BREAKING NEWS
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George Lemaître Prize
Jun 21, 2019
FQXi's George Ellis of the University of Cape Town has received the George Lemaître Award from UCLouvain for contributions to the development and dissemination of knowledge in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, geophysics or space research. Congratulations!
APS Innovator
May 11, 2019
Congrats to FQXi's Catalina Oana Curceanu, senior researcher at the National Laboratory of Frascati (LNF), who has received a Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Fundamental Physics Innovation Award from the American Physical Society. More about the winners here.
Physics-Art Flipbook
Feb 4, 2019
Quantum physicist Paul Knott and artist Joseph Namara Hollis have teamed up to create a charming illustrated book for the public investigating Our Quantum Reality, which you can read for free. Learn more about the FQXi-funded outreach project on the blog.
NEW IN BLOGS
Schrödinger’s Zombie: Adam Brown at the 6th...
By GEORGE MUSSER
Forget the cat: what if you put a computer into the Schrödinger thought experiment? You could make the computer both run and not run, at once, and that’s just a warm-up. You could, in fact, make it not run and nonetheless extract the answer...
Measuring Free Will: Ian Durham at the 6th FQXi...
By IAN DURHAM
It feels a bit odd blogging about myself, but here goes...
For most of the history of modern science the debate over free will has been largely left to the realm of philosophy. Indeed, the debate is as old as philosophy itself. But,...
Bonus Koan: A Lake of Many Reflections
By ANTHONY AGUIRRE
In the editing process of Cosmological Koans, a number of Koans — even pretty much complete ones — ended up on the cutting-room floor. This is one, which addressed/describes the "Cosmological Interpretation" of quantum mechanics, that I thought...
FORUM UPDATES
Cosmology
Alternative Models of Cosmology
By ANONYMOUS
In cosmology, it is believed that regions of space on `opposite' sides of the universe are too far apart to have ever been causally connected. That is, they are outside each other's `particle horizon'. Consequently, it is difficult to explain the...
Technology
Manipulating the Quantum Vacuum
By ZEEYA MERALI
New research on manipulating the quantum vacuum has been published in Nature.
This work has been described by Fiona MacDonald, writing for Science Alert:
"According to quantum mechanics, a vacuum isn't empty at all. It's...
Cosmology
Equivalence Principle Violations
By BRENDAN FOSTER
FQXi will be starting a new habit of presenting "products" from Members supported by FQXi, here in the forums for open discussion.
To help start off this trend, please have a look at two articles from Member John Donoghue on Equivalence...
Schrödinger’s Zombie: Adam Brown at the 6th...
By GEORGE MUSSER
Forget the cat: what if you put a computer into the Schrödinger thought experiment? You could make the computer both run and not run, at once, and that’s just a warm-up. You could, in fact, make it not run and nonetheless extract the answer...
Measuring Free Will: Ian Durham at the 6th FQXi...
By IAN DURHAM
It feels a bit odd blogging about myself, but here goes...
For most of the history of modern science the debate over free will has been largely left to the realm of philosophy. Indeed, the debate is as old as philosophy itself. But,...
Bonus Koan: A Lake of Many Reflections
By ANTHONY AGUIRRE
In the editing process of Cosmological Koans, a number of Koans — even pretty much complete ones — ended up on the cutting-room floor. This is one, which addressed/describes the "Cosmological Interpretation" of quantum mechanics, that I thought...
NEW PODCAST EPISODES
Quantum Mind Reading. Could we create a quantum experiment to predict what a person will do, without having to simulate their consciousness? Physicist Adam Brown argues a classic quantum "bomb tester" proposed in the 1990s could be modified to do just that.
Downward Causation. Cosmologist George Ellis investigates agency and argues that causation is a two-way process between the mind and lower level biological and physical functions. From the 6th FQXi meeting in Tuscany, in July.
Designing the Mind. Cognitive scientist Susan Schneider talks transhumanism and asks at what point does human enhancement go too far? Are we in danger of accidentally destroying ourselves through technological augmentation and creating new beings in our stead? From the 6th FQXi Meeting, in Tuscany.
Featured Videos:
|
Dagomir Kaszlikowski |
|
"One Physics To Rule Them All (This Is Physics, part 1)" Marc Séguin |
|
Xiangjun Shi |
FORUM UPDATES
Cosmology
Alternative Models of Cosmology
By ANONYMOUS
In cosmology, it is believed that regions of space on `opposite' sides of the universe are too far apart to have ever been causally connected. That is, they are outside each other's `particle horizon'. Consequently, it is difficult to explain the...
Technology
Manipulating the Quantum Vacuum
By ZEEYA MERALI
New research on manipulating the quantum vacuum has been published in Nature.
This work has been described by Fiona MacDonald, writing for Science Alert:
"According to quantum mechanics, a vacuum isn't empty at all. It's...
Cosmology
Equivalence Principle Violations
By BRENDAN FOSTER
FQXi will be starting a new habit of presenting "products" from Members supported by FQXi, here in the forums for open discussion.
To help start off this trend, please have a look at two articles from Member John Donoghue on Equivalence...
NEW ARTICLES
First Things First: The Physics of Causality
By KATE BECKER • Jul 16, 2019
Why do we remember the past and not the future? Untangling the connections between cause and effect, choice, and entropy.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(68 posts)
Can Time Be Saved From Physics?
By JOHN FARRELL • Apr 27, 2019
Philosophers, physicists and neuroscientists discuss how our sense of time’s flow might arise through our interactions with external stimuli—despite suggestions from Einstein's relativity that our perception of the passage of time is an illusion.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(207 posts)
Thermo-Demonics
By M. MITCHELL WALDROP • Mar 4, 2019
A devilish new framework of thermodynamics that focuses on how we observe information could help illuminate our understanding of probability and rewrite quantum theory.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(90 posts)
Gravity's Residue
By GEORGE MUSSER • Feb 15, 2019
An unusual approach to unifying the laws of physics could solve Hawking's black-hole information paradox—and its predicted gravitational "memory effect" could be picked up by LIGO.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(12 posts)
Could Mind Forge the Universe?
By SOPHIE HEBDEN • Jan 18, 2019
Objective reality, and the laws of physics themselves, emerge from our observations, according to a new framework that turns what we think of as fundamental on its head.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(56 posts)
Dissolving Quantum Paradoxes
By KATE BECKER • Aug 31, 2018
The impossibility of building a perfect clock could help explain away microscale weirdness.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(178 posts)
Constructing a Theory of Life
By MIRIAM FRANKEL • Jul 31, 2018
An all-encompassing framework of physics could help to explain the evolution of consciousness, intelligence, and free will.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(183 posts)
Usurping Quantum Theory
By COLIN STUART • Jun 28, 2018
The search is on for a fundamental framework that allows for even stranger links between particles than quantum theory—which could lead us to a theory of everything.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(15 posts)
Fuzzballs v Black Holes
By SOPHIE HEBDEN • May 11, 2018
A radical theory replaces the cosmic crunchers with fuzzy quantum spheres, potentially solving the black-hole information paradox and explaining away the Big Bang and the origin of time.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(28 posts)
Whose Physics Is It Anyway? Q&A with Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
By NICOLA JONES • Apr 20, 2018
Why physics and astronomy communities must take diversity issues seriously in order to do good science.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(22 posts)
Why Time Might Not Be an Illusion
By NICOLA JONES • Feb 28, 2018
Einstein’s relativity pushes physicists towards a picture of the universe as a block, in which the past, present, and future all exist on the same footing; but maybe that shift in thinking has gone too far.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(155 posts)
The Complexity Conundrum
By M. MITCHELL WALDROP • Dec 5, 2017
Resolving the black hole firewall paradox—by calculating what a real astronaut would compute at the black hole's edge.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(56 posts)
Quantum Dream Time
By KATE BECKER • Nov 8, 2017
Defining a ‘quantum clock’ and a 'quantum ruler' could help those attempting to unify physics—and solve the mystery of vanishing time.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(85 posts)
First Things First: The Physics of Causality
By KATE BECKER • Jul 16, 2019
Why do we remember the past and not the future? Untangling the connections between cause and effect, choice, and entropy.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(68 posts)
Can Time Be Saved From Physics?
By JOHN FARRELL • Apr 27, 2019
Philosophers, physicists and neuroscientists discuss how our sense of time’s flow might arise through our interactions with external stimuli—despite suggestions from Einstein's relativity that our perception of the passage of time is an illusion.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(207 posts)
Thermo-Demonics
By M. MITCHELL WALDROP • Mar 4, 2019
A devilish new framework of thermodynamics that focuses on how we observe information could help illuminate our understanding of probability and rewrite quantum theory.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(90 posts)
Gravity's Residue
By GEORGE MUSSER • Feb 15, 2019
An unusual approach to unifying the laws of physics could solve Hawking's black-hole information paradox—and its predicted gravitational "memory effect" could be picked up by LIGO.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(12 posts)
Could Mind Forge the Universe?
By SOPHIE HEBDEN • Jan 18, 2019
Objective reality, and the laws of physics themselves, emerge from our observations, according to a new framework that turns what we think of as fundamental on its head.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(56 posts)
Dissolving Quantum Paradoxes
By KATE BECKER • Aug 31, 2018
The impossibility of building a perfect clock could help explain away microscale weirdness.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(178 posts)
Constructing a Theory of Life
By MIRIAM FRANKEL • Jul 31, 2018
An all-encompassing framework of physics could help to explain the evolution of consciousness, intelligence, and free will.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(183 posts)
Usurping Quantum Theory
By COLIN STUART • Jun 28, 2018
The search is on for a fundamental framework that allows for even stranger links between particles than quantum theory—which could lead us to a theory of everything.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(15 posts)
Fuzzballs v Black Holes
By SOPHIE HEBDEN • May 11, 2018
A radical theory replaces the cosmic crunchers with fuzzy quantum spheres, potentially solving the black-hole information paradox and explaining away the Big Bang and the origin of time.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(28 posts)
Whose Physics Is It Anyway? Q&A with Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
By NICOLA JONES • Apr 20, 2018
Why physics and astronomy communities must take diversity issues seriously in order to do good science.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(22 posts)
Why Time Might Not Be an Illusion
By NICOLA JONES • Feb 28, 2018
Einstein’s relativity pushes physicists towards a picture of the universe as a block, in which the past, present, and future all exist on the same footing; but maybe that shift in thinking has gone too far.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(155 posts)
The Complexity Conundrum
By M. MITCHELL WALDROP • Dec 5, 2017
Resolving the black hole firewall paradox—by calculating what a real astronaut would compute at the black hole's edge.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(56 posts)
Quantum Dream Time
By KATE BECKER • Nov 8, 2017
Defining a ‘quantum clock’ and a 'quantum ruler' could help those attempting to unify physics—and solve the mystery of vanishing time.
Read article
Discuss this article in the FQXi Community Forum
(85 posts)