Lose Weight the Slow and Incredibly Difficult Way

Plus: are we getting the real stuff in popular science?; a step-by-step guide to our solar system’s demise, this week’s Facts So Romantic; and more. [View in browser]( | [Become a member]( Newsletter brought to you by: September 22, 2022   Did a friend forward this? [Subscribe here](. Dear Nautilus Reader, You’ve heard the question, perhaps even posed it yourself: “If the universe expands like a balloon, and all its galaxies are moving away from each other like little dots that mark up the rubbery surface, then [what is the universe expanding into?”]( Analogies are nice, but, like the will of an American toddler waiting to eat a marshmallow, they break down. The fact is, if you were in touch with the equations that describe cosmic expansion, the question of where that expansion goes doesn’t ever come up. It’s not in the math. That’s why theoretical physicist Sean Carroll penned his latest book, The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Space, Time, and Motion—to go beyond analogies. [To the real stuff]([.]( In our interview with Carroll, the physicist explains why his “dream is to live in a world where most people have informed and passionate views about modern physics.” Plus, brilliant cartoonist and engineer Randall Munroe, creator of the webcomic xkcd, [enlightens us on how to shed 20 pounds](. Of course, you won’t want to try this at home. Also, astrophysicist Sean Raymond brings you a [deep solar system forecast](: What lies ahead for our little corner of the galaxy? And don’t miss this week’s Facts So Romantic below. [READ NOW](   [PHYSICS]( [Lose Weight the Slow and Incredibly Difficult Way]( Trying to answer a silly question can take you through some serious science. BY RANDALL MUNROE “I want to lose 20 pounds. How much of the Earth’s mass would I have to ‘relocate’ to space in order to achieve my goal?” — Ryan Murphy, New Jersey [Continue reading →]( Experience the endless possibilities and deep human connections that science offers [SUBSCRIBE TODAY](   [Make Lasting Changes to Your Health]( [Noom]( has a better approach to healthy living. In just 10 minutes a day, you’ll get daily psych-based lessons, guided coaching, and group accountability to help you as you make your way through your new health journey. [Create a new routine](—that doesn’t stress you out—so you can see long lasting results. [Learn More](   Enjoying our newsletter? [Click here]( to keep hearing from us. Your clicks tell us you value receiving our newsletter. [Click this]( in the next 30 days to confirm you’re an active Nautilus reader, and we won’t unsubscribe you. Thanks! [CLICK TO STAY SUBSCRIBED](   [PHYSICS]( [Are We Getting the Real Stuff in Popular Science?]( When it comes to physics, says Sean Carroll, you need the math. BY KEVIN BERGER [Continue reading →](   [ASTRONOMY]( [A Step-by-Step Guide to Our Solar System’s Demise]( First the oceans boil off. Then things really get serious. BY SEAN RAYMOND [Continue reading →](   [“At this point, you’ve removed 85 percent of the Earth’s mass. But you’ve lost weight!”]( [Genius xkcd webcomic creator Randall Munroe brings serious physics to absurd questions.](   FACTS SO ROMANTIC The Best Things We Learned Today [Earth has a built-in thermostat](, the carbonate-silicate cycle, which regulates the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and operates on about a million-year timescale. [Nautilus→](   [Even if you slice away]( 20 kilometers of the Earth’s crust across the whole surface, you still wouldn’t lose any weight. [Nautilus→](   [Einstein didn’t know]( about the Big Bang, but his equation did. [Nautilus→](   [How did evolution manage]( to do away with hierarchies based purely on who was the strongest? “Stones,” says paleontologist Juan Luis Arsuaga. “We’re the only species capable of throwing objects with precision.” [Life: As Told by Sapiens to a Neanderthal, by Juan José Millás & Juan Luis Arsuaga→](   [The British scientist Humphry Davy]( made an offhand yet prophetic suggestion in his 1800 book on chemistry and philosophy that went ignored for decades: “As nitrous oxide…appears capable of destroying physical pain, it may probably be used with advantage during surgical operations.” [The Invention of Tomorrow, by Thomas Suddendorf, Jonathan Reshaw, & Adam Bulley→](   More in Physics [How the Physics of Nothing Underlies Everything]( The key to understanding the origin and fate of the universe may be a more complete understanding of the vacuum. BY CHARLIE WOOD [Continue reading →]( [We Might Already Speak the Same Language As ET]( Alien communication could utilize quantum physics, so SETI needs a new way to listen. BY CALEB SCHARF [Continue reading →](   Today’s newsletter was written by Brian Gallagher   COVER STORY [Under Anesthesia, Where Do Our Minds Go?]( General anesthesia redefined surgery and medicine, but over a century later it still carries significant risks. To better understand our brains and design safer anesthesia, scientists are turning to EEG. Read this story and others that showcase [Nautilus](' unique style of environmental journalism in Issue 45. [Join the discussion]( on the high price of cheap shrimp; the current status of the bees; and the political power of ecstatic sex. [Subscribe](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2022 NautilusNext, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from nautil.us. Our mailing address is: NautilusNext 360 W 36th Street, 7S, New York, NY 10018 Don't want to hear from us anymore? Click here to [unsubscribe]( .