Summary
In the StarTalk Podcast episode titled "Freakonomics," host Neil deGrasse Tyson and his co-hosts interview Stephen Dubner, the host of the podcast Freakonomics Radio. The episode focuses on the economics of asteroid and resource mining in space. Dubner explains that there are vast resources in our solar system that could be mined and used on Earth or in space, but the economics of these resources are complicated due to their potential devaluation when brought back to Earth. The conversation also touches on the potential uses of these resources, such as water being a more valuable resource than gold or diamonds because it is necessary for all life on Earth. The hosts conclude that if resources are mined in space, it would be more practical to use them in space rather than bringing them back to Earth.
Throughout the episode, the hosts explore how science and technology can drive economic growth and the importance of investing in these areas. They discuss the value of NASA's spin-off technology and the importance of government funding for scientific research and development. The hosts also debate the pros and cons of private versus public healthcare systems and the potential impact of AI on economics and statistics.
The episode also addresses the risks of using a rocket to get to Mars and the potential threat of an earth-ending asteroid strike. The hosts discuss the importance of investing in mitigating the risk of an asteroid strike and the measures taken by NASA's office of planetary protection. The episode concludes with a discussion on the different perspectives of scientists, engineers, and economists and their role in shaping civilization.
