The Big Bang is the reigning explanation for our universe’s origin—but what if it’s wrong? This episode dives into cosmic controversies and the theories that challenge everything we thought we knew.

Watch my exclusive video Mass Drivers on the Moon: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-mass-drivers-on-the-moon-enabling-a-lunar-economy

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SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShE

Credits:

What If the Big Bang Never Happened?

Episode 730.1; July 6, 2025

Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur

Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images

Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If everything is free, what’s still worth striving for? From replicators to reputation, we examine the surprising economics of a post-scarcity world.

Watch my exclusive video Mass Drivers on the Moon: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-mass-drivers-on-the-moon-enabling-a-lunar-economy

Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

Get a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthur

Use the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.

Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net

Join Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.

SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShE

Credits:

The Economics of a Post-Scarcity Universe - What Happens When Everything Is Free?

Episode 730; July 3, 2025

Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur

Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images

Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator

Chapters

0:00 Intro

2:02 What Post-Scarcity Means Economically

5:10 Incentives Without Scarcity

8:17 Distribution, Duty, and Designed Idleness

14:27 Ownership and Property in a Post-Scarcity Economy

20:03 The Star Trek Economy & the Myth of a Moneyless Society

22:58 Wealth, Inheritance & Intergenerational Power

27:57 Upward Mobility and Inequality

29:02 Economic Failure Modes in Post-Scarcity

30:35 Where Economics Still Matters

33:02 The Infinite Price of a Meaningful Life

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If everything is free, what’s still worth striving for? From replicators to reputation, we examine the surprising economics of a post-scarcity world.

Watch my exclusive video Mass Drivers on the Moon: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-mass-drivers-on-the-moon-enabling-a-lunar-economy

Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

Get a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthur

Use the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.

Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net

Join Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthur

Support us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthur

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.

SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShE

Credits:

The Economics of a Post-Scarcity Universe - What Happens When Everything Is Free?

Episode 730; July 3, 2025

Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur

Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images

Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator

Chapters

0:00 Intro

2:02 What Post-Scarcity Means Economically

5:10 Incentives Without Scarcity

8:17 Distribution, Duty, and Designed Idleness

14:27 Ownership and Property in a Post-Scarcity Economy

20:03 The Star Trek Economy & the Myth of a Moneyless Society

22:58 Wealth, Inheritance & Intergenerational Power

27:57 Upward Mobility and Inequality

29:02 Economic Failure Modes in Post-Scarcity

30:35 Where Economics Still Matters

33:02 The Infinite Price of a Meaningful Life

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is the key to building lasting colonies in space—by turning local materials into shelter, fuel, and even food. Explore how humanity might thrive beyond Earth by living off the land on other worlds.

Watch my exclusive video Fishbowl Starships - Water As Shielding - https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-fishbowl-starships-water-as-shielding

Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

Get a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthur

Use the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.

Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net

Join Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthur

Support us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthur

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.

SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShE

Credits:

I.S.R.U. In-Situ Resource Utilization

Written, Narrated & Produced by: Isaac Arthur

Graphics:

Fishy Tree

Jeremy Jozwik

Ken York / YD Visual

Sergio Botero

Udo Schroeter

Music Courtesy of

Epidemic Sound Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

3:20 Shelter

11:06 Extraction of Volatiles

13:45 Regolith Processing

16:55 Energy Production

18:19 Manufacturing and Construction

20:24 Agriculture

23:40 Propellant Production

26:25 Starlifting

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is the key to building lasting colonies in space—by turning local materials into shelter, fuel, and even food. Explore how humanity might thrive beyond Earth by living off the land on other worlds.

Watch my exclusive video Fishbowl Starships - Water As Shielding - https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-fishbowl-starships-water-as-shielding

Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

Get a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthur

Use the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.

Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net

Join Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthur

Support us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthur

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.

SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShE

Credits:

I.S.R.U. In-Situ Resource Utilization

Written, Narrated & Produced by: Isaac Arthur

Graphics:

Fishy Tree

Jeremy Jozwik

Ken York / YD Visual

Sergio Botero

Udo Schroeter

Music Courtesy of

Epidemic Sound Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

3:20 Shelter

11:06 Extraction of Volatiles

13:45 Regolith Processing

16:55 Energy Production

18:19 Manufacturing and Construction

20:24 Agriculture

23:40 Propellant Production

26:25 Starlifting

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In order to succeed in space, we must be able to produce as much as possible on-site, or ‘in situ’, but what are the most critical resources to harvest and how do we do it?

Watch my exclusive video Fishbowl Starships - Water As Shielding - https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-fishbowl-starships-water-as-shielding

Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

Get a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthur

Use the link gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $30.

Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net

Join Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthur

Support us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthur

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.

SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShE

Credits:

I.S.R.U. In-Situ Resource Utilization

Written, Narrated & Produced by: Isaac Arthur

Graphics:

Fishy Tree

Jeremy Jozwik

Ken York / YD Visual

Sergio Botero

Udo Schroeter

Music Courtesy of

Epidemic Sound Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.