March 14, 2019 9:12 pm

Friday, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Ron Howard, and Janna Levin Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Albert Einstein

I wonder what it must be like to have your name also be a “thing”? That’s the case with Einstein. He was a person who lived a life, but, “Einstein” is now also a term used in daily life to describe someone of the highest caliber of intelligence. Kind of a cool legacy, I’d say.

On this week’s episode of StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson, comic co-host Harrison Greenbaum, and astrophysicist Janna Levin are in-studio to celebrate the life and legacy of Albert Einstein. You’ll also be hearing clips from Neil’s interview with Ron Howard conducted at the SXSW Festival. What’s Ron Howard got to do with Einstein? Well, some might not know, but Howard directed the first Genius series that aired on National Geographic which went in-depth on, you guessed it, good ol’ Albert.

To start, you’ll find out why Ron didn’t think a movie would be long enough to tell Einstein’s story. Ron also explains why Einstein’s life appealed to him outside of his scientific discoveries. Harrison reveals a family connection that traces directly back to Einstein himself.

Join us as we dive into some of Einstein’s most shattering discoveries. You’ll hear how he used the speed of light to his advantage when everyone else thought otherwise. We explore how he visualized thought experiments also known as Gedankenexperiments. Get details on his annus mirabilis, or miracle year, 1905, during which he came up with the theory of special relativity, E = mc², his work on the photoelectric effect that won him the Nobel Prize, and more. You’ll also learn about what Einstein called “the happiest thought of his life.”

Finally, we ponder the importance of collaboration. Delve into the different types of genius, and if genius like Einstein’s is still something that happens today.. Explore the relationship between genius and mental stability. Janna explains the peculiar rhythm of a conversation between a group of physicists working together. All that, plus learn about Einstein’s complicated relationship with the creation and use of the atomic bomb.

Please join us tomorrow night for Einstein’s Genius, with Ron Howard at 7pm ET right here on our website, as well as on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you’re an All-Access subscriber, you can watch or listen to this episode ad-free at 7pm, too.

That’s it for now. Keep Looking Up!
–Ian Mullen