Join my mailing list https://briankeating.com/list to win a real 4 billion year old meteorite! All .edu emails in the USA 🇺🇸 will WIN! Today, we’re joined by a real hero of mine and mentor to millions around the world – dr. Robert Kirshner!  Robert is an astronomer of great renown. He is the Clowes Research Professor of Science at Harvard University and executive director of the Thirty Meter Telescope. This remarkable international scientific endeavor will radically change our understanding of the universe and our place within it. With its unprecedented design, the TMT will feature unique capabilities for exploring black holes, dark matter, and the possibility of life outside the solar system. Tune in to learn more about Robert’s monumental discoveries and the most controversial telescope on Earth. Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:27 Judging a book by its cover 00:03:29 The discovery of cosmic acceleration  00:08:18 The history of cosmic expansion, dark energy, and the density of the universe 00:22:51 Balancing confidence and humility in scientific research  00:25:21 Telescope technology and its applications in astronomy  00:35:05 Did the Big Bang never happen?  00:39:54 The most controversial telescope on Earth 00:56:49 What would Robert do differently? 01:00:21 Outro — Additional resources: 📝 Get one month of Snipd Premium for free with this link: https://get.snipd.com/Cx7S/brianSnipd Snipd lets you take Smart Notes 🧠 with AI 💡 — it’s my favorite podcast player 😀 ! ➡️ Check out Robert Kirshner:  💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kirshner-3a740026 📚 Get the Extravagant Universe on Amazon: https://a.co/d/cWvZRHk ➡️ 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 subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices