Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Astrophysicist Niayesh Afshordi and science communicator Phil Halper return to the channel to discuss their new book, Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins. We discuss inflationary theory, the BGV theorem, how space and time might not exist at the fundamental level of reality, and so much else besides. This was one of my favorite interviews so far.
To purchase Phil and Niayesh's book: amazon.com/Battle-Big-Bang-Cosmic-Origins/dp/0226830470/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3UELJEN0136K2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5juDh0R4Rtpv8XVNm9c6LLaw0O3DgyZAlaEX8W1FHhTa5CHokUNNmLwjwbgz3bRYSPFx3U-GOFWRfyn7K4CpnxF4wQU0IimkpFoxOQrvfmuMSodD_sTCj7jYFWyMCsFIQZMgVJW-UpcECIz-sp55NzMevuNXD1W7JFLxilrob6QlE4Ol35uVKAU-QrIh7i37K24LVV6tGHnrXdKuIJLMGw.KPV3Uhj2wUukqZWIXOHukP2US4m1H1v6fu_2xeLF2cY&dib_tag=se&keywords=battle+of+the+big+bang&qid=1762986661&sprefix=battle+of+the+big+bang%2Caps%2C251&sr=8-1
Check out Phil's YouTube channel: @PhilHalper1
To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal (paypal.com/paypalme/mileskdonahue) or Buy Me a Coffee (buymeacoffee.com/mileskdonahue).
Twitter: twitter.com/PhilosopherMKD
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:13 Does the Big Bang theory feature a bang?
00:07:53 What is an FLRW spacetime? What is the Lambda-CDM model?
00:18:39 Is a singularity unscientific?
00:25:05 Singularity theorem #1: Hawking-Penrose
00:33:04 Singularity theorem #2: Borde-Guth-Vilenkin
00:39:23 What is "classical" spacetime?
00:52:40 Singularity theorem #3: Generalized second law of thermodynamics
00:57:54 The quantum eternity theorem
01:01:10 String-theoretic models of the universe
01:05:56 A fundamental limit to what we can know?
01:09:10 Is a cosmic beginning scientifically unsatisfying?
01:15:17 Teaching science as a story
01:19:35 Embrace uncertainty
Astrophysicist Niayesh Afshordi and science communicator Phil Halper return to the channel to discuss their new book, Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins. We discuss inflationary theory, the BGV theorem, how space and time might not exist at the fundamental level of reality, and so much else besides. This was one of my favorite interviews so far.
To purchase Phil and Niayesh's book: amazon.com/Battle-Big-Bang-Cosmic-Origins/dp/0226830470/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3UELJEN0136K2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5juDh0R4Rtpv8XVNm9c6LLaw0O3DgyZAlaEX8W1FHhTa5CHokUNNmLwjwbgz3bRYSPFx3U-GOFWRfyn7K4CpnxF4wQU0IimkpFoxOQrvfmuMSodD_sTCj7jYFWyMCsFIQZMgVJW-UpcECIz-sp55NzMevuNXD1W7JFLxilrob6QlE4Ol35uVKAU-QrIh7i37K24LVV6tGHnrXdKuIJLMGw.KPV3Uhj2wUukqZWIXOHukP2US4m1H1v6fu_2xeLF2cY&dib_tag=se&keywords=battle+of+the+big+bang&qid=1762986661&sprefix=battle+of+the+big+bang%2Caps%2C251&sr=8-1
Check out Phil's YouTube channel: @PhilHalper1
To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal (paypal.com/paypalme/mileskdonahue) or Buy Me a Coffee (buymeacoffee.com/mileskdonahue).
Twitter: twitter.com/PhilosopherMKD
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:13 Does the Big Bang theory feature a bang?
00:07:53 What is an FLRW spacetime? What is the Lambda-CDM model?
00:18:39 Is a singularity unscientific?
00:25:05 Singularity theorem #1: Hawking-Penrose
00:33:04 Singularity theorem #2: Borde-Guth-Vilenkin
00:39:23 What is "classical" spacetime?
00:52:40 Singularity theorem #3: Generalized second law of thermodynamics
00:57:54 The quantum eternity theorem
01:01:10 String-theoretic models of the universe
01:05:56 A fundamental limit to what we can know?
01:09:10 Is a cosmic beginning scientifically unsatisfying?
01:15:17 Teaching science as a story
01:19:35 Embrace uncertainty
