NOVA on PBS to have 3 hours on string theory! - Oct 28 start

[papau]

‘The Elegant Universe’ -string theory – relativity -quantum mechanics and cosmic conundrums:Physicist Brian Greene, host
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/

The world of quantum physics poses contradictions, and string theory could resolve those contradictions. The first two hour long episodes premiere on most PBS stations Oct. 28, with the third episode airing Nov. 4 will be available for viewing online. String theory is called brane theory in the latest writeups and proposes that everything consists of strings or membranes that vibrate in 10 spatial dimensions (plus time). There is a two-dimensional artistic visualization of a six-dimensional Calabi-Yau shape via computer animation. The TV series adds to the 1999 book by mentioning/expanding into “brane-world” theory: the idea that our three spatial dimensions might be a slice within a larger multidimensional space, and that parallel universes could be separated from ours by a mere fraction of a millimeter – and then asking why we perceive only three spatial dimensions and miss six others, and does time seem to flow - and only in one direction – because of a human perception problem?

[FlashHarry]

1. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that, ahem, string!

Looks fascinating. I'll tune in, for sure.

[tridim]

2. I love learning about this stuff

Be sure to ping DU in October so I'll remember to watch.

[theHandpuppet]

7. Yes, please!

A reminder would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to miss this!

[Dudley_DUright]

3. Cool!

I have read the book several times. I am looking forward to seeing those Calabi-Yau spaces. :-)

[papau]

4. I love this stuff-back in 50's/60's when I first heard of QM I was hooked!

The ability for the human mind to develope this stuff is what really impresses me.

If you ever get a chance check out the 2 slides -glass slides - about 1 inch by 4 inch - that were the basis for saying the Universe is expanding back in the 20's.

The jump from a little bit of data to a grand theory is very very impressive - better than other religion's and their interventions in human life by a god.

Now do not jump on me for the above - I am a Christain, and accept belief and faith as good things. It just impresses me how much faith is required in "science".

[pmbryant]

5. No faith needed for QM. String theory is another matter. ;-)

(QM == Quantum Mechanics, of course.)

--Peter

[papau]

6. Since '63 - we had choice of action at a distance or multiple universe

and that does not require faith?

:-)

Indeed many folks I worked with back then chose "both" - which was not on the ballot!

But QM is fun! Anyone want to divide by zero? - or is that no longer a problem/ I have been playing Actuary and tax and Social Security guru for so long I really have not kept up.

But I still love this stuff.

It is just that the folks have to start printing their stories in bigger fonts for me!

:-)

peace

[papau]

8. referring to Bell's discovery, of course

:-)

[pmbryant]

9. QM and faith

By 'not requiring faith', I mean that Quantum Mechanics is excellent at making predictions that are verified by experiment.

The interpretation of what mechanisms produce the effects being predicted are more philosophy than science, in my thinking. Maybe they are right; maybe they are misguided; who's to say? As long as the predictions are verified, though, no faith is required.

Similarly, it doesn't require faith to believe in Newtonian gravity's effects. Though believing in its (pre-Einstein) 'action at a distance' interpretation was philosophically problematic.

--Peter

[papau]

10. I agree with the experimental success of QM - but what does it tell us?

Indeed the show tonight was a disappointment.

I left this stuff when the new proof was that the number of dimensions had to be greater than 9 and less than 11 (the number 11 stayed in my mind these last few years - but as the number of dimensions required - one grows old - .... )

Tonight’s graphics were well done, but each "hour" could have been cut to a 20 minute film that was the intro to a physics class.

In any case, we are still left with redefined dimensions as not "straight lines" but as other characteristics of space - and in this case as characteristics that only exist at a point in space - of course what is the definition of point - is it still one dimension? - but it has 6 other characteristics that have the attributes of "dimensions" so that "volume" can be calculated, giving us our mass less graviton particle to carry the force of gravity around - somehow the mass less particle has energy in large quantities - as in gravitational energy.

No wonder most physics folk I meet have as much faith - indeed as often as not in the God concept - as I do.

Well I look forward to the 3rd hour of this 3 hour special.



And away we go in - as the fellow called it - the "philosophy - not physics - of string theory"

[GAspnes]

12. I watched the first hour, and then tuned out

You're absolutely correct that the show needs some serious editing to speed it up. When he started with the astronomers looking for a "very special kind of supernova" I shouted "Type 1A!" at the screen. It took 20 minutes for them to get to that point.

He's vamping a one hour show into three, perhaps because he likes being onscreen.

[pmbryant]

13. Same here

I actually thought the first hour was way too fast. He tried to cover all of modern physics, complicated stuff like electromagnetism, general relativity, and quantum mechanics in that hour and that's just too much to follow unless you already know the material.

I suppose the next two hours actually covered string theory, but I forgot to set up my VCR to tape them, so I missed them. I think he should have spent 2 hours on the background and one on string theory.

Or perhaps just left out the string theory altogether and concentrated on the stuff that's actually been proven. :evilgrin:

--Peter

[salmonhorse]

11. I'll be there ~

Thanks for the heads-up...

:hi: