The Origin of the Universe and the Arrow of Time

Google Tech Talk
August 13, 2010

ABSTRACT

Presented by Sean Carroll.

One of the most obvious facts about the universe is that the past is different from the future. We can remember yesterday, but not tomorrow; we can turn an egg into an omelet, but can't turn an omelet into an egg. That's the arrow of time, which is consistent throughout the observable universe. The arrow can be explained by assuming that the very early universe was extremely orderly, and disorder has been increasing ever since. But why did the universe start out so orderly?

I will talk about the nature of time, the origin of entropy, and how what happened before the Big Bang may be responsible for the arrow of time we observe today.

Speaker Info: Sean Carroll

I'm a theoretical physicist at Caltech in sunny Pasadena, California. My research interests include theoretical aspects of cosmology, field theory, and gravitation. I want to learn about fundamental physics by studying the structure and evolution of the universe. These days I'm especially interested in inflation, the arrow of time, and what happened at or before the Big Bang. I've done a bunch of work on dark matter and dark energy, modified gravity, topological defects, extra dimensions, and violations of fundamental symmetries.

I recently finished writing a popular-level book on cosmology and the arrow of time: From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time, which I expect all of you to buy. I previously wrote a graduate textbook, Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity, and recorded a set of lectures on cosmology for the Teaching Company. I started blogging back in 2004, and keep it up to this day with the help of several friends at Cosmic Variance.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• google tech talk
• physics
• cosmology
• entropy

[dslgunner1977]

@srushaggs Kind of like how more Americans are concerned about who wins American Idol, than who gets elected to public office. The elite and their MSM mouthpiece like it this way, too. Keep the masses interested in mindless garbage of no particular importance, and ignorant of the things that actually affect their lives, and they will be easy to control.

[megacaviagek]

I used to know about the Arrow of Time, but then I took it i...

...Okay that joke is really lame.

[lovelplants]

i love the lecture indeed.. not boring.. lol ofcourse, because i love it..

[aliancer]

@megacaviagek No it's not... But then it took an arrow to the knee...

[tyberiswolf]

how does it feel to waste you life on soon to be proven beliefs

[azmanabdula]

@dslgunner1977 as i watch my step sister eat nothing but steamed dim sims..(too lose weight)

and idolized the models we see on TV...

i have to say you are dead right....

some peoples ignorance is so depressing...

our race is screwed...

Idiocracy has already begun!

peace

-Peely

[EvilTho]

At 0:30 You can hear him fart. =)

[selvmordspilot]

@TheMassAnnoyance : you're thinking in 3d terms. The additional multiverses imply additional dimensions to our know 3 spacial dimensions

[bprluva]

pshh this dude with the dumb ass questions at the end cracks me up.

[CHRIS3BEVAN]

@HitfulVids You may have descended from a monkey - but I have not.

Just to let you know about that particular (evolution) lie. It was cooked up by a person called Nimrod who was responsible for building the Tower of Babel.

Ever seen the program 'Monkey' with the priest caled Tribitaka. This program was based on the ancient writings of the time China saw a man roaming claimed his very hairy friend was a monkey that was half evolved into a man.

Looks like these facts will catch up some day.

[CHRIS3BEVAN]

@Raflegan Yawn.