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GeekNights Monday - Adam Becker - The Freelance Astrophysicist

MrPeriodMrPeriod
edited November 2012 in GeekNights

Tonight on GeekNights, thanks to @konistehrad, we have Adam Becker, the Freelance Astrophysicist, as our guest. We talk a lot about science! Along the way, we hit on the differences between a Computational Cosmologist (which Adam is) and other disciplines, consider the true implications of general relativity at the macro scale, ask "where all the lumpy" came from, consider the perfect pencil, question the Standard Model, wonder about "astro" versus "quantum," and finally get into how one gets into a field like this.

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Comments

  • Jack DraigoJack Draigo
    I've heard of Freelance Astronauts but a freelance astrophysicist sounds ridiculous.
  • StarfoxStarfox
    Best show ever.
  • GroverBombGroverBomb
    I'm not sure which I wanted to hear more about, Adam's perspective on his field of science or his experience trying to freelance. Nice interview. Also, nice bonus audio at the end.
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    This was great. Thanks! You should release more episodes where people talk about their job...
  • AmpAmp
    Is that a hint?

  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    It's been over two years since I recorded a similar episode about being a juggler in the geeknights studio. I don't mind if others never get to hear it, but I'd like to remember what bullshit I said at the time.
  • AmpAmp
    It would certainly be interesting to hear. Its always interesting hearing about what other people do for a job.
  • RochelleRochelle
    Listened to most of it, but it's seriously a good show. Adam's explanation of all the topics were well done.

    MOAR OF THESE.
  • BazaldoBazaldo
    hey guys - liked the podcast with Adam Becker thanks for doing that its good to get stuck into these complex things and examine the Geekery of extremely large things versus extremely small things - apparently two completely different worlds of certainty - who would have guessed.

    You might also want to check out a podcast done by a brilliant public radio host from NZ some years back, its called "the letter Q" by Kim Hill as part of her Brainstorm podcast lectures with some very smart English types. You can find it at this location (http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/brainstorm)- well worth a listen as you are cycling along or on the tube as the case maybe. the other podcasts there are also very interesting also.
  • StarfoxStarfox
    Can we get Adam up ins the forums?

    Also, when he was talking about the Cosmic Microwave Background, that's the science in question here:
    image
  • lackofcheeselackofcheese
    edited November 2012
    Adam Becker is every bit as awesome as a title like "Freelance Astrophysicist" suggests.
    Best show ever.
    Can we get Adam up ins the forums?
    Also, congrats to Rym and Scott for not sounding stupid.
    Post edited by lackofcheese on
  • Dragonmaster LouDragonmaster Lou
    As someone who wanted to become a particle physicist for a long time, I thought this episode kicked ass. Any chance we can also get Timo on at some point so he can talk about all sorts of neat particle stuff (although cosmology/astrophysics is also just as cool).
  • RymRym
    I think I need to send Timo a large box of comics, some his and some ours, before we'll ask him to be on the show... ;^)
  • freelanceastrofreelanceastro
    Hi all! Adam Becker here. I'm glad you all enjoyed the show so much -- we had a blast recording it. If you've got any questions, shoot. I'm traveling for the week, so I might be a bit spotty in replying, but I'll do my best to check back every so often. (You can send me a message through my site, Freelance Astrophysicist, instead, if you like.)
    I've heard of Freelance Astronauts but a freelance astrophysicist sounds ridiculous.
    Damn right it's ridiculous. I wouldn't have it any other way. :-)

  • Jack DraigoJack Draigo

    Damn right it's ridiculous. I wouldn't have it any other way. :-)
    Hah! awesome man, welcome to the forum. That was good episode and I'm sure we all look forward to you being on the forums.
  • chaosof99chaosof99
    Adam sounds like a really cool dude and the interview was very good.

    Oh, and the TMNT movie Adam was talking about is from 2007, is 3D animated, and is simply called TMNT. It is also pretty good. Not fantastic. Not as good as the original live action movie, but it's not that far behind.
  • Hitman HartHitman Hart
    Adam sounds like a really cool dude and the interview was very good.

    Oh, and the TMNT movie Adam was talking about is from 2007, is 3D animated, and is simply called TMNT. It is also pretty good. Not fantastic. Not as good as the original live action movie, but it's not that far behind.
    Said movie is also easily gotten for $5. Heck, I found it on Blu Ray at Five Below for that.
  • ColdguyColdguy
    He could be referring to the TMNT anniversary film that has both the modern turtles and the classic turtles with a cameo from the comic turtles. That was a good film.
  • chaosof99chaosof99
    True, though I think that film only really makes sense when you watched the 2003 TV series, while the 2007 film can be easily understood with only a passing familiarity of the franchise.
  • InvaderRENInvaderREN
    Awesome episode.

    Regular Geeknights is good and all but I think you guys nail these "nerdcore" interviews.

    MOAR!!
  • Dr. TimoDr. Timo
    edited November 2012
    I think I need to send Timo a large box of comics, some his and some ours, before we'll ask him to be on the show... ;^)
    Damn right you do ;-). Well not really, I mean you really need to send me those comics but I'll still be on the show. However, that means you have to come visit (or vice versa) because skype interviews lose a lot of the natural repartee of an in person discussion, and I think explaining physics does not need to get any drier than it already is.
    Post edited by Dr. Timo on
  • AprecheApreche
    I think I need to send Timo a large box of comics, some his and some ours, before we'll ask him to be on the show... ;^)
    Damn right you do ;-). Well not really, I mean you really need to send me those comics but I'll still be on the show. However, that means you have to come visit (or vice versa) because skype interviews lose a lot of the natural repartee of an in person discussion, and I think explaining physics does not need to get any drier than it already is.
    We have to do a belt video.
  • RochelleRochelle
    Yes! Even though he did post a video of a different explanation of 4 π.
  • Dr. TimoDr. Timo
    We have to do a belt video.
    image
  • okeefeokeefe
    So are you guys keeping the How Far to Paradise outro or was that a screwup?
  • RymRym
    I add stingers whenever I feel like it. That song has just been stuck in my head since we reviewed the show.
  • open_sketchbookopen_sketchbook
    edited November 2012
    This was a really good episode, and you guys should really interview more people, as said episodes are always interesting.

    Also when you were talking about the lumpyness of space all I could think about was Adventure Time.

    image
    Post edited by open_sketchbook on
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