This is an IHeart podcast.

Quick note before today's episode to let you know about my new book, Do Aliens Speak Physics,

which is available for pre-order now and can be at your house on November 4th.

It's all about my favorite scenario, aliens arriving on Earth, and what it would be like

to try to talk to them about physics.

Is that really possible? We don't know, but the book is a fun exploration of the potential challenges. If you've enjoyed my science outreach, this is a nice way to support me. Check it out at www.alienspeakphysics.com. Okay, on to today's episode. I like to think about alien life, but where are they all if aliens are so rife?

If you don't metabolize and reproduce, then science says you're

dead. Does a recently discovered critter turn this definition on its head? A curious listener

wants to know what would the universe be like if light were very slow? Whatever questions

keep you up at night, Daniel and Kelly's answers will make it right.

Welcome to Daniel and Kelly's extraordinary universe.

Hello, I'm Kelly Weiner-Smith.

I study parasites and space, and I'm excited that we're talking about aliens today.

And the reason I'm excited about that is because I'm really excited about this book that's coming out called Do Aliens Speak Physics?

Oh my gosh.

For a moment, I thought you were going to tell me about another book about aliens.

So it was going to scoop mine.

Oh, no, my nightmare.

Hi, I'm Daniel.

I'm a particle physicist, and I do love thinking about aliens because I worry that the way we do science is somehow infected with our humanity. And there's somebody out there getting

deeper at the truth of the matter. Oh, infected by our humanity. That is a like surprisingly

negative view from you, I think. I was trying to speak biology, you know, like, you know, I was trying

...