Kelsey Johnson: My Quest to Decode the Cosmos [Ep. 467]

Please join my mailing list here https://briankeating.com/list to
win a meteorite Can science, philosophy, and religion work together
to address humanity's biggest questions? What lessons can the
cosmos teach us about our place in the universe and the future of
humanity? And how do we bring back that sense of curiosity that
seems to have faded among professionals? Here today to invite us
into her daring quest to decode the universe’s secrets is the
brilliant Kelsey Johnson. Kelsey is an accomplished astronomer,
professor, and science communicator known for her groundbreaking
work in astrophysics and her unique approach to blending science
with philosophy and existential inquiry. She is a faculty member at
the University of Virginia, where she has made significant
contributions to the understanding of starburst galaxies, molecular
clouds, and magnetic fields in the universe. Kelsey also founded
the Dark Skies, Bright Kids program, which introduces rural
communities to the wonders of astronomy.  Tune in to learn
more about curiosity, the intersection of science and philosophy,
and the universe’s mysteries.  Key Takeaways:  00:00:00
Intro 00:13:06 What inspired Kelsey to write Into the Unknown 
00:16:23 Why scientists lose their curiosity  00:18:33 Judging
a book by its cover 00:24:18 Balancing science and philosophy 
00:31:55 The role of religion in understanding science 00:37:21 The
cosmic marshmallow test  00:47:04 Dark Skies, Bright Kids
00:50:53 The Fermi paradox and the search for extraterrestrial life
01:00:55 Changing perspectives in cosmology  01:05:48
Starburst galaxies 01:08:03 Molecular clouds and feedback 
01:10:38 Magnetic fields  01:12:59 Arthur C Clarke’s three
laws 01:19:31 Outro Additional resources:  ️ Learn more about
Kelsey Johnson:  Get Into the Unknown on Amazon:
https://a.co/d/5XW0bmG  ️ Follow Kelsey on Twitter:
https://x.com/ProfKelsey ️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ️
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating  YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 
Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list  ️ Check
out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/  ️
Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast  Into the
Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those
who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make
sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more
about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices