Cosmic Queries – Before the Big Bang

This StarTalk episode features Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Paul Mecurio answering listener questions on astrophysics and related topics. The discussion begins with a question about the Superconducting Super Collider's cancellation and its impact on particle physics, leading to a broader discussion about scientific progress and the Cold War's influence on funding priorities. Later segments delve into questions about the existence before the Big Bang, time travel, and the composition of the universe, with Tyson emphasizing the limitations of current scientific knowledge and the ongoing nature of scientific inquiry. For example, Tyson explains that while the universe might be infinite, the observable universe is finite, and the concept of infinity is often explored through mathematical paradoxes like Zeno's. Listeners gain insights into the scientific method, the limitations of current knowledge in cosmology, and the ongoing search for answers to fundamental questions about the universe.