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Hey, Daniel, if you had a tough problem to solve, who would you ask?

Hey, Daniel, if you had a tough problem to solve, who would you ask?

Hmm, I guess it depends on the problem. Is it like a particle physics calculation or something like a tooth extraction?

Hmm, I guess it depends on the problem. Is it like a particle physics calculation or something like a tooth extraction?

Well, what if you wanted to do a tooth extraction with particle physics?

Well, what if you wanted to do a tooth extraction with particle physics?

Well, you know, usually you get the ideas nailed down and then you just sort of hand it off to an engineer and they figure out the details.

Well, you know, usually you get the ideas nailed down and then you just sort of hand it off to an engineer and they figure out the details.

Like we're like, engineers are just your assistance, Like we're just there to fix your problems.

Like we're like, engineers are just your assistance, Like we're just there to fix your problems.

You know, they're downstream, That's all I gotta say. I don't know which positions.

You know, they're downstream, That's all I gotta say. I don't know which positions.

Better extream you start with. I see, I see. You mean the bad ideas just flow down.

Better extream you start with. I see, I see. You mean the bad ideas just flow down.

We flushed them down to the engineers, and the engineers turn it into.

We flushed them down to the engineers, and the engineers turn it into.

Gold to trickle down physics, I guess.

Gold to trickle down physics, I guess.

But at the very top, of course are the comics.

But at the very top, of course are the comics.

Hi.

Hi.

I'm Jorhem, a cartoonist and the creator of PhD comics.

I'm Jorhem, a cartoonist and the creator of PhD comics.

Hi I'm Daniel. I'm a particle physicist, which puts me solidly downstream on the intellectual river from cartoonists but above engineers, Thank you very much. And I'm a professor U c Irvine. We're actually do experimental particle physics for a living. And I'm the co author of our book We Have No Idea, A Guide to the Unknown Universe.

Hi I'm Daniel. I'm a particle physicist, which puts me solidly downstream on the intellectual river from cartoonists but above engineers, Thank you very much. And I'm a professor U c Irvine. We're actually do experimental particle physics for a living. And I'm the co author of our book We Have No Idea, A Guide to the Unknown Universe.

Yeah, and so welcome to our podcast, Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe, a production of iHeart Media.

Yeah, and so welcome to our podcast, Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe, a production of iHeart Media.

In which we examine all things crazy and awesome about the universe, things far away, things nearby. We ask all sorts of questions on this podcast.

In which we examine all things crazy and awesome about the universe, things far away, things nearby. We ask all sorts of questions on this podcast.

And so today we'll be answering a couple of questions, but we're going to do things a little bit differently today. So first of all, we're going to be answering how questions, how to questions, And second of all, we're going to be doing it with arguably the world's worst expert on how to questions.

And so today we'll be answering a couple of questions, but we're going to do things a little bit differently today. So first of all, we're going to be answering how questions, how to questions, And second of all, we're going to be doing it with arguably the world's worst expert on how to questions.

So this is in some sense another episode of Ask the Wrong Expert? But is this guy an expert in everything or nothing?

So this is in some sense another episode of Ask the Wrong Expert? But is this guy an expert in everything or nothing?

Well, if you are on the internet, if you have access to the Internet, which we're guessing you have because you're listening to this podcast. Thank you, Darba, Yeah, thank you, thank you government agencies. And you have an interest in physics and science and math and geeky stuff, then you've probably most likely have come across the work of our special guests today.

Well, if you are on the internet, if you have access to the Internet, which we're guessing you have because you're listening to this podcast. Thank you, Darba, Yeah, thank you, thank you government agencies. And you have an interest in physics and science and math and geeky stuff, then you've probably most likely have come across the work of our special guests today.

For those of you listening on today's podcast, I will be the only one who is not a famous webcomic.

For those of you listening on today's podcast, I will be the only one who is not a famous webcomic.

And I'll be the only one who does not have a degree in physics.

And I'll be the only one who does not have a degree in physics.

One of these things is not like the other one in every sense of the word.

One of these things is not like the other one in every sense of the word.

And so today on the podcast, we have New York Times number one best selling author of what If, and the creator of the super popular webcomic XKCD, Random Monroe. Welcome, Randall, Hey, thanks for having me. It's super special to have you here today because not only are you a roboticist who turned into cartooning just like me, but it's pretty cool because you're also.

And so today on the podcast, we have New York Times number one best selling author of what If, and the creator of the super popular webcomic XKCD, Random Monroe. Welcome, Randall, Hey, thanks for having me. It's super special to have you here today because not only are you a roboticist who turned into cartooning just like me, but it's pretty cool because you're also.

Feeling kind of left out here. You don't have to have a robotics degree to be in this podcast.

Feeling kind of left out here. You don't have to have a robotics degree to be in this podcast.

We'll find a connection for you later. Dan. Yeah, you used to work at NASA, right, Randall?

We'll find a connection for you later. Dan. Yeah, you used to work at NASA, right, Randall?

Yeah, I worked there on three D vision stuff for a while as an intern, and then and then got hired to work in a robotics lab on robotic navigation.

Yeah, I worked there on three D vision stuff for a while as an intern, and then and then got hired to work in a robotics lab on robotic navigation.

Cool, and at some point you decided to become a cartoonist.

Cool, and at some point you decided to become a cartoonist.

Yeah. I was working on a contract basis at NASA, and at the same time I was posting my comics that I had was mostly like doodles from my old notebooks. I was scanning them in and putting them on my website, and then at some point people started sharing those around and asking if they could order t shirts or prints of them, And then before I knew it, I was like spending a fair amount of time shipping merchandise and handling that stuff. And so when my contract ran out at NASA didn't, I didn't push them to take me back. I was just like, have you all tried doing this comics thing for a little bit?

Yeah. I was working on a contract basis at NASA, and at the same time I was posting my comics that I had was mostly like doodles from my old notebooks. I was scanning them in and putting them on my website, and then at some point people started sharing those around and asking if they could order t shirts or prints of them, And then before I knew it, I was like spending a fair amount of time shipping merchandise and handling that stuff. And so when my contract ran out at NASA didn't, I didn't push them to take me back. I was just like, have you all tried doing this comics thing for a little bit?

And I've noticed on your website you have all of the old original ones, like including like number zero, And I wanted sometimes like you ever thought about, like, you know, going back and editing it or do you keep all those on there for inspiration for future people trying to launch their own side careers.

And I've noticed on your website you have all of the old original ones, like including like number zero, And I wanted sometimes like you ever thought about, like, you know, going back and editing it or do you keep all those on there for inspiration for future people trying to launch their own side careers.

Or I don't know, I try not to do the thing where I go back and add cgi you know bandas walking past the cameras and stuff. But you know, so now I just think of it as like I posted it, and that's like the record of old stuff I've put up.

Or I don't know, I try not to do the thing where I go back and add cgi you know bandas walking past the cameras and stuff. But you know, so now I just think of it as like I posted it, and that's like the record of old stuff I've put up.

Yeah, you get a respect to archive, right, Yeah, exactly, good miss robotics, Rendall. Working in robots, I don't know.

Yeah, you get a respect to archive, right, Yeah, exactly, good miss robotics, Rendall. Working in robots, I don't know.

What I like about comics is that when I can think of an idea for a robot and then draw it and then it'll do what I want to draw it doing. Whereas in real life building a robot like way more of it was spent like debugging sensors and trying to figure out why, like why will this half of it not turn on? Everything is working right, It works right when I take it out of the robot. What's different? You know that kind of frustrating debugging. So comics are fun because you can kind of skip all of that because you get to just draw the robot doing what you wanted to do.

What I like about comics is that when I can think of an idea for a robot and then draw it and then it'll do what I want to draw it doing. Whereas in real life building a robot like way more of it was spent like debugging sensors and trying to figure out why, like why will this half of it not turn on? Everything is working right, It works right when I take it out of the robot. What's different? You know that kind of frustrating debugging. So comics are fun because you can kind of skip all of that because you get to just draw the robot doing what you wanted to do.

The real world is very frustrating sometimes, I agree.

The real world is very frustrating sometimes, I agree.

Well, thank you for joining us today, Randall. I know that you've been crisscrossing the country and giving talks and giving book signings to talk about your new book which is called.

Well, thank you for joining us today, Randall. I know that you've been crisscrossing the country and giving talks and giving book signings to talk about your new book which is called.

It's called How to absurd scientific advice for common real world problems.

It's called How to absurd scientific advice for common real world problems.

Yeah, and so it's an awesome book if anyone out there is listening and wants just a really fun read to learn about science and physics and do it in a way that is intrigue and interesting. So tell us a little bit about what the book is about, and maybe a little bit about how you thought about the idea for the book.

Yeah, and so it's an awesome book if anyone out there is listening and wants just a really fun read to learn about science and physics and do it in a way that is intrigue and interesting. So tell us a little bit about what the book is about, and maybe a little bit about how you thought about the idea for the book.

Well, I'm always thinking of, like wildly I practical ways to do things, which which isn't usually my goal. I'll just be like looking at a task, and especially if it's something that's kind of repetitive or menial or like you know, boring that I have to do a bunch of times, and I'll think like, are there any other ways I could do this? And I'm not trying to think of bad ideas, you know, but most of them are bad ideas or at least impractical in one way or another. But what I find is like going over those ideas and kind of taking them seriously for a moment, like as a as it's like as a hypothesis, and then thinking like how would this work? What problems would I run into? And and like what would the what would the side effects of doing that with this way be how hard would it be? How expensive would it be? That's always really fun. It's like I like that kind of analysis because I really like, like, I really like doing math and and engineering and planning when there's like a cool goal in mind. I always have a hard time with when math gets really abstract. For example, like I see an equation on a board and I'm just like, oh, I hope I don't have to solve that, but if that equation will tell me whether or not I can attach engines to my house and make it fly into the air, Like, suddenly I'm way more interested. So I was like, like practical applications.

Well, I'm always thinking of, like wildly I practical ways to do things, which which isn't usually my goal. I'll just be like looking at a task, and especially if it's something that's kind of repetitive or menial or like you know, boring that I have to do a bunch of times, and I'll think like, are there any other ways I could do this? And I'm not trying to think of bad ideas, you know, but most of them are bad ideas or at least impractical in one way or another. But what I find is like going over those ideas and kind of taking them seriously for a moment, like as a as it's like as a hypothesis, and then thinking like how would this work? What problems would I run into? And and like what would the what would the side effects of doing that with this way be how hard would it be? How expensive would it be? That's always really fun. It's like I like that kind of analysis because I really like, like, I really like doing math and and engineering and planning when there's like a cool goal in mind. I always have a hard time with when math gets really abstract. For example, like I see an equation on a board and I'm just like, oh, I hope I don't have to solve that, but if that equation will tell me whether or not I can attach engines to my house and make it fly into the air, Like, suddenly I'm way more interested. So I was like, like practical applications.

Wait, so wait, I thought you told me earlier you were physicists. What is this interest in like real world applications?

Wait, so wait, I thought you told me earlier you were physicists. What is this interest in like real world applications?

Well, oh no. So I feel like I get along so well with everyone who does physics, and I think the reason might be, like the way I see it is that physics is for people who are too too practically oriented to go into like pure math, but then at the same time like not concerned enough with details and implementation to be engineers. So if you wander back and forth between like the theoretical and the practical. You have to walk that like narrow path, but that takes you into physics because if you're too interesting it in the abstract structures that you know, theoretical structures explaining things, you get peeled off into like algebraic geometry eventually, and that has no connection to reality.

Well, oh no. So I feel like I get along so well with everyone who does physics, and I think the reason might be, like the way I see it is that physics is for people who are too too practically oriented to go into like pure math, but then at the same time like not concerned enough with details and implementation to be engineers. So if you wander back and forth between like the theoretical and the practical. You have to walk that like narrow path, but that takes you into physics because if you're too interesting it in the abstract structures that you know, theoretical structures explaining things, you get peeled off into like algebraic geometry eventually, and that has no connection to reality.

Yeah, who needs lead algebra?

Yeah, who needs lead algebra?

Actually energy? Actually out aftract algebra has a deep, deep connection to reality.

Actually energy? Actually out aftract algebra has a deep, deep connection to reality.

Underlies the connection that is that it funds a whole bunch of mathematicians start.

Underlies the connection that is that it funds a whole bunch of mathematicians start.

I always feel bad using algebraic geometry as my example of a thing that I'm not interested in, because I'm like, I'm so sorry to any algebraic geometrists out there. But yeah, then but like at the same time, like I want to you know, I want to practice application, et cetera. But then like actually building robots, I quickly get frustrated with like the practical aspects of it and just want to think, like, theoretically, how would this robot work if I had solved all these minor engineering problems. So like, yeah, right in between the theoretical and the practical.

I always feel bad using algebraic geometry as my example of a thing that I'm not interested in, because I'm like, I'm so sorry to any algebraic geometrists out there. But yeah, then but like at the same time, like I want to you know, I want to practice application, et cetera. But then like actually building robots, I quickly get frustrated with like the practical aspects of it and just want to think, like, theoretically, how would this robot work if I had solved all these minor engineering problems. So like, yeah, right in between the theoretical and the practical.

I totally agree with you, though, the best part of the problem is when you can just hand that off to the engineers and say, make it work for less than a trillion dollars.

I totally agree with you, though, the best part of the problem is when you can just hand that off to the engineers and say, make it work for less than a trillion dollars.

Please.

Please.

We figured out all the theory, now make it work.

We figured out all the theory, now make it work.

Yeah. But you know, we were talking earlier a bit about how it's sort of not just about making something or achieving something or getting to somewhere. It's about what sometimes you discover along the way, and when you're in the process of getting there, where your curiosity sort of leads you in finding new things that you maybe didn't think about.

Yeah. But you know, we were talking earlier a bit about how it's sort of not just about making something or achieving something or getting to somewhere. It's about what sometimes you discover along the way, and when you're in the process of getting there, where your curiosity sort of leads you in finding new things that you maybe didn't think about.

Yeah, I really find that a lot of the time, especially with computers. I'll have an idea for how to automate something that will save and I think it'll take a lot of work now, but it'll save me time in the long run, and it never saves me time in the long run, like it's always I would have been better off just continuing to do it the other way. But in the process, well, but in the process of building the automation tool, I'll like learn to use some software library that doesn't actually help me with the problem I'm working on, but now I know how to use that software I come and then later on when there's a problem where it is actually really helpful I have a head start already, like I've already learned how to use it. So sometimes like solving a ridiculous, you know, contrived thought experiment or word problem, or analyzing a plan that definitely won't work will teach you something that then is helpful with solving something else. And then also it's just sometimes really fun.

Yeah, I really find that a lot of the time, especially with computers. I'll have an idea for how to automate something that will save and I think it'll take a lot of work now, but it'll save me time in the long run, and it never saves me time in the long run, like it's always I would have been better off just continuing to do it the other way. But in the process, well, but in the process of building the automation tool, I'll like learn to use some software library that doesn't actually help me with the problem I'm working on, but now I know how to use that software I come and then later on when there's a problem where it is actually really helpful I have a head start already, like I've already learned how to use it. So sometimes like solving a ridiculous, you know, contrived thought experiment or word problem, or analyzing a plan that definitely won't work will teach you something that then is helpful with solving something else. And then also it's just sometimes really fun.

And so that's kind of what your whole book is about, how to answering a sort of scientific advice for common real world problems. You sort of go into how to do sometimes simple even simple or seemingly simple task, and you sort of follow your curiosity and find kind of the sometimes the worst possible way to do it, but where you sort of learn a lot and think about cool science.

And so that's kind of what your whole book is about, how to answering a sort of scientific advice for common real world problems. You sort of go into how to do sometimes simple even simple or seemingly simple task, and you sort of follow your curiosity and find kind of the sometimes the worst possible way to do it, but where you sort of learn a lot and think about cool science.

I've always like hated moving because you have to pack. It's so disruptive to your life and just takes over everything and takes so much work. And I started thinking, like, Okay, is there a way I can avoid packing all these boxes? And then I was thinking, you know, my house is already a boxing structure, all my stuff is in there. Could I just lift the entire house? And like, there's no way that's going to end up being less work than just packing the boxes. But you know, I'm gonna let's try exploring yet just maybe you know, because sometimes uh uh, sometimes like almost all the time, it's pretty clear you know this is gonna be a bad idea, but like sometimes sometimes you never know the like whoever was the first person to you know, went like if you get a cut and you're like, oh man, this looks red and swollen, it looks pretty bad. I'm going to take some of this mold from a sandwich and just rub it on it. Like that sounds definitely like a bad idea, but like that's penicillin. That's how that works, and that like is.

I've always like hated moving because you have to pack. It's so disruptive to your life and just takes over everything and takes so much work. And I started thinking, like, Okay, is there a way I can avoid packing all these boxes? And then I was thinking, you know, my house is already a boxing structure, all my stuff is in there. Could I just lift the entire house? And like, there's no way that's going to end up being less work than just packing the boxes. But you know, I'm gonna let's try exploring yet just maybe you know, because sometimes uh uh, sometimes like almost all the time, it's pretty clear you know this is gonna be a bad idea, but like sometimes sometimes you never know the like whoever was the first person to you know, went like if you get a cut and you're like, oh man, this looks red and swollen, it looks pretty bad. I'm going to take some of this mold from a sandwich and just rub it on it. Like that sounds definitely like a bad idea, but like that's penicillin. That's how that works, and that like is.

That the true story. That's very a peniculin Yeah.

That the true story. That's very a peniculin Yeah.

Yeah, exactly, Yeah, no, I think it involved the earl of sandwich actually.

Yeah, exactly, Yeah, no, I think it involved the earl of sandwich actually.

Oh yeah yeah and the Duke of penicillin. Yeah, it was a joust.

Oh yeah yeah and the Duke of penicillin. Yeah, it was a joust.

It's not like these weird ideas always turn out to be good, because like there's a lot of stuff that you could rub on an infected wound and it would make it much worse. Like so like.

It's not like these weird ideas always turn out to be good, because like there's a lot of stuff that you could rub on an infected wound and it would make it much worse. Like so like.

Trying to figure out if there's a long trail of bodies of people who rub things into their wound, but the one person who picked the right, mold survived.

Trying to figure out if there's a long trail of bodies of people who rub things into their wound, but the one person who picked the right, mold survived.

That's right. And we can't interview dead people on the podcast, which is why you're here today and not the all those other folks. But I think there's this is a really interesting lesson here that connects, you know, not just engineering, but also physics and just following your curiosity and sometimes you discover stuff that's totally unexpected. And you know, on this podcast a lot we talk about these things like you're interested in X, and then along the way you discover why. And the universe is filled with fun mysteries to unravel. And so that's part of the joy of doing physics and sometimes abstract geometry.

That's right. And we can't interview dead people on the podcast, which is why you're here today and not the all those other folks. But I think there's this is a really interesting lesson here that connects, you know, not just engineering, but also physics and just following your curiosity and sometimes you discover stuff that's totally unexpected. And you know, on this podcast a lot we talk about these things like you're interested in X, and then along the way you discover why. And the universe is filled with fun mysteries to unravel. And so that's part of the joy of doing physics and sometimes abstract geometry.

All right, all right, I'll learn.

All right, all right, I'll learn.

We just got to come up with a good Yeah, you need to say this goal for him to that will require learning about that.

We just got to come up with a good Yeah, you need to say this goal for him to that will require learning about that.

If you want to move, you can turn your whole moving process into a computer script if you learn algebraic geometry, I promise, all right, all right, we'll talk dot slash move dot sh all.

If you want to move, you can turn your whole moving process into a computer script if you learn algebraic geometry, I promise, all right, all right, we'll talk dot slash move dot sh all.

Right, So to that in the program, we are going to be asking you randall and we're going to be trying to ask together three how two questions, and so the first one on the Liz is one directly from your book. But before we keep going, let's take a short break.

Right, So to that in the program, we are going to be asking you randall and we're going to be trying to ask together three how two questions, and so the first one on the Liz is one directly from your book. But before we keep going, let's take a short break.

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If you love iPhone, you'll love Apple Card. It's the credit card designed for iPhone. It gives you unlimited daily cash back that can earn four point four zero percent annual percentage yield. When you open a high Yield Savings account through Applecard, apply for Applecard in the wallet app subject to credit approval. Savings is available to Applecard owners subject to eligibility. Apple Card and Savings by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch, Member FDIC terms and more at applecard dot com. I love your book. That was hilarious. And for those of you out there who are interested in science with a healthy dose of silly humor, then you know that's probably why you're listening to this podcast. You're going to really enjoy this book. But make sure when you're reading it you're not in a public place or people will think you're weird for giggling so much. But one of my favorite chapters of this one chapter twenty six, how to get Somewhere Fast, and you know it talks all about, you know, movement on Earth. But one of the most fascinating bits is is at the end? Are you talking about how to get around the universe? Right? And how, especially if you wanted to get to the edge of the universe.

If you love iPhone, you'll love Apple Card. It's the credit card designed for iPhone. It gives you unlimited daily cash back that can earn four point four zero percent annual percentage yield. When you open a high Yield Savings account through Applecard, apply for Applecard in the wallet app subject to credit approval. Savings is available to Applecard owners subject to eligibility. Apple Card and Savings by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch, Member FDIC terms and more at applecard dot com. I love your book. That was hilarious. And for those of you out there who are interested in science with a healthy dose of silly humor, then you know that's probably why you're listening to this podcast. You're going to really enjoy this book. But make sure when you're reading it you're not in a public place or people will think you're weird for giggling so much. But one of my favorite chapters of this one chapter twenty six, how to get Somewhere Fast, and you know it talks all about, you know, movement on Earth. But one of the most fascinating bits is is at the end? Are you talking about how to get around the universe? Right? And how, especially if you wanted to get to the edge of the universe.

In a fast way? Is that the idea? Like, how do how it's the fastest way to get to the end of the universe?

In a fast way? Is that the idea? Like, how do how it's the fastest way to get to the end of the universe?

Yeah, well, I was thinking about how you know, there are all these limits of like the speed of light and stuff that that limit how quickly you can get somewhere, But there are also the more practical limits if you want to if you want to travel from here, you know, to across the country or across town or whatever. Most of the time you aren't limited by you're limited by traffic or whatever. But if you are able to get rid of all of those limitations, you still got a kind of fundamental limit by how fast the human body can accelerate, and over really brief intervals, people can handle handle fairly high accelerations, especially if you're a fighter pilot and you have one of those suits with the compresses your legs so thelood doesn't all drain from your head. Over longer periods of time, we don't do a great if we're accelerated faster than one you know, like Earth gravity.

Yeah, well, I was thinking about how you know, there are all these limits of like the speed of light and stuff that that limit how quickly you can get somewhere, But there are also the more practical limits if you want to if you want to travel from here, you know, to across the country or across town or whatever. Most of the time you aren't limited by you're limited by traffic or whatever. But if you are able to get rid of all of those limitations, you still got a kind of fundamental limit by how fast the human body can accelerate, and over really brief intervals, people can handle handle fairly high accelerations, especially if you're a fighter pilot and you have one of those suits with the compresses your legs so thelood doesn't all drain from your head. Over longer periods of time, we don't do a great if we're accelerated faster than one you know, like Earth gravity.

That's when our body squishes, yeah, or is that just when we pass out?

That's when our body squishes, yeah, or is that just when we pass out?

No, Like the idea is that like we're always existing at one Earth gravity of acceleration because Earth's gravity is pulling us down and so you know, your blood is uh, you know, being pulled down to your feet when you're just standing, which is why like if you if you like injure something, you're supposed to elevate it to like keep it, I don't know, from keep it from bleeding uh as much.

No, Like the idea is that like we're always existing at one Earth gravity of acceleration because Earth's gravity is pulling us down and so you know, your blood is uh, you know, being pulled down to your feet when you're just standing, which is why like if you if you like injure something, you're supposed to elevate it to like keep it, I don't know, from keep it from bleeding uh as much.

I think this is something a lot of people don't really realize. They're aware of the fact that there's a speed limit to the universe, they don't think often about how long it would take to get to that speed limit, right. They imagine how you press the button and you're going half the speed of light. The speed of light.

I think this is something a lot of people don't really realize. They're aware of the fact that there's a speed limit to the universe, they don't think often about how long it would take to get to that speed limit, right. They imagine how you press the button and you're going half the speed of light. The speed of light.

Yeah, if you made a rocket that you know, you press the button and it moves and it's and it just accelerates up to the speed of light. If it does it, you know, in a week, that will crush. You'll be crushed against the back of the room you're in by the accelerat and it'll it'll like you'll just be a puddle in the back of the rocket.

Yeah, if you made a rocket that you know, you press the button and it moves and it's and it just accelerates up to the speed of light. If it does it, you know, in a week, that will crush. You'll be crushed against the back of the room you're in by the accelerat and it'll it'll like you'll just be a puddle in the back of the rocket.

And no amount of mold will help you. At the sandwiches.

And no amount of mold will help you. At the sandwiches.

You could actually be turned into a pretty tasty sandwich.

You could actually be turned into a pretty tasty sandwich.

To that point, So you're saying that there's a there's a speed limit to the universe, but there's also is also kind of an acceleration limit to the human body.

To that point, So you're saying that there's a there's a speed limit to the universe, but there's also is also kind of an acceleration limit to the human body.

Yeah, and this acceleration limit is actually kind of it does have sort of practical consequences here on Earth. Generally, our modes of acceleration don't involve accelerating at one G, you know, at this high speed, especially you know, it gets added on to the gravity that we're already feeling. So if your car accelerates too fast and you're pressed back into the seat, it's uncomfortable, you know.

Yeah, and this acceleration limit is actually kind of it does have sort of practical consequences here on Earth. Generally, our modes of acceleration don't involve accelerating at one G, you know, at this high speed, especially you know, it gets added on to the gravity that we're already feeling. So if your car accelerates too fast and you're pressed back into the seat, it's uncomfortable, you know.

So that so you have a Guini for example.

So that so you have a Guini for example.

Yeah, I think that the very fastest cars will do about one g of acceleration sideways, and that's on top of the one G already pulling you downward. And because of the way you add you know, forces that are in different directions, it means you'll be experiencing a total of about one point four g's diagonally towards your body.

Yeah, I think that the very fastest cars will do about one g of acceleration sideways, and that's on top of the one G already pulling you downward. And because of the way you add you know, forces that are in different directions, it means you'll be experiencing a total of about one point four g's diagonally towards your body.

Yea.

Yea.

Yeah, and that's Okay, you can handle that for a while. It doesn't feel that comfortable. But at that acceleration, it takes you, you know, a good thirty forty five minutes to get around the world because you have to accelerate up and then you have to accelerate back down at the other side.

Yeah, and that's Okay, you can handle that for a while. It doesn't feel that comfortable. But at that acceleration, it takes you, you know, a good thirty forty five minutes to get around the world because you have to accelerate up and then you have to accelerate back down at the other side.

Oh so, if you do the math and accelerate at that speed at that acceloration and then right away start decelerating at that yeah, exactly, then it would take you how long to go around the world.

Oh so, if you do the math and accelerate at that speed at that acceloration and then right away start decelerating at that yeah, exactly, then it would take you how long to go around the world.

To get to the other side of the world will be like thirty forty five minutes in that range. There are some funny details there, like if you accelerate fast enough and you get up to a high enough speed, because of the curve of the Earth, there's sort of the centriviugal force flinging you outward that cancels out gravity, and so if you're moving at like orbital speed, you don't actually feel any acceleration from gravity, which means you could afford to do a little bit more acceleration forward because you would have less force on your body that you know, you have more acceleration budget to work with. But then if you go too fast, the curve. Trying to follow the curve of the Earth, you have to It's like you're being swung against the outside of a curved wall as you're going around it too fast, and that you know, centrifugal centriviadal acceleration devenue on how you do it, that starts to become a problem. So, just like if you go too fast, sticking to the earth is hard. That takes extra force and an extra stress on your body.

To get to the other side of the world will be like thirty forty five minutes in that range. There are some funny details there, like if you accelerate fast enough and you get up to a high enough speed, because of the curve of the Earth, there's sort of the centriviugal force flinging you outward that cancels out gravity, and so if you're moving at like orbital speed, you don't actually feel any acceleration from gravity, which means you could afford to do a little bit more acceleration forward because you would have less force on your body that you know, you have more acceleration budget to work with. But then if you go too fast, the curve. Trying to follow the curve of the Earth, you have to It's like you're being swung against the outside of a curved wall as you're going around it too fast, and that you know, centrifugal centriviadal acceleration devenue on how you do it, that starts to become a problem. So, just like if you go too fast, sticking to the earth is hard. That takes extra force and an extra stress on your body.

So if you wanted to go at light speed and stay on the Earth's surface, which sounds like a dangerous way to drive your Lamborghini, that'd be pretty true.

So if you wanted to go at light speed and stay on the Earth's surface, which sounds like a dangerous way to drive your Lamborghini, that'd be pretty true.

Yeah, that'd be definitely a scenario where you end up as a puddle on the wall of whatever vehicle you're in.

Yeah, that'd be definitely a scenario where you end up as a puddle on the wall of whatever vehicle you're in.

Am I the only one here who doesn't have a Lamborghini? Did I miss out on the you don't use the official podcast Lamborghini? Oops, there's a sign up sheet outside. Used to just sign up.

Am I the only one here who doesn't have a Lamborghini? Did I miss out on the you don't use the official podcast Lamborghini? Oops, there's a sign up sheet outside. Used to just sign up.

I know so little. All I know is that that car sounds fast and expensive. I don't actually know if it's a if it's a good high acceleration.

I know so little. All I know is that that car sounds fast and expensive. I don't actually know if it's a if it's a good high acceleration.

Company, if you wanted to accelerate to the speed of light, it's interesting you know, at one then basically you're saying you have to accelerate at one G. Yeah, that would take a shockingly long time.

Company, if you wanted to accelerate to the speed of light, it's interesting you know, at one then basically you're saying you have to accelerate at one G. Yeah, that would take a shockingly long time.

Yeah, it's it's actually kind of weird to me that it's it's a really long time. If you're going to accelerate, if you're gonna accelerate for more than you know, a few minutes in a car or whatever you want it to be at Earth gravity, you want to accelerate at one G and not any more than that, because like, long term, it'll take a toll on you. And if you want to get up to the speed of light, if you igno relativity for a whe and just think about how long it takes to get your speed up to around that range, it's about a year.

Yeah, it's it's actually kind of weird to me that it's it's a really long time. If you're going to accelerate, if you're gonna accelerate for more than you know, a few minutes in a car or whatever you want it to be at Earth gravity, you want to accelerate at one G and not any more than that, because like, long term, it'll take a toll on you. And if you want to get up to the speed of light, if you igno relativity for a whe and just think about how long it takes to get your speed up to around that range, it's about a year.

Like it takes you a year to ramp up to the speed of light.

Like it takes you a year to ramp up to the speed of light.

Yeah, which is both really long but also weirdly short, because I think of the speed of light as being unimaginably large. But it's weird. So it's weird that it's kind of within a human you know, timeframe.

Yeah, which is both really long but also weirdly short, because I think of the speed of light as being unimaginably large. But it's weird. So it's weird that it's kind of within a human you know, timeframe.

Wait, I thought it was impossible to get to the speed of light. Are you saying, like, get up to ninety nine percent of the speed of light? Or what do you mean?

Wait, I thought it was impossible to get to the speed of light. Are you saying, like, get up to ninety nine percent of the speed of light? Or what do you mean?

Yeah, well, so you know, to get up into the range of the speed of light is on the range of a year. But as you start to get near it, things get a little bit more complicated because that's when relativity comes in and suddenly the math stops being like addition and subtraction and involves you know, at least a few more symbols.

Yeah, well, so you know, to get up into the range of the speed of light is on the range of a year. But as you start to get near it, things get a little bit more complicated because that's when relativity comes in and suddenly the math stops being like addition and subtraction and involves you know, at least a few more symbols.

Yeah, I gets a little non in the ear. But it depends a little bit on how you state the question. Right. If you say the question is how much accelerattion are you achieving, then you can say, well, I'm accelerating by this certain amount. But if that takes more and more energy as you get closer and closer to the speed of light, oh, I see. But it's also it's a funny sort of coincidence of numbers, like the number of seconds isn't in a year is about three times ten of the seven, and the speed of light divided by Earth gravity is about three times ten of the seven. Sort of a funny coincidence. It takes one earth year to accelerate at one G to one C.

Yeah, I gets a little non in the ear. But it depends a little bit on how you state the question. Right. If you say the question is how much accelerattion are you achieving, then you can say, well, I'm accelerating by this certain amount. But if that takes more and more energy as you get closer and closer to the speed of light, oh, I see. But it's also it's a funny sort of coincidence of numbers, like the number of seconds isn't in a year is about three times ten of the seven, and the speed of light divided by Earth gravity is about three times ten of the seven. Sort of a funny coincidence. It takes one earth year to accelerate at one G to one C.

It's like we were meant to go at the speed of light.

It's like we were meant to go at the speed of light.

It also makes you wonder, like if we were on another planet where the gravity was much much stronger, right, like, say we're not a super earth somewhere, and we could tolerate five G, then we could be more of an interstellar species because we could accelerate a five G. Right, So some aliens out there are much better at exploring the universe than we are.

It also makes you wonder, like if we were on another planet where the gravity was much much stronger, right, like, say we're not a super earth somewhere, and we could tolerate five G, then we could be more of an interstellar species because we could accelerate a five G. Right, So some aliens out there are much better at exploring the universe than we are.

They'll get there five times faster.

They'll get there five times faster.

They'll accelerate five times faster. Right, They'll get to the speed of light faster. But you know, in the end, if you're going fifty light years, you know the time spen accelerating accelerating doesn't actually matter very much. I think that's what you were saying.

They'll accelerate five times faster. Right, They'll get to the speed of light faster. But you know, in the end, if you're going fifty light years, you know the time spen accelerating accelerating doesn't actually matter very much. I think that's what you were saying.

Yeah, funny thing is with relativity when you subject yourself to that kind of acceleration. In one sense, from someone watching from the outside, it looks like you're getting up closer and closer to the speed of light, but then your speed kind of plateaus. But because of the way time is changing for you, you'd be plateauing. You know, your speed would be leveling off as you got near the speed of light. But they would also see all the clocks on board your ship running slower.

Yeah, funny thing is with relativity when you subject yourself to that kind of acceleration. In one sense, from someone watching from the outside, it looks like you're getting up closer and closer to the speed of light, but then your speed kind of plateaus. But because of the way time is changing for you, you'd be plateauing. You know, your speed would be leveling off as you got near the speed of light. But they would also see all the clocks on board your ship running slower.

Oh, I was going to ask that when you say it takes a year, is does it take a year for me on the ship in my alarm light speed Lamborghini, or would it like take a year for someone watching me from the outside.

Oh, I was going to ask that when you say it takes a year, is does it take a year for me on the ship in my alarm light speed Lamborghini, or would it like take a year for someone watching me from the outside.

Well, for the first year or so, your clocks will be mostly in sync, and then as you get near that speed of light, they start to diverge and you're for you, it feels like your clock is still running normally. You're still under one g of acceleration, and you see mile markers in the universe going by you faster and faster and faster. But part of the reason you're seeing them go faster and faster and faster is because your clock has started running slower from the perspective of the rest of the universe, So to you, it feels like it's taking less and less time to pass each marker. But that's that's partly because your your time is running slower on your ship.

Well, for the first year or so, your clocks will be mostly in sync, and then as you get near that speed of light, they start to diverge and you're for you, it feels like your clock is still running normally. You're still under one g of acceleration, and you see mile markers in the universe going by you faster and faster and faster. But part of the reason you're seeing them go faster and faster and faster is because your clock has started running slower from the perspective of the rest of the universe, So to you, it feels like it's taking less and less time to pass each marker. But that's that's partly because your your time is running slower on your ship.

Right, or another way to look at it is your stationary and the universe is moving past you faster and faster, and moving things get shrunk by relativity, and so what's a mile to somebody else now becomes a smaller and smaller distance to you. This whole relativity stuff is all mind bothering, right, And the thing people should remember is that your clock always runs at one second per second, right. The clock that's sitting next to you, not moving relative to you, always runs normally. Other people's clocks always move slowly. So you're on the lightspeed Lamborghini. You see earth clock running slowly. They see your clock running slowly. And the last crazy factor remember is that people don't have to agree. Like on the Lamborghini. You can see one thing on Earth, you can see another thing that seems to contradict, and everybody can be correct even if they contradict each other, because there's no actual absolute truth in the universe. It's all just relative.

Right, or another way to look at it is your stationary and the universe is moving past you faster and faster, and moving things get shrunk by relativity, and so what's a mile to somebody else now becomes a smaller and smaller distance to you. This whole relativity stuff is all mind bothering, right, And the thing people should remember is that your clock always runs at one second per second, right. The clock that's sitting next to you, not moving relative to you, always runs normally. Other people's clocks always move slowly. So you're on the lightspeed Lamborghini. You see earth clock running slowly. They see your clock running slowly. And the last crazy factor remember is that people don't have to agree. Like on the Lamborghini. You can see one thing on Earth, you can see another thing that seems to contradict, and everybody can be correct even if they contradict each other, because there's no actual absolute truth in the universe. It's all just relative.

The weirdest consequence of this, in my opinion, is like that, as your excel, if you were able to keep accelerating a one g, which right now we don't have a way to do. There's there's there. There are a couple of really wild proposals out there that involve nuclear bombs that I'm very into but are probably not practice.

The weirdest consequence of this, in my opinion, is like that, as your excel, if you were able to keep accelerating a one g, which right now we don't have a way to do. There's there's there. There are a couple of really wild proposals out there that involve nuclear bombs that I'm very into but are probably not practice.

How much he's smiling when he says nuclear bombs, she should do it.

How much he's smiling when he says nuclear bombs, she should do it.

But fingers here, this is where we're.

But fingers here, this is where we're.

Glad you just keep things theoretical.

Glad you just keep things theoretical.

And on paper exactly. The nuclear bomb thing is something that a couple of theoretical physicists are very excited about, and all the people who actually have to deal with like the the actual like nuclear material and stuff, are like, what are you thinking. But so other than other than those weird proposals from the theoretical physicists, we don't We don't have any technology that will let us accelerate at one G. But we also don't have any any clear reason to think it's impossible. So if we did have a way to do that and we were accelerating, we could get up in within a year or so to near the speed of lights, and then the relativity starts to come in. But if we keep it, if you're in this Lamborghini, you keep accelerating at that speed at one G, your clock starts running slower, and it feels like you're get moving faster and faster and faster. It feels like you're reaching other parts of the universe in less time than it should take you. So it's as if you're going faster than the speed of light. If you sit down and do the math on what that converges toward like how okay, if you let five, ten, fifteen years go by on your ship, you'll get closer and closed the speed of light. Your time will stretch out, so it's like you're living longer and longer, and it actually gives you time to reach way.

And on paper exactly. The nuclear bomb thing is something that a couple of theoretical physicists are very excited about, and all the people who actually have to deal with like the the actual like nuclear material and stuff, are like, what are you thinking. But so other than other than those weird proposals from the theoretical physicists, we don't We don't have any technology that will let us accelerate at one G. But we also don't have any any clear reason to think it's impossible. So if we did have a way to do that and we were accelerating, we could get up in within a year or so to near the speed of lights, and then the relativity starts to come in. But if we keep it, if you're in this Lamborghini, you keep accelerating at that speed at one G, your clock starts running slower, and it feels like you're get moving faster and faster and faster. It feels like you're reaching other parts of the universe in less time than it should take you. So it's as if you're going faster than the speed of light. If you sit down and do the math on what that converges toward like how okay, if you let five, ten, fifteen years go by on your ship, you'll get closer and closed the speed of light. Your time will stretch out, so it's like you're living longer and longer, and it actually gives you time to reach way.

Farther than you stop aging in a way. Yeah, so only it may take a long time for people on Earth. You could you maybe could get to the other side of the universe.

Farther than you stop aging in a way. Yeah, so only it may take a long time for people on Earth. You could you maybe could get to the other side of the universe.

Yeah, so the you know, getting trips across the galaxy, it might be like one hundred thousand years, So it should take you one hundred thousand years moving at the speed of light. But after those first few years, you've gotten close enough to the speed of light that time on your ship is barely passing. So someone outside watching you, it'll still you know, my ten thousand years might pass at the universe in the universe, or one hundred thousand years might pass in the universe, but for you, very little time. You know, you'll get those first few years and then your clock slows to almost to stop.

Yeah, so the you know, getting trips across the galaxy, it might be like one hundred thousand years, So it should take you one hundred thousand years moving at the speed of light. But after those first few years, you've gotten close enough to the speed of light that time on your ship is barely passing. So someone outside watching you, it'll still you know, my ten thousand years might pass at the universe in the universe, or one hundred thousand years might pass in the universe, but for you, very little time. You know, you'll get those first few years and then your clock slows to almost to stop.

Which is why so many listeners writing with the question what is it like to be a photon because they wonder, like can photons think you know, it is time frozen for a photon. And unfortunately we've never been able to interview a photon on the podcast, so we don't know the answer.

Which is why so many listeners writing with the question what is it like to be a photon because they wonder, like can photons think you know, it is time frozen for a photon. And unfortunately we've never been able to interview a photon on the podcast, so we don't know the answer.

We have them on our show all the time here in the room, but you know, none of them stop to talk to us.

We have them on our show all the time here in the room, but you know, none of them stop to talk to us.

Yeah, they for a photon, the entire universe has contracted to a single point. They have a single moment in time, like time doesn't pass for them at all because they are moving at the speed of light.

Yeah, they for a photon, the entire universe has contracted to a single point. They have a single moment in time, like time doesn't pass for them at all because they are moving at the speed of light.

How could you even build a clock or have a clock as a photon or how do you measure time as a photon because you can't build a clock out of light. Everything is moving, it's speed of light relative to you. It's a funny, crazy hard answer.

How could you even build a clock or have a clock as a photon or how do you measure time as a photon because you can't build a clock out of light. Everything is moving, it's speed of light relative to you. It's a funny, crazy hard answer.

That's hard because.

That's hard because.

Watches.

Watches.

Well, the coolest thing about this one g of acceleration is if you look at like, okay, in a human lifetime, how far can you get? And you find that it takes you about about thirty years to get to where you can go almost arbitrarily far, like crossing the entire observable universe. It you know, billions of light years, and it's really that's another weird coincidence that like, the size of the universe is about how far you could go in one human lifetime at one g of acceleration thanks to relativity slowing down the clock for you.

Well, the coolest thing about this one g of acceleration is if you look at like, okay, in a human lifetime, how far can you get? And you find that it takes you about about thirty years to get to where you can go almost arbitrarily far, like crossing the entire observable universe. It you know, billions of light years, and it's really that's another weird coincidence that like, the size of the universe is about how far you could go in one human lifetime at one g of acceleration thanks to relativity slowing down the clock for you.

Right, And that's the observable universe today. And of course that if the universe was sort of static and waiting around for you to do your tour. But of course the universe is expanding, right, So.

Right, And that's the observable universe today. And of course that if the universe was sort of static and waiting around for you to do your tour. But of course the universe is expanding, right, So.

Yeah, that's the problem is for you, it only takes thirty years but the but for the rest of the universe, a lot of time passes. So the universe is expanding, and you'll feel like you're going faster and faster. But then you'll also be like, wow, the universe is getting bigger, faster and faster, and like the expansion of the universe is accelerating, which you know, we've recently learned, but to you, it would seemed to be accelerating much faster. It would be doubling in size in a few years, so you would actually never be able to catch up to the edge of the universe at this even if you could accelerate too near the speed of light.

Yeah, that's the problem is for you, it only takes thirty years but the but for the rest of the universe, a lot of time passes. So the universe is expanding, and you'll feel like you're going faster and faster. But then you'll also be like, wow, the universe is getting bigger, faster and faster, and like the expansion of the universe is accelerating, which you know, we've recently learned, but to you, it would seemed to be accelerating much faster. It would be doubling in size in a few years, so you would actually never be able to catch up to the edge of the universe at this even if you could accelerate too near the speed of light.

Yeah, because the universe doesn't follow these rules, right, there's no speed limit to that.

Yeah, because the universe doesn't follow these rules, right, there's no speed limit to that.

Yeah, well, it sounds like that's the answer to the how to question, which is, to me, it seems like the answer is to just go for it, right, like, don't miss around, don't go and half the speed of light, don't go three quarters of the speed of light. Just keep going otherwise you're going to die of old age on the way.

Yeah, well, it sounds like that's the answer to the how to question, which is, to me, it seems like the answer is to just go for it, right, like, don't miss around, don't go and half the speed of light, don't go three quarters of the speed of light. Just keep going otherwise you're going to die of old age on the way.

Yeah. Once they enter is at one g Lamborghini.

Yeah. Once they enter is at one g Lamborghini.

Let's talk to Elon Musk about that, the Italian Elon Musk. All right, that was great, and so we have another how to question for you, Randall, this one about dinosaur and black holes. But first, let's take.

Let's talk to Elon Musk about that, the Italian Elon Musk. All right, that was great, and so we have another how to question for you, Randall, this one about dinosaur and black holes. But first, let's take.

A quick break. When you pop a piece of cheese into your mouth or enjoy a rich spoonful of Greek yogurt, you're probably not thinking about the environmental impact of each and every bite. But the people in the dairy industry are us. Dairy has set themselves some ambitious sustainability goals, including being greenhouse gas neutral by twenty to fifty. That's why they're working hard every day to find new ways to reduce waste, conserve natural resources, and drive down greenhouse gas emissions. Take water, for example, most dairy farms reuse water up to four times the same water cools the milk, cleans equipment, washes the barn, and irrigates the crops. How is US dairy tackling greenhouse gases? Many farms use anaerobic digestors that turn the methane from maneure into renewable energy that can power farms, towns, and electric cars. So the next time you grab a slice of pizza or lick an ice cream cone, know that dairy farmers and processors around the country are using the latest practices and innovations to provide the nutrient dense dairy products we love with less of an impact. Visit usdairy dot com slash sustainability to learn more.

A quick break. When you pop a piece of cheese into your mouth or enjoy a rich spoonful of Greek yogurt, you're probably not thinking about the environmental impact of each and every bite. But the people in the dairy industry are us. Dairy has set themselves some ambitious sustainability goals, including being greenhouse gas neutral by twenty to fifty. That's why they're working hard every day to find new ways to reduce waste, conserve natural resources, and drive down greenhouse gas emissions. Take water, for example, most dairy farms reuse water up to four times the same water cools the milk, cleans equipment, washes the barn, and irrigates the crops. How is US dairy tackling greenhouse gases? Many farms use anaerobic digestors that turn the methane from maneure into renewable energy that can power farms, towns, and electric cars. So the next time you grab a slice of pizza or lick an ice cream cone, know that dairy farmers and processors around the country are using the latest practices and innovations to provide the nutrient dense dairy products we love with less of an impact. Visit usdairy dot com slash sustainability to learn more.

There are children, friends, and families walking, riding on paths and roads every day. Remember they're real people with loved ones who need them to get home safely. Protect our cyclists and pedestrians because they're people too, Go safely. California. From the California Office of Traffic Safety and Caltrans.

There are children, friends, and families walking, riding on paths and roads every day. Remember they're real people with loved ones who need them to get home safely. Protect our cyclists and pedestrians because they're people too, Go safely. California. From the California Office of Traffic Safety and Caltrans.

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All right, we're answering questions today with a super special guest, Random Monroe of XKCD Comics and the author of the new book How to Absurd Scientific Advice or Common Real World Problems.

All right, we're answering questions today with a super special guest, Random Monroe of XKCD Comics and the author of the new book How to Absurd Scientific Advice or Common Real World Problems.

And so we had a listener actually write in with a totally relevant question for you. It's a absurd scientific question with maybe a real world solution. And so here's a question from a listener.

And so we had a listener actually write in with a totally relevant question for you. It's a absurd scientific question with maybe a real world solution. And so here's a question from a listener.

Hi, Daniel and Jorge. My name's Chris and I'm an avid listener from North Carolina. I've read about how scientists can resolve images of stellar objects behind galaxy clusters that have been warped and magnified due to gravitational lensing. So I started thinking about black holes and came up with this question for you. If we were someday able to build a theoretically perfect telescope, would we be able to resolve a billion year old image of ancient Earth that's been gravitationally lensed back to our telescope around a black hole half a billion light years away, or would the photons have diffused too much for an image to even be resolvable at that distance? Thanks the great work.

Hi, Daniel and Jorge. My name's Chris and I'm an avid listener from North Carolina. I've read about how scientists can resolve images of stellar objects behind galaxy clusters that have been warped and magnified due to gravitational lensing. So I started thinking about black holes and came up with this question for you. If we were someday able to build a theoretically perfect telescope, would we be able to resolve a billion year old image of ancient Earth that's been gravitationally lensed back to our telescope around a black hole half a billion light years away, or would the photons have diffused too much for an image to even be resolvable at that distance? Thanks the great work.

So that's a totally awesome question, right.

So that's a totally awesome question, right.

Yeah, I guess the question is really sort of like how how could we take a picture of the Earth from a long time ago? Like if we want to take a picture of dinosaurs or maybe the first life forms on Earth, how could we possibly do it?

Yeah, I guess the question is really sort of like how how could we take a picture of the Earth from a long time ago? Like if we want to take a picture of dinosaurs or maybe the first life forms on Earth, how could we possibly do it?

Yeah, And a lot of people writing with a similar question. They ask, is the light if the light from the stars that are really far away is just arriving now, So we're seeing stars that are billion years old if they're billion light years away, does that mean that the light from the Earth is out there somewhere so other people can see it?

Yeah, And a lot of people writing with a similar question. They ask, is the light if the light from the stars that are really far away is just arriving now, So we're seeing stars that are billion years old if they're billion light years away, does that mean that the light from the Earth is out there somewhere so other people can see it?

Right?

Right?

And that's a common question, and it's true, like light from the dinosaurs is out there somewhere. Somebody at billion light years away is training their telescope on the Earth. They're seeing the Earth a billion years ago, which probably didn't have dinosaurs on it or whatever.

And that's a common question, and it's true, like light from the dinosaurs is out there somewhere. Somebody at billion light years away is training their telescope on the Earth. They're seeing the Earth a billion years ago, which probably didn't have dinosaurs on it or whatever.

Yeah, and I love this idea that because if you look, you know, most of the time light goes in a straight line, unless and if you don't have a mirror, it gets bent by gravity. It steers around a little bit when it goes past a star. But if you want to make it do a U turn, you got to have something really really dense and really like a black hole. But like in principle, this idea is sort of it could work, you know, because when there are paths that light can take going around a black hole where it comes in and just does a U turn, skims really close to the the you know, it comes kind of near the event horizon, but it doesn't quite fall in it, and it just slingshots around it and comes right back at you.