EXCLUSIVE: Katherine Freese Has Evidence of Dark Stars! (#365)

Katherine Freese first presented the concept of dark stars at a conference in 2007. It was not well received at the time, as there was no evidence for it, and finding it seemed impossible.

That is until recently…

Katherine Freese is a renowned theoretical physicist, professor of physics at the University of Texas at Austin, and a member of the Simons Observatory. She works on a wide range of topics in theoretical cosmology and astroparticle physics, including her quest to identify the dark matter and dark energy that permeate the universe. She wrote The Cosmic Cocktail: Three Parts Dark Matter, published in June 2014 by Princeton University Press.

She is one of the most renowned scientists that exists today, and I’m excited to have her back on the show to discuss Hubble tension, natural inflation, dark energy, and, of course, the star of the show (pun intended), dark stars!

Tune in. 

Key Takeaways: 

Intro (00:00)

In honor of Steven Weinberg (01:09)

Katie’s take on Hubble tension (03:28)

Natural inflation and the particle responsible for it (08:43)

Katie’s take on dark energy (16:25)

Philosophical and theological implications of Katie’s research (21:11)

Katie’s philosophy as an educator (22:58)

Katie presents her proof of dark stars (29:29)

Pedagogical expectations (43:10)

Outro (48:04)

—

Additional resources: