#213 – Barry Barish: Gravitational Waves and the Most Precise Device Ever Built

About this episode

<p>Barry Barish is a theoretical physicist at Caltech and the winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:<br /> &#8211; <b>MUD\WTR</b>: <a href="https://mudwtr.com/lex">https://mudwtr.com/lex</a> and use code LEX to get 5% off<br /> &#8211; <b>GiveDirectly</b>: <a href="https://givedirectly.org/lex">https://givedirectly.org/lex</a> to get gift matched up to $300<br /> &#8211; <b>BiOptimizers</b>: <a href="http://www.magbreakthrough.com/lex">http://www.magbreakthrough.com/lex</a> to get 10% off<br /> &#8211; <b>Four Sigmatic</b>: <a href="https://foursigmatic.com/lex">https://foursigmatic.com/lex</a> and use code LexPod to get up to 60% off<br /> &#8211; <b>Magic Spoon</b>: <a href="https://magicspoon.com/lex">https://magicspoon.com/lex</a> and use code LEX to get $5 off</p> <p><b>EPISODE LINKS:</b><br /> Barry&#8217;s Nobel Prize entry: <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2017/barish/facts/">https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2017/barish/facts/</a><br /> Barry&#8217;s Caltech profile: <a href="https://pma.caltech.edu/people/barry-c-barish">https://pma.caltech.edu/people/barry-c-barish</a><br /> LIGO&#8217;s Website: <a href="https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/">https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/</a><br /> LIGO&#8217;s Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/LIGO">https://twitter.com/LIGO</a></p> <p><b>PODCAST INFO:</b><br /> Podcast website: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/podcast">https://lexfridman.com/podcast</a><br /> Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://apple.co/2lwqZIr">https://apple.co/2lwqZIr</a><br /> Spotify: <a href="https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8">https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8</a><br /> RSS: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/">https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/</a><br /> YouTube Full Episodes: <a href="https://youtube.com/lexfridman">https://youtube.com/lexfridman</a><br /> YouTube Clips: <a href="https://youtube.com/lexclips">https://youtube.com/lexclips</a></p> <p><b>SUPPORT &#38; CONNECT:</b><br /> &#8211; Check out the sponsors above, it&#8217;s the best way to support this podcast<br /> &#8211; Support on Patreon: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman">https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/lexfridman">https://twitter.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman">https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman">https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Medium: <a href="https://medium.com/@lexfridman">https://medium.com/@lexfridman</a></p> <p><b>OUTLINE:</b><br /> Here&#8217;s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.<br /> (00:00) &#8211; Introduction<br /> (08:27) &#8211; Early Math and Physics questions<br /> (18:02) &#8211; Enrico Fermi<br /> (24:34) &#8211; Birth of the Nuclear Age<br /> (29:42) &#8211; The Fermi Paradox<br /> (34:45) &#8211; Gravity<br /> (51:28) &#8211; Philosophical Implications of General Relativity<br /> (58:34) &#8211; Detecting Gravitational Waves<br /> (1:01:47) &#8211; LIGO<br /> (1:34:45) &#8211; Nobel Prize<br /> (1:49:34) &#8211; Black Holes<br /> (2:01:53) &#8211; Space Exploration<br /> (2:09:48) &#8211; Books<br /> (2:18:37) &#8211; Advice for young people<br /> (2:24:33) &#8211; Meaning of life</p>