Avi Loeb: 757 peer-reviewed papers
Avi Loeb, the Harvard astrophysicist who champions the extraterrestrial hypothesis for Oumuamua, has published 757 peer-reviewed scientific articles.
Snapshot · The Shawn Ryan Show
#316 Brian Keating - The First Object Ever Found From Another Solar System
Explore episode
Jun 25, 2026
Where this was said
Science, Faith, and the Return to Judaism After 9/11
At 2:41:54 · chapter starts 2:32:20
Keating unpacks his extraordinary religious autobiography: born Jewish, raised Catholic by his adoptive family, became an altar boy who wanted to be a priest, turned atheist at 13 when he learned Galileo was imprisoned by the Church, and remained a committed atheist through his academic career. The pivot came after 9/11 when he felt ashamed to know nothing about Judaism — his birth religion and the root of the conflict that defined the moment. He embarked on serious study, learning Hebrew at 30 and engaging with Torah as an adult scientist rather than a bored child. His central thesis is that 'belief' is a weak epistemic state — he doesn't 'believe' in gravity, he has evidence for it — and he wants to apply the same evidentiary standard to God. He distinguishes between the Hebrew concept of emunah (faith/trust) and mere belief, and argues that the scientific quest and religious faith are not only compatible but mutually reinforcing.
Similar snapshots
Ego depletion research failed to replicate
The widely cited ego-depletion model — the idea that willpower is a finite resource that gets depleted — failed to replicate in follow-up studies.
5,000–7,000 thoughts per day; recall ≈ 0
Humans are estimated to have 5,000–7,000 thoughts per day, yet can recall essentially none of them afterward, highlighting why in-the-moment emotional tracking matters.
Wandering mind = unhappy mind (Harvard study)
A large Harvard study found that a wandering mind is an unhappy mind — people report greater happiness when their attention is tethered to the present, even if the task is unpleasant.
Microplastic overestimate: gloves contaminated tests
A key study finding that we have a 'credit card's worth of plastic' in our bodies was likely skewed because researchers used nitrile gloves that shed plastic particles onto the microplastic detector.
Hyperactive amygdala + frayed PFC link
Emotionally sensitive people have a hyperactive amygdala, an underactive prefrontal cortex, and a frayed connection between the two — making emotional regulation structurally harder.
RSD visible in children as young as 2–3 years old
Rejection sensitivity can be observed as early as age 2 or 3, suggesting it has strong developmental and likely genetic roots.
Mindfulness reduces brain activation — Yale study
A Yale study found that non-judgmental observation of emotions — without rushing to resolve them — reduces activation in the brain, making it a powerful regulation tool.
Psychological immune system works strongest on irreversible decisions
Dan Gilbert's research found that the psychological immune system — the brain's ability to justify and find satisfaction in choices — activates most powerfully when a decision is perceived as irreversible.
Maximizers earn more but are less happy than satisficers
Barry Schwartz's research found that maximizers — people who try to optimize every decision — tend to achieve objectively better outcomes but report lower happiness than satisficers who choose 'good enough.'
