ed witten

[SuperDogbrown]

some sweet info here

[myrtlebox]

But he started his career with a major in History and linguistics and then a try at economics for a semester. Can anyone explain that to me?

How can someone be the best in the world at something he didn't even realize he was good at or interested in until relatively late in his life?

Those facts alone are as mind-boggling to me as his consolidation of string theories to M-theory

[astroboomboy]

@myrtlebox He started his bachelors in history at 17, and finished at 20. Then he also wrote and worked in a political party or something I think, hehe, but after dropping out of graduate studies in economics he got enrolled in math, I guess he just showed that he knew math at an advanced level. He then did his MA and phd twice as fast as normal, I think something like that. So I think he just put every single hour of his life into it!

[myrtlebox]

@astroboomboy There is no doubt that you are correct. You just cannot dominate this field without a minimum 170 IQ and spending every spare minute devoted to learning the techniques and thinking about extensions to existing ideas and generating new ones.

I would say nearly 100% of his predecessors were involved in math/science from an extremely early age. For Ed, it was kind of stumbling into it via random walk.

We're all just happy and thankful that he found his home!

[astroboomboy]

@myrtlebox Yeah, I think you really have to sacrifice a whole lot to be among the top, I just started with math and I'm 28, and I'll be pursuing a degree in robotics now. I have an MA in Chinese Philosophy, but I have been regretting the fact that I got involved in that, as science is really what interests me. But I would not take an IQ test very seriously, in fact there where many scientists who did quite bad on IQ tests, and even some who where terrible in solving equations.

[astroboomboy]

@myrtlebox There are also those with a very high IQ, and extremely talented computational and math solving skills, but end up not having one creative/new idea, which has made me really think that IQ and quantitative skills like memorizing and being able to do math in your head is not really that amazing, and it is very easy processes as fairly standard computers can do all these things. It is the creative and analytical part I think that is the most important, and the part most overlooked.

[myrtlebox]

@astroboomboy Agree. One of my heroes (Feynman) is purported to have a 125 IQ. His relative disinterest in the non-technical probably account for that. But I do think CURIOSITY and INDUSTRY are far more important than sheer processing power. Feynman had extraordinary doses of both.

Good luck with your work - be curious and industrious ;-)

[astroboomboy]

@myrtlebox Feynman was truly a great man, and maybe you are right that he did seem very disinterested in anything that was non-technical. The only thing I have against Feynman and the scientists that followed in his thinking was his contempt for social sciences, psychology and the arts. I agree they are not "real" objective science, but I think they are a necessary part of what makes our society function as it gives us deeper knowledge about many things. Good luck to you too!

[xatzin2004]

@astroboomboy good point

[Cuneglasus]

@TheAntinode - Once again, we see an insulting word, the word 'moronic', which indicates to me you hate everyone else having an opinion that conflicts with yours! FYI, Newton and Durac are the finest minds in their fields England has had, Witten is the finest of late Globally, understand? Now pick your dummy up and go play with your crayons!

[Zleec]

Someone kill that cello player please!

[Emil54]

This clip is an extract from the great string theory introduction. Check it out here on YouTube. Search for: Part 01: String theory

[Emil54]

Ed Witten is the most brilliant man alive. Although the theories are extremely advanced and radical, he is not afraid to speak his mind. His IQ is skyhigh.

[Kaeralho]

I think he could be the next Einstein, but what about Feynman?

[astroboomboy]

@Kaeralho Feynman did some discoveries, but not any fundamental discoveries that changed the view we have of the natural world (I mean, don't get me wrong, his theories where paramount, but not fundamentally changing the field). If string theory is proven, which today seems unlikely, it will change what we know about nature in a fundamental way, like what Einstein did.

[NorthernEmperor]

Too bad Ed's not as well known as say Stephen Hawking. Don't get me wrong, Hawking's one of the greatest minds around today, but I think Witten's on a whole other level than anyone else alive. There's only one physicist also brilliant enough in raw math to have won the Fields Medal and his name is Ed Witten.

Really the only other people in history with enough brainpower to have been that brilliant in math AND physics were Newton and Gauss, not even Einstein's genius was quite on that level.

[nevertheless123]

In my previous post I meant to say:

Einstein discovered 5 major physical phenomena THAT WERE EXPERIMENTALLY VERIFIED DURING HIS LIFETIME!

[nevertheless123]

Einstein's successor? give me a break!!!

has he proved a SINGLE physical law that can be confirmed by experiment in the next million years??? NO.

Einstein discovered 5 major physical phenomena DURING HIS LIFETIME!

whereas this bozo wants us to believe we live in 11 dimensions. Look...the emperor has no clothes!!! we live in 11 dimensions. LOL

string theory is a greater hoax than christianity, because it claims to be part of science.

[TheLockon00]

@nevertheless123 Lawrence Krauss, is that you?

[mcl7511]

ed whitten is so badass

[sbergman27]

@Cuneglasus Honestly, it's more likely that a new conceptual breakthrough will come from a young unknown. Of course, it would not likely *replace* current theories, but extend them in qualitatively different ways. As SR and GR did with Newton's ideas. But these kinds of things tend to come from the young, who then (often) spend the rest of their lives developing them, sometimes ending up off in the weeds in their later years, pursuing some preconception which they'd be better off discarding. 

[nunoooooooooo]

From where is this clip extracted from?

[1Glib]

@nunoooooooooo brian greene elegent universe. It's available on youtube, i think or clips of it anyhow.

[symbolicdynamics]

I think Ed Wittens brain is FSM

[RomulanMastermind]

THIS GUY IS ANOTHER JEWISH FRAUD.

JUST READ A LOT OF BOOKS.

THATS ALL.

[bonnarj7]

kooks

[HabloIrlandes]

@Cuneglasus Another great thing about Witten is his lack of Ego, he does it 'cause he loves it, not so he can be a famous scientist.

[Pastafarealist]

@HabloIrlandes That's because he's an autistic savant like Dirac who didn't understand social interactions. It's like he's a machine who only sees things that he has OCD for. He can't compute an idea outside of his direct interests(math, mathematical physics, and logic).

[HabloIrlandes]

@Pastafarealist I don't know about him being autistic, but he definitely is gifted, perhaps even touched by the noodle of FSM ;)

[Pastafarealist]

@HabloIrlandes That's silly. The FSM is touched by the noodle of Edward Witten!

Anyway, what I was saying is: Edward Witten is practically a biological machine MADE to do what he does, it's crazy. Among revered papers(500+ citations) he has authored or co-authored nearly all of them!

[SunriseFestival]

this is all bullcrap!! Only the bible is right., daahhhh :P

[BEAS408]

@SunriseFestival LOL!!!

[twarks144]

google Doe's Account, its mindblowing.

[Eynigma]

I think that the controversy (and likely almost all controversies throughout physics history) consists in the nature of the field. Even though physical investigation is conducted on a phenomenal scale the subject matter de facto of theoretical physics is always and has been in all times "theory" (kinda not a surprise that theoretical physics consists of much theory). All other work is secondary to it in this field, while often the inverse is true of others. Not as much "reverse engineering"

[Eynigma]

Of the sort that constitutes the bedrock of most other fields, making controversy sort of an "evolutionary driver" whereas almost without exception psychology and sociology's landmark discoveries were the result of observation and basic statistical inference.

[kitchenaut]

Sheldon Glashow has come round to string theory, which can be indirectly supported via experiment. It's stupid to call it a hoax, unless you can prove it wrong of course.

[LeconsdAnalyse]

I spent 30 years of my life dealing with pure math, experimental physics and mathematical physics...i think that i know a thing or two...at this point.

[nevertheless123]

Witten as the successor of Einstein? Give me a break.

The string theory hoax is the equivalent of Bernie Madoff of theoretical physics.

[thevidfather]

@nevertheless123 I'm sure you know all about String Theory to make that argument.

[nevertheless123]

Einstein's contribution ranged from brownian motion (the origin of modern statistical physics) to quantum mechanics to relativity to gravitation. His work changed physics forever.

Now, I dont have to know any string theory (I know a little) to say the Witten doesnt deserve to be named successor to the greatest scientist who ever lived,

Is there one discovery of Witten that has been proved experimentally? If so then he can be named a physicist first, Forget about Einsteins successor.

[LeconsdAnalyse]

And, until their speculations have been verified, they shouldn`t mislead viewers into believing that they already have. The Standard Model of particle physics should be recovered from their `String` model..this involves no experiment!

[nevertheless123]

great point Leconsd. The joke about string theory is that they cannot recover the SM in 3D, which applies to the world we live.

BUT the stupid theory lives on and people keep making money and livleihood with it.

These people should be put to some useful work!

[madvillain1502]

Experiment isn't necessarily needed. You give far too little credit to mathematics, which in itself is evidence, despite it not being experimental.

[Zaphrod88]

The one person you will never hear boasting claims about string theory, or denying the reality of the infantile state of the concept is Ed Witten. Everytime I hear him speak of M theory, he always makes a point to mention how little they trully understand it.

[lianrilianri]

Is it just me or is this kind of creepy? 0:40 is he hiding in the bushes or something? lol

[LeconsdAnalyse]

The clips on this topic are all alike...a lot of mathematical speculation without a shred of experimental proof...this is not the way physics is done!

[sublim28]

Wrong! That's exactly the way physics is done. It starts with theories, with "mathematical speculation" as you call it, and in time, through advancements in technology these theories are proven or disproven. As Ed Witten said " The whole history of physics shows enumerable times when theories that looked like they would be impossible to ever test, were tested." Watch "Mathematical Physicist Edward Witten Interview - 2 of 2" and fast forward to 4:42

[nevertheless123]

Finally there is someone making sense in this stupid thread.

You have to believe in 11 D since we assumed strings. And who ordered that? nobody knows.

The weirdest kind of "science".

[TheWildAssCopyCat]

Ed reminds me of a kid I use to beat up

everyday in grade school... :)

^..^

[timetraveler2006]

and you remind me of the kid who ended up bagging his groceries when the two of you grew up.

[TheWildAssCopyCat]

Well yeah, but I still mash up his bread when he is not looking...

^..^

[ChipZilla69]

That kid would have solved M theory if you hand't scared him for life.

[MentalSentinel]

gotta love science documentaries and their elaborate visual metaphors

[Tachyon55555]

end of science or end of the world... cuz atoms can destroy so much in just few bangs... if you have seen black "caskets" nah not holes that line of attaching another would be to easy... but caskets

[bosonhunter]

of course I have heard of Ashoke Sen.

He is at HRI. But that does not mean that the situation of physics education and research in India is that great

[adityametal]

unfortunately, most (and i really mean something like 90%) of the physicists run behind and get their minds overshadowed by the glamour/trends associated with the subject, and tend to forget abt the ethics and aesthetics of the subject (for its own sake) itself...whereas atleast from physicists it's expected that they be mature and think not abt glamour and all that materialistic stuff... :(

[adityametal]

who said India doesnt have really good string theorists? :o

ever heard of Ashoke Sen for instance?

or are you just running behind what just seems from outside?

alot of top class theoretical physics research is done in India too..and many other nations apart from US,etc...

[bosonhunter]

It would be nice to learn the M-theory from Witten himself.India doesn't have such physicists

[mkkarkk2]

String theory is getting totally ridiculous at this point !! Ha ha !! Witten must appear like a God to the sillier fellow scientists !!

[ozzyv]

"since 5 string theories was too many, i thought i should try to get rid of some of them." and so did he... he's making fun of physics :)

[outrider52]

physicists seem to hero worship more than other fields

[cmsahe]

What about business management?

[TheRiemannIntegral]

Heaaaaahaahahahahahha! Ich bin verrückt!

[TheRiemannIntegral]

This documentary is for little kids and the general public who can't wait to misunderstand science and show off.

[VitruvianMan1452]

I think he's one of "them".

[imoran21]

you guys are stupid.. its all an invisible man in the sky that controls everything

[axekat]

He should have Beethoven as his theme music. Gosh what a amazing person!

[annobon]

wow. thx Dr.Witten is our hero.

Nobel jury should give many prizes.

[lfbothner]

I want to try to read his book.(Edward Witten) Cause this shit just Blows my mind!

[themightycelestial]

Dang.

He's smart.

[TheRiemannIntegral]

wat u talkin' bout. me da smartezt!

[edonbesim]

He held a lecture yesterday in Chalmers uni. of technology. I didn't understand a thing

[trexx32]

lol i tried reading one of his books was lost after the intro

[FeelOfFriction]

whats the name of his book? thank you

[thefunze]

i think he might have an extra brain in his chin?

[absolutekate2009]

@thefunze i nearly died laughing just then.....

[KaoriBlue]

...that's the theme music they give him?

[system0slaven]

His mom and dad are physics

Fucking amazing

I would like to see myself throw his eyes

I wont be him !!!

[GiantDevilfish]

What is an h-index?

[KaoriBlue]

It's just a method of quantitating scientific productivity based on the number of papers you've written and the number of citations each paper receives. A given h-index means you've published a large number ('h') papers, each of which has received at least 'h' citations. It's a metric that should theoretically account for both quality and quantity (though I think quality ought to be considered much more heavily!). Ed Witten has no lack of both.

[christenstjohn]

Ed Witten is amazing.

[chingistodd]

ennnnmmmm I wonder why no one has pointed our Professor Witten presented here is distinguished in maths as well as high energy physics. He is NOT just maths nor just physics, and perhaps that is a necessary concomitant skill set. I love working with his 2 + 1 Gravity (from last year)... I'll let you know if it holds water.

[krist300]

Even though i'm a lay person just watching this develop, i get the sense that half the people who are 'string theorists' get the sense that it is fancy mathematics which don't apply to the real universe.

[JoopMoo]

I know it's very stupid, but his voice amuses me.

[sachamun]

It's a little scary actually. I can imagine him as an evil villain. "Look Austin, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to flush you down my wormhole at this point. Goodbye."

[bertski89]

you haven't met me yet

[hegemony888]

No capitals or punctuation.

[trexx32]

Ed Witten smartest man on the planet period.

[df23c30]

maybe

[aesrp]

supposidly einsteins predecessor, but he's just emazing at math. and helped revolutionize string theory, giving it up to 11 dimensions, but no one can say that this is correct till it's correct.

[TheRiemannIntegral]

There should be a period before you say, "period."