Science Finds Heaven, Longevity Hacks and Smart Dogs

January 26

57 mins

Episode Description

Everyone wants to live forever, dogs are out here doing actual jobs, and someone has tried to work out where heaven might be using astronomy. We dig into the strange science of longevity, including research suggesting reproduction and lifespan might be linked in uncomfortable ways. Then they meet the working dogs sniffing out invasive species, guarding airport runways, and generally making the rest of us look lazy.

From there, things get cosmic. An opinion piece argues heaven could sit beyond our cosmic horizon, which is a great way to accidentally spend your afternoon thinking about infinity. There is also a quick detour into gelatin-based culinary chaos, featuring the kind of vintage recipes that should come with a warning label.

We wrap up with listener stories, including a cow named Veronica who can use a broom as a tool, because of course she can.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction

00:19 Exploring the Science of Longevity

01:00 Psychology and Climate Action

01:09 Mailbag and Birthday Surprise

01:27 Lifestyle Changes for Longevity

02:47 Reproduction and Longevity

12:58 Dogs with Jobs

21:07 Science Finds Heaven

27:51 Cosmic Horizon and Hubble's Law

29:39 Einstein's Relativity and Speed of Light