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Astronomycast, episode 397. Why is there something and not nothing?

Welcome to Astronomycast, a weekly facts-based journey through the cosmos. We'll help you understand not only what we know, but how we know what we know.

My name is Fraser Cain, I'm the publisher of the universe today.

With me is Dr. Pamela Gay, a professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and the director of Cosmicquest.

Hey Pamela, how are you doing?

I'm doing well. How are you doing?

Great. As we are speaking right now, it is the height of the jambinid meteor shower.

We had beautiful clear skies last night and a couple of friends got a chance to see some.

As soon as this show is over, I'm going to, because it's recording in the evening, unusually, I'm going to go out and try and catch them on Monday.

Although it's also bitterly cold here in Canada, so I'm going to see how long I can last outside as I look for jambinids.

But the jambinids are their greatest, at their peak, which people don't realize.

The jambinids are really one of the biggest meteor showers that we can get.

I was actually born during the jambinid meteors, and somehow that is explained so many different things.

Yeah, your birthday was yesterday?

Saturday.

Saturday, right? Okay. Yeah. Okay, well, let's get on with the show.

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