Ep 5. Cosmology and Creation

Closer to Truth is an innovative TV program that explores the deepest questions about the universe and human existence by gathering expertise from academic, scientific, and philosophical circles. In the latest season 18 episode 5, titled "Cosmology and Creation," the host Robert Lawrence Kuhn probes into the fundamental questions of cosmology, the branch of science that seeks to understand the nature and origin of the universe.

The episode features Kuhn's conversations with several top cosmologists and physicists to explore some of the most intriguing questions in cosmology. The show kicks off with a question about the beginning of the universe: did it really begin with the Big Bang, and if so, what happened before it?

To answer this question, Kuhn speaks with esteemed cosmologist Max Tegmark, who provides some of the latest insight into the nature of the universe before the Big Bang. According to Tegmark, our universe may be just one of many that came before it, each with its own Big Bang, and each evolving according to its own laws of physics. He explains the concept of "eternal inflation," a theory that suggests our universe may have started out as a small patch of space that rapidly expanded to become the universe we observe today.

The episode also features a conversation with cosmologist Andrei Linde, who has provided some of the foundations for the theory of inflation. Linde explains how inflation can provide the necessary conditions for the formation of galaxies and other cosmic structures, as well as the cosmic microwave background radiation that was discovered in the 1960s.

In another segment of the episode, Kuhn delves into the nature of dark matter, an invisible substance that appears to make up the vast majority of the mass in the universe. He speaks with cosmologist Priyamvada Natarajan, who describes how dark matter was first hypothesized to explain the way galaxies rotate, and how it is now known to be a critical component of the universe's large-scale structure.

The episode also explores the nature of the universe's earliest moments. Kuhn speaks with cosmologist Neil Turok, who has proposed a radical new theory about the origin of the universe that suggests it may have originated from the collision of two universes. Turok explains that his theory could explain some of the fundamental properties of the universe, such as its expansion rate and its overall structure.

The final segment of the episode delves into the idea of creation, and whether the universe was designed by an intelligent creator. Kuhn speaks with cosmologist George Ellis, who explores the limits of scientific inquiry and wonders whether it is possible for science to fully explain the origins of the universe. Ellis argues that while science can answer many questions about the universe, it may never be able to answer the ultimate question of "why there is something rather than nothing."

"Cosmology and Creation" is a fascinating, thought-provoking episode that explores some of the most fundamental questions about the universe. Kuhn's engaging conversations with top cosmologists and physicists provide new insights and perspectives on the nature of the cosmos, making this episode a must-watch for anyone interested in the mysteries of the universe.