TEDxCaltech - Sean Carroll - Cosmology and the Arrow of Time

Sean Carroll is a theoretical physicist at Caltech.  He received his Ph.D. in 1993 from Harvard University, and has previously worked at MIT, the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the University of Chicago.  His research ranges over a number of topics in theoretical physics, focusing on cosmology, particle physics, and general relativity, with special emphasis on dark matter, dark energy, and the origin of the universe. He is the author of "From Eternity to Here," a popular book on cosmology and the arrow of time, and of "Spacetime and Geometry," a textbook on general relativity; has produced a set of introductory lectures for The Teaching Company entitled "Dark Matter and Dark Energy: The Dark Side of the Universe;" and is a co-founder of the popular science blog Cosmic Variance, http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event: In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

On January 14, 2011, Caltech hosted TEDxCaltech, an exciting one-day event to honor Richard Feynman, Nobel Laureate, Caltech physics professor, iconoclast, visionary, and all-around "curious character." Visit TEDxCaltech.com for more details.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• TEDx
• TEDxCaltech
• Caltech
• physics
• astronomy
• universe
• cosmology
• entropy
• thermodynamics
• science
• research

[Sky2042]

Re: Universal chickens - That begs the question: Did the egg or the chicken come first? :^)

[jacderida]

i just came across this today, and coincidentally, also just finished reading sean's book on the bus this morning! this is basically a summary of it in 15 minutes. he's an amazingly clear, articulate and concise speaker! i could listen to him talk about this stuff for hours on end. if you want a lot more detail, i'd highly recommend 'from eternity to here'.

[sagenunn]

@Sky2042 Well you see, see eggs can hatch unfertilized, this means that at one point. A proto-chicken layed a fertilized egg in which a chicken was hatched. Therefore the egg came first ;P

[PapaSmurf141]

my brain! it can barely take it.the flow of knowledge into my head is glorious right now.

[ExperienceCounts2]

@gamebent Never found one? You mean the ones that almost certainly must exist at the center of each galaxy?

cosmology.berkeley.edu/Educati­on/BHfaq.html#q7

science.nasa.gov/science-news/­science-at-nasa/2001/ast12jan_­1/

damtp.cam.ac.uk/research/gr/pu­blic/bh_obsv.html

[EconAtheist]

One. Person. Dislikes.

Oh, you! That one person! :D

... *facepalm*

[TheScientificTrinity]

@bcrosser87 Of course.

[bcrosser87]

@TheScientificTrinity, because the universe has slowly moved from an almost perfect state to massive entropy may be evidence that the laws of physics themselves are not certain but are actually changing, although probably very slightly. Rather, they are seen as "averages", much like we see an average collection of red, blue, and green pixels as an "image". The average manifestations in our current surroundings can be described by us as "laws" only b/c of modern experiment

[bcrosser87]

The egg came first, but it was laid by a fish, not a chicken

[MrUnite4thechildren]

@S4L4DS

Unless a pre-chicken was bitten by a radioactive spider and was thus turned into what we now know as a chicken. (For the sake of this argument we will ignore the web-slinging, crime-fighting abilities of this new Chicken).

[gamebent]

@TheScientificTrinity Sounds like we are on the same page. You seem to have an open mind so I would invite you to read up on the electric universe theory.The web site is thunderboltsdotorg. They have some intro videos here on you tube as well. Worth a look if you are open to new ideas.

[TheScientificTrinity]

@gamebent And the laws Newton put forth are merely theories. Relativity is only a theory.

The thing is, science goes on what the best thing out there is. It would be highly illogical to come up with models that are based on shitty hypothesis.

Now black holes are much more mysterious and unknown, like dark energy/matter, but according to the research, they do exist. Could they be wrong? Sure, of course.