Konstantin Batygin is Professor of Planetary Science in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology, where he works on a wide variety of problems related to the formation and evolution of the solar system, the dynamical evolution of exoplanets, and physical processes that occur in planetary interiors and atmospheres. In this episode, Robinson and Konstantin discuss interstellar interlopers in our solar system, planet and satellite formation, the death of Pluto, Planet Nine, and the newest music from his band, The Seventh Season.

Konstantin’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/kbatygin

Konstantin’s Website: https://www.konstantinbatygin.com/

The Seventh Season: https://theseventhseason.band/

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:37 Introduction

03:56 Konstantin’s Background

07:53 Was Oumuamua an Alien Spacecraft?

16:17 Planetesimals, Planet Formation, and the Size of the Solar System

25:15 Are there Extrasolar Objects in our Solar System?

35:06 How do Planets Form?

48:54 Is Our Solar System Falling Apart?

54:46 How Do Moons Form?

01:04:20 The Complexity of the Outer Solar System

01:07:12 The Death of Pluto

01:17:21 What and Where Is Planet Nine?

01:41:59 The Seventh Season

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.