He is one of the most entertaining science writers and television hosts (he has done several programs on physics and cosmology). This week he was the guest on NPR's On Being with Krista Tippett.
Brian Greene — Reimagining the Cosmos
January 30, 2014| On Being
Hosted by Krista Tippett
The discoveries which the physicist Brian Greene spends his life pondering lead to a thrilling, mind-bending view of the cosmos, and of the human adventure of modern science. Think of the certainties many of us grew up learning in school - now overtaken by the constant reimagining of the cosmos that is modern physics. The word “space” to describe what we now understand as a sphere teeming with mysterious energy and matter. In our lifetime the science fiction scenario of parallel universes has become a compelling mathematical possibility. Brian Greene works on this frontier, and he increasingly believes that the deepest realities are hidden from human senses and defy our best intuition.
A thrilling, mind-bending view of the cosmos and of the human adventure of modern science. In a conversation ranging from free will to the meaning of the Higgs boson particle, physicist Brian Greene suggests the deepest scientific realities are hidden from human senses and often defy our best intuition.
Listen
Radio Show/Podcast - (mp3, 51:00)
Unedited Interview - Brian Greene - (mp3, 84:55)
Transcript
Voices on the Radio
Dr. Brian Greene is a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University. He is also co-founder of the World Science Festival. His books include The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory, The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality, and The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos.
Pertinent Posts from the On Being Blog
Nobel Prize for ‘God Particle’ Discovery Prompts Deeper Questions
Would the Higgs boson exist without our thinking it existed in the first place. Is it possible that by thinking differently – about ourselves, about others, about our universe – we might begin to see things differently?
****
The Higgs Boson (The "God Particle") Explained in Comics
With the important news about the the Higgs boson particle, this excellent video explainer with comic sketches may even help us understand it one day!
****
Superstring Theory as a Unifier for the Laws of Physics
Writing script explaining string theory isn't so easy. Thankfully, Brian Greene's TED talk provided just the right language. A revelatory video that will excite your imagination.
****
Quarks and Creation: On the Complementary Nature of Science and Religion
Krista Tippett reflects on her conversation with John Polkinghorne on quarks, creation, and God.
****
Quantum Biology and the Hidden Nature of Nature (live video)
Put an astrobiologist and a mechanical engineer on the same stage and what do you get? One heck of an exciting conversation about how quantum physics realm holds sway and plays a pivotal role in our everyday experiences — in everything from bird navigation to our sense of smell.
****
Mathematics, Purpose, and Truth: The World Feels More Spacious
Of all the ideas Janna Levin presents, the most provocative and disturbing, perhaps, is her doubt that there is free will in human existence at all. She cannot be sure that we are not utterly determined by brilliant principles of physics and biology. Yet she cleaves more fiercely in the face of this belief to the reality of her love of her children and her hopes and dreams for them.
****
Black Holes and the Sonic Song of the Universe (video)
Listen to these sounds of black holes merging and falling into one another and the "white noise" of the Big Bang. A TED Talk with Janna Levin that stirs the mind.
****
Symbols of Power: Adinkras and the Nature of Reality
Physicists have long sought to describe the universe in terms of equations. Now, James Gates explains how research on a class of geometric symbols known as adinkras could lead to fresh insights into the theory of supersymmetry — and perhaps even the very nature of reality.
No comments:
Post a Comment