Big Picture Science

Skeptic Check: Nibiru! (Again!)


Listen Later

Will your calendar entry for November 19th be your last? Some people say yes, predicting a catastrophic collision between Earth and planet Nibiru on that date and the end of the world. But it won’t happen, because this hypothesized rogue world doesn’t exist. Nibiru’s malevolent disruptions have been foretold many times, most dramatically in 2012 and three times so far in 2017. But this year NASA issued a rare public assurance that doomsday was not in the offing.

Find out why the agency decided to speak out. Meanwhile, hoaxes and alarmist stories from the 19th century demonstrate that we have a long history of being susceptible to hooey. 

Also, an astronomer who doesn’t believe that Nibiru is hiding in the outer Solar System, but that Planet X is.  

Guests:

  • David Morrison – Astronomer and space scientist, NASA Ames Research Center
  • Robert E. Bartholomew – Medical sociologist at Botany College, Auckland, New Zealand, and author of “A Colorful History of Popular Delusions
  • Michael Brown – Astronomer at the California Institute of Technology

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Big Picture ScienceBy Big Picture Science

    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5

    4.5

    898 ratings


    More shows like Big Picture Science

    View all
    Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

    Science Friday

    6,133 Listeners

    The Deadpod by J.Henrikson

    The Deadpod

    1,207 Listeners

    Scott Sigler Slices: SLAY 3 by Scott Sigler

    Scott Sigler Slices: SLAY 3

    1,079 Listeners

    Nature Podcast by Springer Nature Limited

    Nature Podcast

    756 Listeners

    Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science by The Planetary Society

    Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

    1,344 Listeners

    Science Magazine Podcast by Science Magazine

    Science Magazine Podcast

    811 Listeners

    Science Quickly by Scientific American

    Science Quickly

    612 Listeners

    Radio Detective Story Hour by Dennis Humphrey

    Radio Detective Story Hour

    393 Listeners

    Common Sense with Dan Carlin by Dan Carlin

    Common Sense with Dan Carlin

    11,326 Listeners

    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History by Dan Carlin

    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History

    63,507 Listeners

    Astronomy Cast by Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay

    Astronomy Cast

    2,866 Listeners

    Meditation Oasis by Mary and Richard Maddux

    Meditation Oasis

    3,922 Listeners

    Philosophy Bites by Edmonds and Warburton

    Philosophy Bites

    1,532 Listeners

    Universe Today Podcast by Fraser Cain

    Universe Today Podcast

    544 Listeners

    Ask a Spaceman! by Paul M. Sutter

    Ask a Spaceman!

    804 Listeners

    The Quanta Podcast by Quanta Magazine

    The Quanta Podcast

    499 Listeners

    SpaceTime: Your Guide to Space & Astronomy by Stuart Gary

    SpaceTime: Your Guide to Space & Astronomy

    320 Listeners

    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Addendum by Dan Carlin

    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Addendum

    8,234 Listeners

    Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas by Sean Carroll | Wondery

    Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

    4,142 Listeners

    Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe by iHeartPodcasts

    Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

    2,307 Listeners

    The Supermassive Podcast by The Royal Astronomical Society

    The Supermassive Podcast

    287 Listeners

    Why This Universe? by Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman

    Why This Universe?

    363 Listeners

    The Joy of Why by Steven Strogatz, Janna Levin and Quanta Magazine

    The Joy of Why

    502 Listeners