Galileo & the Science Deniers with Mario Livio (#044)

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

Brian Keating

Science, Physics, Natural Sciences

4.7 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 14 May 2020

⏱️ 85 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Mario Livio is a renowned astrophysicist & best-selling author. His new book “Galileo and the Science Deniers” is the gripping first biography of Galileo Galilei written by an astronomer. Though Galileo’s quest to prove that Earth orbits the sun was correct, he eventually recanted his belief as punishment for heresy. Livio describes parallels to our modern world where, even 400 years later, some people assail science when it conflicts with their ideology. Show notes and resources are available here. An interview with Dr. Livio and Steve Mirsky on Scientific American’s “Science Talk’ podcast is available here. His research into whether Galileo actually said “And yet it moves!” is here. 00:05:37 Galileo’s quest for intellectual freedom wasn’t an attack on religion. 00:12:15 Telescopes are tools that allow augmented senses. 00:15:44 The importance of Galileo’s discoveries supporting Copernicanism. 00:20:48 Why ideological bias does a disservice to both science and religion. 00:25:51 Galileo was only human — some of his findings were wrong. 00:32:30 Denying science can be dangerous and even deadly. 00:39:15 Did an unconvincing preface lead to Galileo’s arrest? 00:44:12 Do authority figures have an obligation to keep the peace? 00:49:39 Why Galileo was sentenced to house arrest instead of prison. 00:54:43 What was Galileo like as a father? 01:01:12 Teaching ‘the controversy’ can liven up science lessons. 01:06:33 Lessons from Galileo for the COVID-19 pandemic. 01:10:44 5 questions INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE asks all authors. Livio is now retired from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which operates the Hubble Space Telescope. He is a Fellow at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and has published over 400 articles, both in peer-reviewed scientific journals and popular science magazines: www.mario-livio.com/articles Livio is also Science Advisor to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, collaborating on the world’s first VR music experience, The Hubble Cantata. In this discussion with Dr. Brian Keating, Livio recounts Galileo’s prolific Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The only thing we can be sure of about the future is that it will be absolutely fantastic.
0:04.4	Five, four, three, two, one.
0:10.4	Hello out there, listening to the Into the
0:15.8	Impossible podcast the production of the Arthur C. Clark Center for
0:19.0	Human Imagination. I am your fearful host in these fearful times Brian Keating and today I'm joined with a friend and
0:26.7	fellow astrophysicist Dr Mario Livio who is the author of many books we're going to talk about his newest book in particular, which is called
0:34.9	Galileo and the Science Deniers. I want to give a quick bio of Dr. Livio, who is known for many, many books,
0:43.2	but he's also known as an internationally
0:45.8	famous and renowned astrophysicist.
0:48.2	He's a best-selling author and popular speaker
0:50.1	who worked for 24 years with the Hubble Space Telescope.
0:53.0	He's a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
0:57.0	He has written six previous books to this one on Galileo,
1:00.0	and more than 400 scientific articles.
1:04.0	He's appeared on 60 Minutes, Nova, and even the Daily Show.
1:07.6	And he's lectured all around the world,
1:09.1	literally, including here in San Diego.
1:11.0	And we'll get back to that in a little bit and he has a very widely
1:14.5	watched Ted X talk called Ted X Mid-Atlantic now which was associated with one of
1:20.0	his books from I think it was 20-, when I saw that video. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland. And he, like, I have a fascination with the
1:29.8	great maestro Galileo Galle. And behind me, you'll probably be able to describe this better than I can, Mario.
1:37.0	First of all, how are you doing in these unusual times?
	...

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