# Can We Break the Universe?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/pbs-space-time-7778773/can-we-break-the-universe
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/pbs-space-time-7778773/can-we-break-the-universe.md
Podcast: [PBS Space Time](https://stenobird.com/podcast/pbs-space-time-7778773)
Published: 2026-07-11T12:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/VG3827600644.mp3
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/VG3827600644.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/pbs-space-time-7778773/episodes/can-we-break-the-universe
Duration seconds: 1407

## Resource

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE ↓ More info below ↓ Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime Today we’re going to delve into a couple of the most famous paradoxes of special relativity: the Twin Paradox, The Ladder Paradox (aka the Barn-Pole Paradox), and a paradox suggested by our very own viewers, which asks whether a spaceship could wrap around the universe & destroy itself. We’ll explore these paradoxes and see why, against our intuition, the universe really does work in this seemingly nonsensical way. But the point of this episode is to go much further - we’re going to try to break the universe by pushing these paradoxes beyond the limit. Special Thanks to our Patreon Supporters Hank & Mark for suggesting the questions that inspired this episode! #space #relativity #paradox Check out the Space Time Merch Store https://pbsspacetime.com Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements! https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetime Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Matt O'Dowd Graphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Adriano Leal & Stephanie Faria Directed by Andrew Kornhaber Assistant Producer: Setare Gholipour Executive Producers: Eric Brown & Andrew Kornhaber End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRl6-nb4iOnsij-vnpAjp0Q Special Thanks to Our Patreon Supporters Big Bang Supporters Sandy Wu Matthew Miller Clinton Robinson Sean Maddox Brodie Rao Scott Gray Ahmad Jodeh Radu Negulescu Alexander Tamas Morgan Hough Juan Benet Fabrice Eap Mark Rosenthal David Nicklas Quasar Supporters Hank S Christina Oegren Mark Heising Vinnie Falco Hypernova S…

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## Transcript

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