The Peter McCormack Show
#197 - Brian Keating - What Came Before the Big Bang & Does Time Exist?
- Time may not exist as a fundamental feature of reality; the laws of physics are invariant and do not mandate time's directional flow, yet we observe time moving in only one direction
- Brian's research aims to detect gravitational waves from the earliest moments after the Big Bang using the Simons Observatory, potentially providing evidence that the universe emerged from a pre-existing energy field rather than nothing
- The expansion of the universe and Big Bang theory were resisted for millennia because they contradicted the prevailing assumption of an eternal, unchanging cosmos
- Dark matter and dark energy represent gaps in our understanding rather than proof that science has failed; detecting neutrinos demonstrates we can observe what was once invisible
- Science cannot prove hypotheses but can disprove competing theories; this process of elimination eventually points to the most plausible explanation
- Mortality awareness drives the human search for meaning; only humans know they will die, which makes life precious and creates urgency to pursue significant work