Origins of the Universe, the Nature of Time, and Other Dimensions

This UVA Speaks podcast features Kelsey Johnson, Professor of Astronomy and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education at the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia. Earlier this year, Johnson captivated audiences at a popular Lifetime Learning virtual event entitled "Mysteries of the Cosmos: Science, Philosophy, and the Big Questions," where she delved into some of life's most profound mysteries. Due to the large number of questions posed by participants, Johnson agreed to address additional inquiries in this podcast. Here, she tackles deep questions about the origins of the universe, the nature of time, and the possibility of other dimensions. Johnson underscores the importance of curiosity and humility when confronting such vast and potentially unanswerable questions, and she champions interdisciplinary thinking as essential for fostering innovation and breakthroughs.

Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here.

Kelsey Johnson is a professor of astronomy at the University of Virginia, an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Religious Studies, and she currently serves as the associate dean of undergraduate education at the College of Arts & Sciences. She is the past president of the American Astronomical Society and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the founding director of the award-winning Dark Skies Bright Kids program. Johnson has won numerous awards for her research, teaching, and promotion of science literacy. Her TED talk on the importance of dark skies has more than 2 million views, and her writing has appeared in nationwide publications, including the New York Times, Scientific American, and the Washington Post.