Special guest Dr Jonathan Lunine, distinguished American planetary scientist and physicist, joins the ongoing discussion with:

- Shinzen Young, meditation teacher and neuroscience research consultant

- Chelsey Fasano, a Columbia University neuroscience student

Dr Lunine is the David C. Duncan Professor in the Physical Sciences and Chair of the Department of Astronomy at Cornell University. Dr Lunine has published over 380 research papers and is at the forefront of research into planet formation, evolution, and habitability.

Dr Lunine’s work includes the Cassini mission to Saturn, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the Juno Mission to Jupiter. Dr Lunine is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has participated in and chaired advisory and strategic planning committees for the Academy and for NASA.

In this episode, the group question the compatibility of faith and science, explore the writings of St Thomas Aquinas and the radical theology of T.S Eliot, and consider the controversial theories of Sir Roger Penrose.

Dr Lunine also discusses his research into life on other planets, reveals the possibility of cyanide-based life, and speculates about the role of God in the universe of the Big Bang.

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Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep145-faith-and-science-jonathan-lunine-shinzen-young-chesley-fasano

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro

01:23 - Faith and Reason

04:42 - How big is life?

07:57 - Physics & God

08:57 - Buddhist exceptionalism

09:33 - Are science and faith compatible?

13:59 - The Society of Catholic Scientists

15:17 - Georges Lemaître and the Big Bang

16:03 - Dr Lunine’s search for life on other planets and moons

17:36 - Titan’s methane seas and hydrogen bonding mechanisms

20:03 - Cyanide-based life and information molecules

28:52 - Future missions to Titan

30:57 - Definition of a habitable zone

33:20 - Detecting water on extra-solar planets

37:04 - How big is life and where is information stored?

43:55 - Is life on Earth the ultimate pinnacle of self-organisation?

45:42 - Meta-life and Sir Roger Penrose

48:04 - The radical theology of T.S Eliot

50:24 - Aquinas on diversity as an expression of order

52:14 - Time and timelessness

55:44 - God as the Infinite and eternal foundation of all reality

56:46 - Chaos and Dr Sanguinetti

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Previous episodes in this series:

- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlkzlKFgdknxjhwG5wmXRVfrkeGczVPVI

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To find out more about Dr Lunine, visit:

- https://astro.cornell.edu/jonathan-lunine

To find out more about Shinzen, visit:

- https://www.guruviking.com/ep37-shinzen-young-pandemic-edition-guru-viking-podcast/

- www.shinzen.org

To find out more about Chelsey, visit:

- www.chelseyfasano.com

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James