#1609 - Elon Musk

Episode Timestamps

• 00:03:33

  Starship's size and thrust,

  • Elon Musk reveals that the Starship is the largest flying object ever made and has twice the thrust of the Saturn V rocket.
  • He explains that the rocket needs that much thrust to plan for interplanetary trips and to make life multi-planetary.
• 00:05:51

  Fully and Rapidly Reusable Rockets,

  • Elon Musk discusses how making a fully and rapidly reusable rocket is the biggest challenge in rocketry and is the goal for SpaceX.
  • He explains that the SpaceX team is working hard to achieve this and is progressing towards regular orbital flights.
• 00:18:26

  Traveling to Mars;

  • Elon Musk explains how to travel to Mars, accelerating along the same path as Earth going around the Sun to get an elliptical orbit around the Sun.
  • He says the journey takes about six months and explains how it's possible to speed it up a little, but not much.
  • He also explains the limited time frame for traveling between Earth and Mars due to planetary conjunctions.
• 00:24:05

  The Great Filter and Existence of Alien Life;

  • Elon Musk discusses the Fermi Paradox, questioning the existence of alien life.
  • He explains the "great filter" and believes that it's necessary to have enough resources on Mars to sustain civilization if the spaceships from Earth stop coming.
• 00:28:24

  Tic Tac UFO Encounter

  • The author describes the encounter of Commander David Fravor with a Tic Tac shaped UFO off the coast of San Diego.
  • The UFO displayed incredible capabilities and is a mystery to researchers.
• 00:32:10

  Colonizing the Galaxy

  • The author discusses the need to become a multi-planet species in order to survive extinction events that have wiped out many species in the past.
  • He also thinks space exploration is exciting and worth 1% of our resources.
• 00:00:00

  Building a colony on Mars, Importance - 9/10, Bullet point summary - Discussion on the essential components of building a colony on Mars including generating energy, propellant production, growing food and plants, and the possibility of terraforming.

  • Discussion on the essential components of building a colony on Mars including generating energy, propellant production, growing food and plants, and the possibility of terraforming.
• 00:47:15

  Becoming a multi-planet civilization, Importance - 9/10, Bullet point summary - Discussion on the importance of becoming a multi-planet civilization before something cataclysmic happens, the chances of civilization surviving, and the meaning of life.

  • Discussion on the importance of becoming a multi-planet civilization before something cataclysmic happens, the chances of civilization surviving, and the meaning of life.
• 00:52:07

  The importance of making life multi-planetary

  • It is important to become a multi-planetary species before it is too late
  • The journey to Mars will be dangerous and people might die
  • The idea that Mars will be a luxury resort for the rich is a misconception
• 00:56:36

  The Falcon Heavy test flight

  • The Falcon Heavy test flight carried Elon Musk's car
  • The car is now orbiting Mars
  • The images of the car are real
• 01:01:32

  The New Plaid is Significantly Faster

  • The accelerator of the new plaid is significantly faster than the previous plaid
  • Tesla managed to make it go faster
  • The plaid has a wider wheelbase and better handling
• 01:03:11

  Everyday Driving and Acceleration

  • Nu00fcrburgring is not representative of normal driving
  • The acceleration is what really matters for everyday driving
  • The new plaid can hit 60 miles an hour before clearing the intersection
• 01:11:47

  Elon talks about Cybertruck factory in Austin and Austin's potential

  • Elon talks about the Cybertruck factory in Austin and how it will be made there
  • Austin was chosen based on the team's top choice and Elon describes it as a "mini California"
  • Elon believes Austin will be the biggest boom town in America in 50 years due to its balance of being a blue city in a red state
  • He wants to make sure that people moving from California don't recreate the issues that made them move in the first place
• 01:16:14

  Austin being a comedy hub and boom town

  • Elon believes that Austin will be the biggest boom town in the US in 50 years
  • Comedy clubs are moving to Austin and comedians are moving there as well
  • Elon is trying to open a comedy club in Austin
• 01:25:22

  Solar Power and Range :

  • Discussion of the feasibility of solar-powered cars and the limitations of solar technology, as well as updates on the range of Tesla's various models."
• 01:28:19

  Aerodynamics and the Cybertruck :

  • Discussion of the factors that impact a car's drag coefficient and therefore its range, including the importance of rounding sharp angles and creating a low-pressure zone in the back to minimize drag."
• 01:37:33

  The benefits and concerns of Starlink

  • Starlink offers global, high bandwidth, and low latency internet
  • The visual aspect of Starlink satellites is a concern for amateur astronomers
  • Starlink satellites are not ideal for high-density urban areas, whereas 5G technology is better suited for these locations.
• 01:42:35

  Cell towers and satellites compared

  • Satellites are ideal for low to medium density while 5G technology is better suited for high-density urban areas
  • Cell towers have a range of up to 1 mile or 1.5 kilometers, while satellite beams cover a several miles diameter
  • Cell towers disguised as fake trees have not been well received, and better fake tree models are needed.
• 01:47:39

  Cell Phones and Cancer

  • Elon Musk argues that cell phones do not cause cancer and even if he had a helmet of cell phones, he would not worry.
  • He dismisses the notion that cell phone radiation caused someone's "fall cancer" and explains that the range of photons emitted by the phone is not capable of DNA damage.
  • He contrasts nuclear radiation (alpha particles) that can cause DNA damage with photons emitted by cell phones, which are not harmful.
• 01:48:22

  Neuralink and Brain Chips

  • Elon Musk explains that people are scared of the unknown when it comes to technology like Neuralink, but it will not be forced on anyone.
  • The first applications will be for people with serious brain or spinal cord injuries.
  • He acknowledges concerns about the potential for pleasure-based addiction, but dismisses the idea of adding a "come button" to phones and notes that the devices are already able to collect an immense amount of data.
• 01:58:11

  The technological advancements in our everyday devices

  • Comparisons between current smartphones and technology in sci-fi movies like Star Trek and Star Wars
  • Advancements like the Samsung Galaxy S21's moon photo capability and superior zooms
• 02:03:05

  The need for regulation and oversight of AI

  • The nonexistent regulatory agency overseeing AI and its potential for extreme danger to humanity
  • Elon Musk's and Joe Rogan's concerns about AI being used as a weapon
  • The plotline of Terminator and how it connects to our current technological advancements
• 02:12:27

  The role of the government

  • Government should act as a referee and not a player
  • Regulatory agencies are necessary to oversee safety measures in various industries
  • Compliance can be slow, but necessary to ensure safety
• 02:19:53

  Challenges with Tesla's original roadster

  • Battery technology increased the weight and changed the weight distribution of the car, invalidating crash tests
  • Over 90% of the non-powertrain portion of the car had to be changed
  • The motor controller and power electronics were unreliable and artisanal
  • Battery pack was air-cooled and temperature-sensitive, impacting the car's performance
• 02:21:29

  Limitations of battery pack, motor, inverter, and charger

  • Heat concentration in battery pack could lead to thermal runaway and car burning down
  • None of the AC propulsion technology or Lotus technology could be used
  • Only the general shape of the Lotus Elise was used
  • Design of a sports car is easy, design of a sedan is hard
  • Franz von Holzhausen was hired as head of design in 2008
• 02:26:19

  Tesla's role in accelerating the advent of sustainable energy

  • Accelerating sustainable energy is the final good of Tesla
  • Tesla is an accelerant for sustainable energy
  • Tesla has made electric cars and solar energy more accessible
  • Civilization would collapse without some kind of sustainable energy situation
  • Electric cars are simpler than gasoline cars, just a range question
• 02:37:54

  Battery Technology and a Sustainable Energy Future

  • The rate of battery production capacity is increasing rapidly
  • Switching from fossil fuels to sustainable energy requires a lot of batteries
  • Implementing a carbon tax would be a top recommendation
  • The market should respond to unpriced externalities such as CO2 concentration
• 02:39:45

  Implementing a Carbon Tax

  • A carbon tax would be a solution to unpriced externalities
  • Prices and money are informative and the market responds based on pricing
  • Markets work great if pricing is correct
  • The Biden administration believes a carbon tax is politically difficult
• 02:45:03

  The Oil and Gas Industry Should Consider a Carbon Tax.

  • Suggests that the oil and gas industry should do a carbon tax to avoid being demonized
  • Thinks it's a reasonable solution and doesn't understand how anyone could be against it
  • Questions which political candidates have endorsed a carbon tax
• 02:48:48

  The Most Foolish Experiment in Human History.

  • Thinks running the carbon experiment is the most foolish experiment in the history of human civilization
  • Believes a sustainable energy future is necessary to avoid civilization collapse
  • Discusses the $100 million carbon capture prize and the difficulty in capturing carbon
• 02:57:50

  The X's low center of gravity

  • Discussion about the Model X's unique feature of not flipping over and being able to roll back on its side.
  • Mention of how the car's weight distribution contributes to this and how it's something that no other car in the world can do.
• 02:58:50

  The Model X's "crazy doors

  • Discussion about the Model X's doors, how they're functional and can open up tighter than almost any other door out there.
  • Mention of how they can be dangerous to people if not designed properly.
  • Explanation of how Tesla developed a unique ultrasonic sensor to see through metal so that the door doesn't hit anything.
• 03:09:44

  Semi Truck Safety Features

  • Safer semi trucks with 100% working safety features
  • Low center of gravity with individual motor control for each wheel
  • Computer system to prevent jackknifing, especially on low traction surfaces
  • Possibility of autonomous convoys with multiple trucks following a lead truck
• 03:13:09

  Challenges in Aviation Technology

  • Current restrictions in aviation technology, including low energy density
  • Difficulty in designing combustion engines for a wide range of altitudes
  • Importance of achieving high altitude for aircraft propulsion
  • Possibility of electric fans to eliminate aperture issues