Quirkcast

Parallel Reflections: Exploring the Physics of Mirror Universes

April 18, 2024 20:35 - 35 minutes - 21.1 MB

Welcome to our episode on mirror universes. We'll be discussing how our universe might have a mirror image, flipping things around in a kind of cosmic reflection. We'll explore the idea of particles having mirror versions (parity), transforming into opposites (charge conjugation), and even going backward in time (time reversal). It's like a puzzle of the cosmos that physicists are trying to solve. Join us for a laid-back conversation about these concepts and the potential existence of mirro...

Quantum Shadows: Unveiling the Enigma of Virtual Particles

April 10, 2024 17:29 - 32 minutes - 19.6 MB

In this captivating episode of Quirkcast, we delve into the elusive world of virtual particles, the ghostly entities that flicker in and out of existence in the quantum realm. Join us as we unravel the mysteries of these theoretical particles, fundamental to understanding the forces and interactions at the heart of our universe. We'll explore the perplexing nature of these particles, governed by the uncertainty principle, and how they play a pivotal role in quantum field theory, influencing ...

What is particle spin?

April 03, 2024 04:32 - 32 minutes - 21.2 MB

Newton's law says that objects keep moving unless something stops them. This also applies to objects spinning around. Usually, things need to have a shape to spin, like a ball or a top. But in the world of tiny particles in quantum physics, even things without a shape, like fundamental particles, can spin. It's a bit weird because they don't spin around anything—they just have this property called "spin." This spin thing is important in quantum physics because it has some strange features, ...

The Worst Particle (from The Standard Model)?

March 20, 2024 16:58 - 26 minutes - 20.2 MB

The particles in our Universe do a lot of things, without them the Universe would not be the way it is today. However, amongst the known particles, some are more helpful than others. Find out which particle is the worst from a subjective (theoretical) perspective, and also through the lens of our anthropomorphized Universe. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

The 3 Phases of Forces

March 13, 2024 05:15 - 23 minutes - 18.9 MB

We've all heard of the 3 phases of matter, but what about forces? It turns out, fundamental forces can have different phases just like matter. Like matter, these phases can and do change as external influences like temperature changes. In our Universe, all 3 phases are utilized by our fundamental forces, and they are critical in shaping the structure of our Universe Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

The Nuclear Warden: Gluon

February 20, 2024 03:44 - 34 minutes - 19.1 MB

What keeps our nuclei stuck together? It's the somewhat less well-known particle, gluon. They reason we don't see it very much is because it is doing a superb job at jail-keeping its nuclear constituents. Gluons' peculiar abilities to keep things together may also provide us unlimited clean energy in the future. In this episode we'll describe just how the gluon manages to do its jobs and its importance for our Universe. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/7...

The Unstoppable Particle: Graviton

February 06, 2024 03:15 - 31 minutes - 20.8 MB

What is the one particle that cannot be stopped? The answer would have to be the graviton. While the graviton interacts with everything, it also passes through everything mostly unscathed. This unique property makes graviton one of the greatest messengers of the Universe. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

What the Higgs Boson is: A Keystone Particle (Not the God's Particle)

January 17, 2024 04:32 - 29 minutes - 23.6 MB

The God's particle is a misnomer in particle physics: The Higgs Boson doesn't participate very much in the creation of our Universe. A more proper title for the Higgs Boson would be the Keystone particle, as it is the key that sets the interaction strength and relevant energies in our Universe. This episode we'll explore what that means. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

The Loneliest Particle

January 03, 2024 18:40 - 30 minutes - 20.3 MB

In this special Valentine Day's episode, we’ll introduce what may be considered the loneliest particles in the Universe -- magnetic monopoles, if it exists. Indeed, on this very same day in 1982, Prof. Blas Cabrera uncovered a potential signal for such a lonely wanderer. Unfortunately the findings were never repeated. Still monopoles can be hiding important secrets of nature, and its loneliness may critically impact the structure of our Universe. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠...

Going Beyond Particles: Fields

December 20, 2023 19:30 - 31 minutes - 23.6 MB

In particle physics, particles aren't necessarily the most important object. It turns out, physicists really are interested in the concept of fields, which will be the focus of this episode. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Why Particles are Doomed

December 06, 2023 01:43 - 30 minutes - 23 MB

If there's anything that could last forever, it might be fundamental particles. However, even that may not be true. In fact, particles can and do lose their identity over time, and their existence may ultimately be doomed. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Heat Death is Not the End

November 09, 2023 01:27 - 38 minutes - 22.4 MB

It has been widely popularized that our Universe will end in a heat death, where all interesting activities will cease. But is this really what will happen? With the inclusion of quantum physics, it turns out that heat death may not be so deadly after-all. In fact, there can still be interesting interactions after heat death, and in some cases, new universe can even emerge from the remains... Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

How Time is Weird in the Quantum Realm

October 25, 2023 23:00 - 31 minutes - 17.5 MB

Unlike the ordinary time we experience, time in quantum systems behave rather differently. From unitarity to quantum recurrence, we explore just how weird quantum times can be, and how our macroscopic notion of time can merge from such a drastically different notion of quantum time. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

When Does Time End?

October 17, 2023 23:58 - 30 minutes - 23.3 MB

While time seems to always flow forward, is it ever possible for it to end? As it turns out, there might be more than just one ending. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Can Time Flow Backward?

October 04, 2023 22:08 - 31 minutes - 17.2 MB

If our laws of physics look symmetrical both forward and backward in time, is it then possible to have time flow backward instead of forward? What would our world look like it the flow of time does change? From the big bang to anti-particles, we explore the physics behind the reversal of the flow of time. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Does Consciousness Create Time?

September 19, 2023 21:30 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MB

Out of the 4 spacetime dimensions, time is the only dimension that always seems to go forward. What is the ultimate cause of this phenomenon and what does that have to do with consciousness and fundamental forces? Find out in this episode Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Is Entropy Disorder?

September 06, 2023 18:33 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MB

Entropy is often linked to chaos and disorder, but what is it really, and why do we need to involve quantum physics? In this episode we'll explore fully just what entropy is measuring and dispel some common myths. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Fusion Ignition Breakthrough: Reality or Hype?

August 27, 2023 04:37 - 31 minutes - 23.6 MB

The Department of Energy recently announced a breakthrough in fusion science research https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-n... So how much of this is reality vs hype? How far away are we still from achieving fusion energy? Find out what the physics is about in this episode. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Is Physics Discovered or Invented?

August 08, 2023 19:13 - 33 minutes - 24.4 MB

Our understand of the physical world is based on abstract mathematics and equations, but how much of that is invented vs discovered? The answer isn't as obvious as what you might think... Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Did a Quantum Computer Create a Wormhole?

August 01, 2023 07:00 - 28 minutes - 15.9 MB

A recent paper on nature https://www.nature.com/articles/s4158... announced the first quantum computer simulation of a wormhole like objects. This leads to many popular science article to proclaim that wormholes have been discovered. So how much of the news is fact or fiction? We'll find out in this episode. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Should there be a Theory of Everything

July 26, 2023 00:36 - 30 minutes - 16.8 MB

Even though physics is ultimately an experiment driven discipline, physical theories are often discovered well before experimental validations. Without experiments, how do physicists decide what to focus on then? The answer comes down to the notion of beauty. How do we judge the beauty of a theory then? In particular, for the ultimate theory of everything? Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

How Black Holes' Rings is a Real Life Hologram

July 11, 2023 07:00 - 37 minutes - 20.1 MB

The Horizon telescope has captured the first ever image of a black hole. (ref: https://eventhorizontelescope.org/) Within the picture, there may be a hint of a so called photon ring. New research has shown some hint that this photon ring may be part of a hologram structure that could capture a Universe. (ref: https://arxiv.org/abs/2205.05064). This episode explores the importance of this new finding. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Entanglement Explained: 2022 Physics Nobel

July 04, 2023 07:00 - 32 minutes - 15.2 MB

2022 Nobel prize was awarded to Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger. But just what exactly were their achievements? In this episode, we'll explore the details in an accessible way, from entanglement to bell's inequality. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Spacetime is a Circuit

June 20, 2023 07:00 - 40 minutes - 23.1 MB

Spacetime may be a Quantum Circuit!

Why Spacetime is Doomed

June 06, 2023 07:00 - 37 minutes - 20.7 MB

Black hole is a testing ground for the structure of spacetime, but it turns out that when we include quantum physics, the concept of spacetime itself is doomed. In this episode we'll explore why space is doomed, and what should be its replacement. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

Is There Anything Inside a Black Hole?

May 24, 2023 04:19 - 32 minutes - 17.6 MB

If objects that fall inside a blackhole can never escape, how do we know if the inside exists or not? Quantum physics suggests that perhaps the black hole's interior may not exist at all from an observer outside. This complementarity principle, along with other interesting behaviors of black holes, are key sources of conflicts between quantum physics and general relativity. We'll explore some of these concepts in this episode. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c...

What is the Ultimate source of Randomness?

May 16, 2023 07:01 - 37 minutes - 20.7 MB

There are lots of uncertainties in our world. However, many of the uncertainties are caused by our ignorance and not considered true randomness. Quantum physics is usually depicted as the ultimate source of uncertainty in our world. However, quantum physics itself does not contain any non-deterministic equations, so where is the source of randomness? It turns out, the answer is entanglement. In this episode we'll describe why. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6...

Why the Universe is Inevitably a Hologram

May 11, 2023 00:35 - 33 minutes - 19.5 MB

Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

How to Interpret Quantum Physics?

May 07, 2023 03:45 - 38 minutes - 23.6 MB

Quantum physics is often portrayed as this mysterious realm of the subatomic with little relevance to real life. Part of the confusion is due to the multitude of complicated "interpretations" quantum physics carries. In this episode we'll demystified this confusion and show how quantum physics is relevant in the way we view the Universe. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/ Discord: https://discord.gg/7c6myZ8Z

The Most Sacred Laws of Physics

April 26, 2023 04:15 - 32 minutes - 23 MB

This this first episode of our Quantum Physics Demystified Series, we'll discuss what is often touted as the most sacred laws of all: the preservation of quantum information. Here we describe what it means and how it related to our everyday experience. Along the way we'll explain technical concepts such as decoherence, different quantum interpretations and how quantum physics affords us an entirely new way of viewing the world. Visit http://www.quirkcast.org/

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