The Universe is a strange place
Add to Favorites 
Feature This! 
ShareRating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)
About the Lecture
Perhaps the universe is not so much strange as brimming with lovely paradox. The search for such beauty seems to lie at the heart of Frank Wilczek’s work. Twentieth century physics, from Einstein through Wilczek’s own Nobel Prize-winning efforts, involves demonstrating the existence of a topsy-turvy reality: for instance, that such sub-atomic particles as quarks and gluons, which have little or no mass, “orchestrate themselves into not just protons and neutrons but you and me,” according to Wilczek. “How is it possible to construct heavy objects out of objects that weigh nothing?,” he asks. Only by “creating mass out of pure energy.” These particles are essentially “excitations in otherwise empty space.” Says Wilczek: “That suggests something …beautiful and poetic: the masses of particles are not like, or similar to or metaphorically suggested by—they are the tones or frequencies of vibration patterns in dynamical voids.” The theory of quarks and gluons and the strong interaction accounts quantitatively for “the mass of protons, neutrons and ultimately you and me and everything around us.” But physics has not yet squared away all aspects of the universe. Wilzcek says that “in cosmology, we meet our match, and don’t know what’s going on.” This is because scientists can’t account for much of the mass in the cosmos. 70% of this mass is in “dark energy,” which is pushing the universe apart. Wilczek hopes that explanations for the dark stuff will emerge through improving equations, unifying theories of different interactions and extending their symmetries. “Beautifying equations leads not to ugly consequences but beautiful surprises,” he concludes.
Added on Feb 19, 2010 by deek
Video Details
Time: 00:01 | Views: 1210 |
Comments: 1
About the Lecture Perhaps universe is not so much strange as brimming with lovely paradox. The search for such beauty seems to lie at heart of Frank Wilczek’s work. Twentieth century physics from Einstein through own Nobel Prize-winning efforts involves demonstrating existence topsy-turvy reality: instance that sub-atomic particles quarks and gluons which have little or no mass “orchestrate themselves into just protons neutrons but you me according Wilczek. “How it possible construct heavy objects out weigh nothing he asks. Only by “creating pure energy.” These are essentially “excitations in otherwise empty space.” Says Wilczek: “That suggests something …beautiful poetic: masses like similar metaphorically suggested by—they tones frequencies vibration patterns dynamical voids.” theory strong interaction accounts quantitatively “the ultimately everything around us.” But has yet squared away all aspects universe. Wilzcek says “in cosmology we meet our match don’t know what’s going on.” This because scientists can’t account cosmos. 70 this “dark energy pushing apart. Wilczek hopes explanations dark stuff will emerge improving equations unifying theories different interactions extending their symmetries. “Beautifying leads ugly consequences beautiful surprises concludes.
Lectures In Astronomy Cosmology Major questions in astronomy
About the Lecture Perhaps universe is not so much strange as brimming with lovely paradox. The search for such beauty seems to lie at heart of Frank Wilczek’s work. Twentieth century physics from Einstein through own Nobel Prize-winning efforts involves demonstrating existence topsy-turvy reality: instance that sub-atomic particles quarks and gluons which have little or no mass “orchestrate themselves into just protons neutrons but you me according Wilczek. “How it possible construct heavy objects out weigh nothing he asks. Only by “creating pure energy.” These are essentially “excitations in otherwise empty space.” Says Wilczek: “That suggests something …beautiful poetic: masses like similar metaphorically suggested by—they tones frequencies vibration patterns dynamical voids.” theory strong interaction accounts quantitatively “the ultimately everything around us.” But has yet squared away all aspects universe. Wilzcek says “in cosmology we meet our match don’t know what’s going on.” This because scientists can’t account cosmos. 70 this “dark energy pushing apart. Wilczek hopes explanations dark stuff will emerge improving equations unifying theories different interactions extending their symmetries. “Beautifying leads ugly consequences beautiful surprises concludes.
Lectures In Astronomy Cosmology Major questions in astronomy
User Details
Share Details
Post Comments
Comment on this video:
Comments: (1)
