Planetary Orbits, Cosmic Expansion & The Nature of Nothing | Space Nuts Q&A
4/20/202628 min
Planetary Orbits, Cosmic Expansion, and the Nature of Nothingness In this thought-provoking Q&A episode of Space Nuts, hosts Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson tackle a diverse array of listener questions that delve into the intricacies of our universe. From the stability of planetary orbits to the enigmatic concept of nothingness before the Big Bang, this episode promises to enlighten and intrigue.
Episode Highlights:
- Planetary Orbits vs. Energy: Justin from Melbourne asks how planets maintain stable orbits around the sun without spiraling inwards. Andrew and Fred explore the negligible forces at play in interplanetary space, discussing the stability of planetary dynamics and the historical migrations of planets within the solar system.
- Expansion of Earth: Larry questions whether the Earth is expanding along with the universe. The hosts clarify that while space itself is expanding, the forces that hold the Earth together, such as gravity, prevent any significant changes at a local scale.
- The Concept of Nothingness: Mike from the UK raises a philosophical query about what existed before the Big Bang. Andrew and Fred discuss the implications of time and existence, examining the idea that time itself may have begun with the Big Bang and the theories surrounding this profound mystery.
- Projectiles in Space: Giles presents a fascinating "what if" scenario regarding the accuracy of firing solid metal projectiles from orbit. The hosts analyze the challenges of targeting and the influence of atmospheric conditions, drawing parallels with historical warfare and modern technology.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsGiles0:00
Hi, true crime fans. I'm Giles, and I'm the host of the true crime show, This Is Monsters. [guitar music] If you like podcasts that take a deep dive into some of the worst offenders on the planet, you should check out my show. We do themed seasons, which average around 20 episodes, and have themes like family annihilators, in the wild, and strange and unusual. You can search for This Is Monsters wherever you listen to podcasts if you wanna hear more and listen to the more than 500 episodes I've published. Thanks in advance, and be safe.
Speaker 10:38
Take a break with a short, scary story from Scary Story Podcast, where I read my original tales with minimal sound effects, and it actually sounds kind of like this segment right now. Join our community of over half a million listeners across podcast apps. Find Scary Story Podcast by searching for Scary Story Podcast on your app and looking for the gray cover artwork, or you can also find us over on scarystorypodcast.com. See you soon.
Andrew Dunkley· Host1:07
Hi there. Thanks again for joining us. This is Space Nuts, a Q&A edition. Uh, my name is Andrew Dunckley, your host. It's good to have your company. Uh, a Q&A edition means that, uh, people ask us questions, and we don't do anything about it. [laughs] Except try to answer them. Uh, Justin has, uh, sent a question in about planetary