Desperately Seeking Symmetry

In this episode of Radiolab, Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich embark on a quest to explore symmetry, beginning with the ancient parable from Plato about humans once being connected and their longing for wholeness. The hosts delve into various facets of symmetry, from neuroscience and the phenomenon of "clicking" with others, as explored by neuroscientist Lauren Silbert, to the mathematical and chemical concept of chirality, illustrated by Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass" and the contrasting effects of mirror molecules. They further investigate how our perception of ourselves is influenced by mirrors and facial asymmetry, culminating in a discussion with physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson about the universe's asymmetry, where a slight excess of matter over antimatter allowed for the existence of everything we know.