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Big Think

At Big Think: The 4 fundamental meanings of “nothing” in science

Evidence from cosmological observations, coupled with Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and research into the physics of the singularity out of which the universe began most strongly argues that matter and energy, space and time all came into existence from a true nothingness. Read More ›

At Big Think: Brain experiment suggests that consciousness relies on quantum entanglement

As a physicist whose research involved computational nano-electronics, for which the entire physical schema relied upon quantum mechanical transport of electrons through molecular structures, it would seem to be a "no-brainer" that quantum processes (including entanglement) are prevalent in brain activity. Read More ›

At Big Think: How reality is shaped by the speed of light

Adam Frank writes: KEY TAKEAWAYS When you look at a picture of a galaxy that is 75 million light-years away, you are seeing that galaxy at a time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth.  Distance translates into time because the speed of light is finite.   What you perceive as “now” is really layer after layer of light reaching your eye from many different moments in the past. Light from the time of the dinosaurs When you look at a picture of a galaxy that is 75 million light-years away, you are not seeing it as it is right now, but as it was when that light you are seeing left it 75 million years ago. That means you are seeing that galaxy Read More ›

At Big Think: How Earth’s magnetic field bounced back just as complex life was emerging

"The insights gathered by [this research] offer a clearer picture of the dramatic events that once unfolded deep within our planet’s interior. They also provide new hints as to how Earth narrowly avoided a Mars-like fate, just as complex, multicellular life was beginning to emerge." Read More ›

At Big Think: Without Einstein, we might have missed General Relativity

In considering "the only important question we can ask", namely, "What is true?", can we think of any commonly held theory that matches some of the data, but has had to be propped up by various "epicycles," and may "lead us even farther astray" by missing a profound understanding of reality? Read More ›

At Big Think: Why the Multiverse is a “God-of-the-gaps” theory

Marcelo Gleiser writes: "The Multiverse has been proposed as an answer to the question, “Why does our Universe exist?”  Its proponents believe the Multiverse can explain our origins without having to reference God. But the Multiverse is in no way falsifiable, and the arguments in its support are nearly identical to the arguments for God." Read More ›

At Big Think: How the Multiverse could break the scientific method

Theoretical physicist Marcelo Gleiser raises the issue that the multiverse hypothesis suffers from the unscientific property of non-falsifiability. Embedded in his article is a solid acknowledgement of the fine-tuning of physical parameters for life to exist in our universe. Read More ›