The First Fraction of a Second | Crash Course Pods: The Universe #1

Dr. Katie Mack teaches John Green about the beginning of the Universe - including that we are not just made of stardust; we are also made of Big Bang stuff, with pieces of us directly born in the vast, first cacophony.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
4:00 - There Shouldn’t Be Stuff
8:53 - The Big Bang Theory
21:28 - We’re Not Sure About The Singularity
32:00 - Cosmic Inflation
36:26 - The First Second
38:43 - The First Two Minutes
46:48 - Outro

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Thanks to the following patrons for their generous monthly contributions that help keep Crash Course free for everyone forever:
Leah H., David Fanska, Andrew Woods, DL Singfield, Ken Davidian, Stephen Akuffo, Toni Miles, Steve Segreto, Kyle & Katherine Callahan, Laurel Stevens, Burt Humburg, Perry Joyce, Scott Harrison, Mark & Susan Billian, Alan Bridgeman, Breanna Bosso, Matt Curls, Jennifer Killen, Jon Allen, Sarah & Nathan Catchings, team dorsey, Bernardo Garza, Trevin Beattie, Eric Koslow, Indija-ka Siriwardena, Jason Rostoker, Siobhán, Ken Penttinen, Nathan Taylor, Barrett & Laura Nuzum, Les Aker, William McGraw, Vaso, ClareG, Rizwan Kassim, Constance Urist, Alex Hackman, Pineapples of Solidarity, Katie Dean, Stephen McCandless, Wai Jack Sin, Ian Dundore, Caleb Weeks
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Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?

[JessieCarty]

I really appreciate when creators put podcasts on YouTube and having the conversation on the screen versus just in closed captioning? So accessible!

[invisiblekphrasis]

Having a curious, intelligent person who lacks subject matter expertise ask a subject matter specialist who has good communication skills interesting questions has got to be the recipe for a great podcast!

[angeluslupus]

The ocean horizon analogy was a surprisingly simple way of getting my brain to finally understand the concept of an "equally far in all directions" universe

[BirdsOnPowerLines]

I love this so much! Thank you! This is quality content. Dr. Mack's analogies combined with John Green's questions and narrated pauses to recap what we just learned is just pure gold.

[krakelakin]

As a physicist who's met Dr. Mack and admires her science communication work, and as a fan of John Green, listening to this podcast was kind of surreal! And a lot of fun to hear Dr. Mack parse John's excellent questions and give such clear, cohesive answers.

[spencerhayward]

It's always good to start a day with a narration from John Green and some existentialism.

[rolandtowen]

I love the illustration of John and Dr. Mac sitting in lawn chairs and looking up at the sky. Perfectly fits the vibe of the podcast!

[CALXBYOU]

LETS GO GUYS WERE GETTING EDUCATED TODAY!!!

[ethansnyder]

Dude I love that not only is there a cool graphic with captioning put in the video and the little pulsing stars as you guys talk, but if you skip around, you'll see the that the stars are moving around the frame too over time, it's SO cool

I think there's something also super charming about it being John doing this series, the non-sciency brother, it makes this feel less like a lecture (not bad, I love Hank too) and more like a philosophical, fun conversation between friends. I'm really enjoying this series

[juli_bug__]

the stars talking reminds me of it’s a wonderful life

[levyv]

This is my favorite thing! I love astrophysics and the Anthropocene reviewed, so this combo is the best! Also Dr. Mack seems like an excellent teacher and I wish I could be one of her students!

[AnonymousFreakYT]

I love the "ocean horizon" explanation for why the edge of the observable universe is the same distance away no matter where you are. It's the simplest accurate easy to understand explanation I've heard.

There's more ocean out there, you just can't see it from where you are. You may be able to see that small island in the distance, and someone directly across from the island and a tiny bit to the side may be able to see that island (in opposite directions! To you it's North, to them it's South, ) but you can't see each other, because you're past each other's horizons. (Flat Earthers need not apply.)

[davetoms]

John's realizations perfectly capture why science provides me with a deep spiritual peace, even as an atheist. The more I learn about this universe, the more I appreciate my relationship to it, my part in its story, and our inseparability. Where religion builds a relationship between an individual and an unknowable deity whose wants we can only guess at and whose existence requires faith, science demonstrates my relationship with my creator (the Big Bang, Stars, nuclear fusion, evolution, etc...) and provides evidence to support the narrative. Better yet, science humbly and willingly accepts change as we learn more. I feel connected to the Earth, to the stars in the night sky, and to the origin of all things, because I understand (to some degree) the processes that literally connect us. And so I feel connected to all things, in all places, throughout all of time. Science helps me feel at one with everything in a profoundly powerful, uplifting, breathtakingly beautiful, and deeply spiritual way.
Thank you to both Dr. Katie Mack and John Green for sharing your conversation. I'm looking forward to more episodes.

[clearlyrebecca]

I couldn't tell you exactly what it is about two voices speaking to each other about a compelling topic while their words also appear as text on the screen, but I find it just so very pleasant and nice and enjoyable.

[AlthenaLuna]

In which Dr. Mack re-iterates Hank's "Dude, no edge!"

[AnsonPavlov]

Amazing design for this podcast. I love the side by side text with a little bit of star glow. It's so immersive and it really gives the audience something to engage with visually while an awesome conversation unfolds. Great job! :)

[abhig]

Policygenius ads by John are so awesome. I love how John makes up a tagline.

[PhilRable]

Science in general has always interested me, right from the first time I was introduced to “science” in high school. I’ve read and watched a lot on science including cosmology. Dr Mack ‘s explanation is the clearest I’ve encountered so far. I agree with the other contributor, the horizon on the ocean analogy is so good.

[susan]

That was the smoothest of transitions into a sponsorship...impressive...

[sccrespoc]

I have missed John Green's advertisement hooks. Like we are just in awe about the universe and boom, get a life insure from policygenius. I mean. It's genius.