Lex Fridman Podcast: #154 – Avi Loeb: Aliens, Black Holes, and the Mystery of the Oumuamua

Avi Loeb is an astrophysicist at Harvard. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:

– Zero Fasting: https://go.zerofasting.com/s/lex-promo to get 30% off annual subscription

– LMNT: https://drinkLMNT.com/lex to get free sample pack

– Sun Basket: https://sunbasket.com/lex and use code LEX to get $35 off

– Pessimists Archive: https://pessimists.co/

EPISODE LINKS:

Extraterrestrial (book): https://amzn.to/39xdnkT

Avi’s Website: https://astronomy.fas.harvard.edu/people/avi-loeb

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8

RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/

YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman

YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips

SUPPORT & CONNECT:

– Check out the sponsors above, it’s the best way to support this podcast

– Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman

– Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman

– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman

– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman

– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LexFridmanPage

– Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman

OUTLINE:

Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.

(00:00) – Introduction

(10:08) – Are we alone in the universe?

(14:23) – Consciousness

(19:01) – Sending digital copies of humans to space

(23:38) – Oumuamua

(45:42) – Alien space junk

(49:41) – What do aliens look like?

(1:06:58) – Drake equation

(1:08:00) – Industrial polution from aliens

(1:19:52) – UFO sightings

(1:27:48) – How long will human civilization last?

(1:30:28) – Radio signal from Proxima Centauri

(1:33:49) – Breakthrough Starshot project

(1:36:49) – Space race

(1:42:00) – Human space exploration

(1:47:15) – Social media is a threat to society

(1:52:04) – Are humans ready for discovering an alien civilization?

(1:56:15) – Mayans used astrology to wage war

(1:57:31) – Black holes

(2:16:20) – Stephen Hawking

(2:19:59) – Grigori Perelman

(2:24:24) – Theory of everything

(2:31:23) – Dark matter

(2:34:06) – Advice for young people

(2:37:10) – Memories of my father and mother

(2:41:38) – Existentialism

(2:43:52) – Mortality

(2:46:27) – Meaning of life