. I don't expect them to go and replicate what Aristarchus did 2,000 years ago. But this is knowledge we've had for, as I said, 2,000 years. The knowledge that the Earth goes around the sun and not the other way around is only about 400 years old. But I would say 99%—I know for a fact— I went to Italy actually 10 years ago.

It was the 100th anniversary of Einstein's theory of general relativity. And we had a ceremony to honor the first person who ever came up with a theory of relativity, which is also Galileo. Galileo had the first notion that relative motion is indistinguishable. That if you and I are on a bike and I'm stationary, you can't tell if you're moving. I can't tell if I'm stationary.

It was the 100th anniversary of Einstein's theory of general relativity. And we had a ceremony to honor the first person who ever came up with a theory of relativity, which is also Galileo. Galileo had the first notion that relative motion is indistinguishable. That if you and I are on a bike and I'm stationary, you can't tell if you're moving. I can't tell if I'm stationary.