sweatpants2

How'd you do in college? Did you have a favorite teacher/ mentor that influenced your pursuit of physics, or were you drawn to it independently? Was there's something particularly mind-blowing they taught you, or that you read on your own that you remember as being a significant influence on you?

OH NO! THIS THREAD WAS IN THE SPAM FILTER. I'VE BEEN WAITING HERE FOR LIKE AN HOUR.

Hey Dr. Krauss. I'm really excited to be here as you do this AMA.

Can there be/ are there chain reactions of supernovae? ie. Has the explosion of matter/energy from one supernova ever "tipped the scales" for a nearby White Dwarf, causing it to also explode?

^ This, in so many words, is the question my younger brother is working on, as an independent study in high school. He's corresponding with a college professor online, who just yesterday showed him how to use the CDS catalog. I'm asking it because 1. It's an awesome question, 2. To give you feedback that, yes, the younger generation IS realizing how incredible the universe is, yes, they're growing up with a more intimate connection to it (he pursued a question like this, whereas I wouldn't at his age (17)) and yes, it's all thanks to videos online of brilliant physicists and educators who can communicate their humanity as much as they can communicate how fucking awesome the pursuit of science is. I humbly thank you for what you do.

Of the many questions I want to shamelessly tack on (calm down, Redditors,) I'll just choose one: Past or present, what are ..like 3 of your favorite comedic works and/or comedians?

Thanks for your reply. As for the second one question? (Ok if you don't answer)