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@trailingedge: There is extremely strong evidence that there was a big bang. What Ms. Levin is simplifying a bit is that the math of spacetime indicates there wasn't time or space "before" everything was compressed. That's not speculation, that's an outcome of prevalent theories. And the veil over the start of our universe isn't just handwaving, theories predict the infinitesimally small time (10^-43 seconds) and distance (the Planck length) before which they stop working. Read the physics of cosmogony.
So, what happened outside of our universe's spacetime to bring it into being? That becomes speculation, although it's still limited and informed by the theories that can give rise to singularities and/or space-time.
Whenever you see these science popularizing videos, rest assured there's a truckload of math behind them!!
I love the story of the two engineers from Bell Labs who were just trying to figure out where the microwave "noise" was coming from in their microwave telecommunications antenna, worked and worked and worked to eliminate all the noise in the system, and finally concluded they must be hearing the echos of the beginning of the Universe.
Those were the days, when you could be an engineer in R&D and get a Nobel prize.
Now they make you sign Non Disclosure Agreements and add new lines to it each time you move a muscle and they copyright your stuff at least 20 times to cover all the angles, not mentioning all the patents they get behind your back.
When I start thinking in three dimensions, cosmically speaking I just can't wrap my head around what exists outside of out universe. I mean just where the hell are we? Fungus under a giant alien's toenail? A wad of gum stuck under a park bench in another reality? A super huge supermodel's navel?
WHERE ARE WE????? Fvck that's enough to make me want to get drunk..
An excellent explanation to be sure, but I think we should clarify 'nothing'.
We have no idea what >90% of the universe is currently made up of (dark matter, dark energy) so when she says we started from nothing, no matter, no energy, no time. There is a good chance we just have no idea how to describe everything before the big bang (ie time=0) just as we have no idea how to describe 90% of the current universe.
@Log1c, M.S.E.E.: Actually according to an article I read 2 months ago in Scientific American, "Dark Matter" might not exist at all.
You see, we think of the universe as an ever expanding bubble and we are somewhere in it. But it might not be a *Single* bubble, it mightbe the union of several deformed bubbles as the universe might have not expanded evenly after the big bang.... but the results we see today might lead us to believe that dark matter fills the void of what should be out there.
A far out theory, but it does explain the difference of what should be out that we cannot see.
We seem to occupy a very special place in the universe that we see out there...
I think this is the current theory that everybody is going with now
"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened."
The "Ten Dimensions" video was thoroughly torn apart on boing boing the other day. Essentially it's just a few actual theoretical tidbits tied together and fleshed out with BS.
And so, yeah, what about that "nothing" from the first video. I've always read "super-massive singularity" at the beginning, which seems a lot more plausible than the "creation" of something from nothing. Guess I should go read her book.
@cmaceachen: the singularity that is referred to is not matter. It is the 4 forces of the universe raveled together. Electromagnetism, gravity, strong, and weak nuclear forces. As you can see in our universe these forces are not seen and are not any form of matter but they are there. The singularity they refer to is them.
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
So, what happened outside of our universe's spacetime to bring it into being? That becomes speculation, although it's still limited and informed by the theories that can give rise to singularities and/or space-time.
Whenever you see these science popularizing videos, rest assured there's a truckload of math behind them!!
08/21/09
Based on what is shown in this video, couldn't there be an 11th dimension? The dimension of individual perspective?
This dimension would be represented by a line between what 1 individual sees and what another sees.
As with the other dimensions, there are infinite points and infinite lines.
Two individuals looking at a mirror from a slightly different angle will see a completely different image.
08/20/09
Those were the days, when you could be an engineer in R&D and get a Nobel prize.
'scuse me, I'm getting a little verklempt...
08/23/09
"Those were the days...."
Yeap!!
Now they make you sign Non Disclosure Agreements and add new lines to it each time you move a muscle and they copyright your stuff at least 20 times to cover all the angles, not mentioning all the patents they get behind your back.
08/20/09
08/20/09
08/20/09
WHERE ARE WE????? Fvck that's enough to make me want to get drunk..
08/20/09
[www.adultswim.com]
08/20/09
We have no idea what >90% of the universe is currently made up of (dark matter, dark energy) so when she says we started from nothing, no matter, no energy, no time. There is a good chance we just have no idea how to describe everything before the big bang (ie time=0) just as we have no idea how to describe 90% of the current universe.
08/20/09
You see, we think of the universe as an ever expanding bubble and we are somewhere in it. But it might not be a *Single* bubble, it mightbe the union of several deformed bubbles as the universe might have not expanded evenly after the big bang.... but the results we see today might lead us to believe that dark matter fills the void of what should be out there.
A far out theory, but it does explain the difference of what should be out that we cannot see.
We seem to occupy a very special place in the universe that we see out there...
Read the whole article here: [www.scientificamerican.com]
08/20/09
Believe it or not, I don't have one.
08/21/09
:)
[cc.bingj.com]
08/20/09
A blessing and a curse.
08/20/09
08/20/09
"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened."
08/20/09
And so, yeah, what about that "nothing" from the first video. I've always read "super-massive singularity" at the beginning, which seems a lot more plausible than the "creation" of something from nothing. Guess I should go read her book.
08/20/09
08/20/09
08/20/09
08/20/09
08/20/09
The infinite nature of physics reminds me of philosophy. Maybe its because both are so endless.
08/20/09
We got nothing to worry about!
08/20/09