The conversation
The scale of the universe, the search for life beyond Earth, and why keeping kids curious may be one of the most important jobs in science.
In this episode, you’ll learn
- How Jeff’s path shifted from biophysics to astrophysics and science education after being inspired by Carl Sagan
- Why people consistently misunderstand the scale of space and time, and why that matters
- What the Fermi paradox, great filters, and the search for extraterrestrial life can teach us about humanity
- Why Jeff believes science curiosity begins naturally in childhood, and how schools too often push it out
- How his books ended up being read aloud by astronauts from the International Space Station
Astrophysicist/author Dr. Jeffrey (Jeff) Bennett has devoted his career to math and science education. He is the lead author of best-selling college textbooks in astronomy, astrobiology, mathematics, and statistics; of critically acclaimed books for educators and the public on topics including Einstein’s theory of relativity, the search for extraterrestrial life, global warming, the scale of the universe, and math and science teaching; and of 7 award-winning science books for children, all of which have been launched to the International Space Station for “Story Time From Space.”
