Horizon 2011 - What Is Reality?

[abraxas]

You can't see it before you start looking for it.

Horizon 2011 - What Is Reality?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... s_Reality/

You Tube (in 6 parts)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr5nWRE-LAE

If you haven’t seen this, get ready for the ride of your life. I recommend seeing the whole but if you haven’t got the time start from here (half way in):

Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E4DTXC0FGc

This went out last week. I didn’t put it up before as I’ve been waiting for more accessible versions because I know many countries around the world cannot access the BBC iplayer. There are many entries on the holographic universe on You Tube, etc, but they are too vague and mystical and not put the way the horse’s mouth puts it.

I won’t spoil it by commenting at this point. Totally mind blowing.

john

[GraniteQuarry]

Fab, love stuff like this, thanks for the heads-up :D

[Bristolian]

Did see this but SWMBO talked at me all the way through.

Im saving it on Sky+ for a quiet evening...

[sssimon]

Truly interesting stuff. Thanks for the post.

[simonj]

Yes, I watched that and it made the mind boggle! I can't pretend to understand much of what they were saying as it's way beyond my level of intellect. :D

However, somehow I can't help but feel that they're trying to make things more complicated than they actually are - if that makes sense? Like they're looking into things too deeply. :?

[GraniteQuarry]

THREE STRIPES, AARRGGHHHH!!!

This is mind-blowing :lol:

[GraniteQuarry]

Higgs boson my arse!

I'm away to lie down in a dark room now LOL.

Great show, thanks for posting :blackeye:

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Thanks John :)

Just watching it now (thanks to Humax Freesat and iPlayer :D ).

[Seb d]

It was amazing, my favourite quote was from the American professor talking about the holographic projection idea to one of the people from the team off camera: "Don't think you're getting it because you're not - nobody gets it!"

[abraxas]

Yes, I watched that and it made the mind boggle! I can't pretend to understand much of what they were saying as it's way beyond my level of intellect. :D

However, somehow I can't help but feel that they're trying to make things more complicated than they actually are - if that makes sense? Like they're looking into things too deeply. :?

I suppose you could say that. Literally! :lol:

It was amazing, my favourite quote was from the American professor talking about the holographic projection idea to one of the people from the team off camera: "Don't think you're getting it because you're not - nobody gets it!"

That was my favourite quote too.

* * *

My feeling is, as 3D can be encoded in two dimensions (on the event horizon) … then biology must be the medium via which the 3D environment is experienced by the 2D code. Time is only, the direction.

And back to watches before my brain explodes.

john

[Captain Morgan]

And back to watches before my brain explodes.

john

What you need is a nice cup of tea John, every things better after a nice cupper.......

:mrgreen:

[abraxas]

And back to watches before my brain explodes.

john

What you need is a nice cup of tea John, every things better after a nice cupper.......

:mrgreen:

I totally agree. I've learned to drink tea with milk here in England and now I even have to take tea-bags when on holiday abroad because foreigners have no idea what tea is.

john

[lysanderxiii]

More importantly, what happened between Ricky and Bianca?

[Groundrush]

My feeling is, as 3D can be encoded in two dimensions (on the event horizon) … then biology must be the medium via which the 3D environment is experienced by the 2D code. Time is only, the direction.

I've been thinking about that. It's true that you can encode 3D information on a 2D plate, as in a hologram, although I do wonder if it really is 3D information. My knowledge of holograms makes me doubt it but whatever. So I can see the idea that if you can encode 3D info ona 2D plane then you might be able to encode 4D information on a 3D volume. But why stop there? 5D on a 4D hyper-volume? And does it compound? Can you encode 5D information on a 4D hypervolume, then encode that 4D on a 3D volume, then the 3D volume on a 2D plane and so on. So does a hologram actually contain 5D information, 3 levels removed? An where does it end? If the theory is correct, for any n-dimension space you should be able to encode it an n-1 dimensional space, where n can be any number, infinity even. Or can it?

That's the great thing about theoretical physics, utterly mad ideas that somehow hold a descriptive power over nature. Awesome stuff. Although you really do have to guard against allowing a mathematical trick to become some kind of "reality" when it might well be just a mathematical trick.

[seikopath]

More importantly, what happened between Ricky and Bianca?

:wink:

[langtoft lad]

And back to watches before my brain explodes.
john

What you need is a nice cup of tea John, every things better after a nice cupper.......
:mrgreen:

I totally agree. I've learned to drink tea with milk here in England and now I even have to take tea-bags when on holiday abroad because foreigners have no idea what tea is.
john

Tea
Dried leaves, boiled.

Tea is considered a delicacy in many parts of the Galaxy. However, the proliferation of Sirius Cybernetics Corporation Nutrimatic Machines has made it very hard to get a good cup of tea.

It is also a strong Brownian Motion producer. When a Brambleweeny57 sub-meson brain is linked to an atomic vector plotter suspended in a nice hot cup of tea, finite amounts of improbability are produced.

This scientific effect was used to manufacture the Infinite Improbability Drive that powers the Starship Heart of Gold.

A favourite drink of Arthur Dent.

(That Douglas Adams knew a thing or two about reality)

[abraxas]

My feeling is, as 3D can be encoded in two dimensions (on the event horizon) … then biology must be the medium via which the 3D environment is experienced by the 2D code. Time is only, the direction.

I've been thinking about that. It's true that you can encode 3D information on a 2D plate, as in a hologram, although I do wonder if it really is 3D information. My knowledge of holograms makes me doubt it but whatever.So I can see the idea that if you can encode 3D info ona 2D plane then you might be able to encode 4D information on a 3D volume. But why stop there? 5D on a 4D hyper-volume? And does it compound? Can you encode 5D information on a 4D hypervolume, then encode that 4D on a 3D volume, then the 3D volume on a 2D plane and so on. So does a hologram actually contain 5D information, 3 levels removed? An where does it end? If the theory is correct, for any n-dimension space you should be able to encode it an n-1 dimensional space, where n can be any number, infinity even. Or can it?

That's the great thing about theoretical physics, utterly mad ideas that somehow hold a descriptive power over nature. Awesome stuff. Although you really do have to guard against allowing a mathematical trick to become some kind of "reality" when it might well be just a mathematical trick.

Good stuff, plenty to chew on there. I wasn’t thinking of holograms as such (even tho that was the example used in the prog) but the ability of the brain to create a 3D environment, out of the 2D information passing through the eyes.

* * *

I can’t get past the feeling that we are finding what we are looking for. Which itself might be a trick played on us by the gods.

john

[johnfoxllb]

According to the programme, there could be another me in a parallel universe with thousands of watches :lol:

[Bristolian]

Now seen it a 2nd time in peace and quiet...

One of the best Horizons i think I've seen. The topic is probably the the secular equivalent of the message of the New Testament; if a definitive understanding of reality were available through empirical experiment, I suspect that organised religion would waste away (in the developed world) within a generation.

Anyone who enjoyed the programme might also like a couple of books, which I found fascinating, in a similar vein:

'6 Easy Pieces' by the brilliant Richard Feynman - an old book, but fundamental physics explained in the manner you wish they'd taught you at school.

'Deep Simplicity' by John Gribbin. Expands on 6EP and explains complexity in a very readable way.

Regards

David

[abraxas]

.
"Physics isn't a religion. If it were, we'd have a much easier time raising money." (Leon Lederman)

"Even for the physicist the description in plain language will be a criterion of the degree of understanding that has been reached." (Werner Heisenberg, Physics and Philosophy)

"I don't like it, and I'm sorry I ever had anything to do with it." (Erwin Shrodinger, speaking about quantum mechanics)

john

[Bristolian]

.

"I don't like it, and I'm sorry I ever had anything to do with it." (Erwin Shrodinger, speaking about quantum mechanics)

john

Missed one:

"Did you remember to put the cat out Dear?" (Mrs Shrodinger)

[IANAN]

Missed one:

"Did you remember to put the cat out Dear?" (Mrs Shrodinger)

And another:

"Erwin, what have you done to the cat? It looks half dead..."

[abraxas]

Missed one:

"Did you remember to put the cat out Dear?" (Mrs Shrodinger)

And another:

"Erwin, what have you done to the cat? It looks half dead..."

There is nothing wrong with Schro's cat experiment! You aren't actually killing the cat until you measure it... When the RSPCA comes and looks into your box, you can rest assured that the cat's death will be their fault...

john


PS Wanted: Schro's Cat, Dead or Alive.

PPS If you can read this, you don't know how fast I'm going.

[IANAN]

PPS I you can read this, you don't know how fast I'm going.

I would refer my honourable fellow forum member to the Neils Bohr quote in his sig and suggest that it also has an inverse function.

[abraxas]

.
:P

john


Schro: Here kitty, kitty.

[walkerwek1958]

Looks extremely cerebral to me.....I`ll watch it later with a large glass of whisky :)

Paul