Episode 16: Astronomy, Consciousness, and Listening with Dr. Olenick

Ya wanna meet someone outta this world?

Say hello to my college Astronomy Professor, Dr. Richard Olenick.

Also, spring classes are starting up today so if you are taking Astronomy, or any of Dr. O's classes, maybe you can get extra credit for listening.

Here's what we talk about today:

How can astronomy help us with our daily life?

Do we matter in the universe? What would happen if we were gone?

His conclusion: we may be inconsequential to the universe because it’s so big, and, for example, we have no control how planets move, but the thing was that we are not insignificant because we have minds that can grasp this stuff.

Humans are so amazing, that we have found out so much.

Never Give Up! You do have something there, our mind. We should work with it, develop our mind, be as rational as we can. That’s how we are important (in a sense).

Rational in a sense of understanding things. Search not just in a surface level, but curiosity.

Imagination is more powerful than logic.

Do you think to notice other beings and things is to look further outward, or just raise our consciousness?

“To see a world in a grain of sand And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour” - William Blake

Latest theory is that theres a parallel universe that has time going backwards (woahhhh)

The real definition of time is an instant

A piece of advice to someone getting into astronomy and/or increasing consciousness:

Read books like, “A brief history of time,” “Dragons egg”

Get a telescope or go to an observatory

Best places to go are around 30 miles from the city… Generally away from large cities

Aurora lights in Alaska or Iceland!

spaceweather.com has pictures of auroras

Blue marble experiment [19 min]

December 28, 1968 was the 50th anniversary of Apollo 8 which went around the moon.

In terms of raising consciousness, we should all be friends in a way, we are all one.

We are caregivers of earth, not the owners

Drake equation that predicts the probability of intelligent life elsewhere. Surprisingly, it predicted that the chance we are alone in the galaxy ranges from 56-86 % that we are alone. In the whole universe, it was more like 29-56% that we are alone.

Could earth be the center in the whole universe? Yes and no because everything came out of the center, we are all one. It came out of energy. There is no center for the universe

How is it that he channels the passion to class everyday?

Reading something new about it everyday, being a life long learner. To be curious and keep looking into things.

Reflecting on things more gets him going! He wants others to explore these things and find out what they’re passionate about.

How old do you feel mentally inside?

How to avoid burnout? [30 min]

To do something different. We all like to grow, see change.

Frees the mind to not think!

What would you recommend someone recently out of college?

Buy an alarm clock to be on time.

Record your grandparents. Have them talk about their childhood.

Don’t give up hope about finding your passion

Don’t be so hard or critical on yourself. Step away and focus on the good things.

What is his gift to share with the world ?

Always listen to everyone, because you can learn something from everyone, even someone you didn’t think you could. Be observant and listen to people, you can get insights to things you didn’t think was possible.

Listen to people when they’re in front of you.

Email him olenick@udallas.edu for more!