The Higgs Mechanism Explained | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

December 16th, 2015

What is the Higgs field and why is it a fundamental part of our universe?

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Quantum Field Theory is generally accepted as an accurate description of the subatomic universe. However until recently this theory had one giant hole in it. The particles it describes had no mass! The Higgs field and the Higgs mechanism were proposed long ago in order to give particles mass, but it was only in 2012 that the existence of the field was proved with the discovery of the Higgs boson by the Large Hadron Collider. In this episode of Space Time, we tell you exactly how the Higgs field can “give” something mass, which opens the door to a deeper understanding of what mass really is.
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Comments:

AFastidiousCuber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx4562gesw0&lc=z12gxfljuqeqybnvb22pijcjhympx3hyc04

Casteverus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx4562gesw0&lc=z13jhbdifmvvgtds122igdapnqjqe1vt4

Gareth Dean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx4562gesw0&lc=z12qfluaqqn1cbswj04chx1bhrjygnzoif0

WR3ND
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=xx4562gesw0&lc=z12xxhwzbpqgcpv2v221whw54p3ef5zs1

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How to Build a Black Hole

December 9th, 2015

Let’s build a black hole!

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Black holes have mystified physicists for decades, but with the help of quantum mechanics, we are beginning to make serious progress in understanding these strange objects. This week on Space Time, Matt dives deeper into the physical process of creating a black hole, and what that can tell us about how black holes behave.

For a primer/refresher, be sure to check out our previous video on Black Holes:
https://youtu.be/vNaEBbFbvcY

Also, check out our friends over at The Good Stuff. They made a video about a man attempting to build an Alcubierre Drive in his garage!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovDV711BszM
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100 Years of Relativity + Challenge Winners!

November 26th, 2015

Happy 100th birthday to Einstein’s theory of General Relativity!

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The results are in – on this weeks episode of Spacetime we reveal the answer to our Asteroid Challenge, as well as our T-shirt winners! Check out who saved the world!

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Congratulations To Our 5 Randomly Selected Winners!

Baptiste Loreau
Florian Jungbluth
Patrick Hanrahan
Andrés Daniel Wiegold Segalés
Degen Peter

If your name is listed above be sure to email pbsspacetime@gmail.com with your Full Name, Full Mailing Address, and preferred T-Shirt Size (small, medium, large, extra large etc.)

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Posted in Physics |

5 Ways to Stop a Killer Asteroid

November 18th, 2015

Asteroids incoming!

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When it comes to dangerous asteroids striking Earth, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. We have begun to track projectiles large enough to destroy our planet, and we are in the clear for the foreseeable future. However, there are countless asteroids large enough to take out an entire city that we cannot see. Matthew O’Dowd goes over our defensive options in this week’s episode of Space Time!

Further Reading:
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B612 and the Sentinel mission:
http://sentinelmission.org/

NASA’s Near Earth Object program, with links to contributing international search programs:
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/

The Hypervelocity Asteroid Impact Vehicle:
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/niac/2012_phaseII_fellows_wie.html#.VkzwkmSrT1o

Comments:
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William George
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJONS7sqi0o&lc=z13aullhftejgbnpn04cg3vgztnesntrkws0k

794651519 cly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJONS7sqi0o&lc=z12pfx5ieluufv5av04chdgykknbc31xpw40k

Sam Shields
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJONS7sqi0o&lc=z13rxb1xjwjyffiju04cjzkz1w25f52rqtk0k

DivShadow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJONS7sqi0o&lc=z13tulsy1zvzztj0u22wilmgfy2yy1lod04

Posted in Physics |

Challenge: Can you save Earth from a Killer Asteroid? | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

November 11th, 2015

You are the planet’s only hope! Solve the equation and save humanity. Find necessary information below.

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Assumption: You have a state-of-the-art pulsed fusion rocket engine capable of exhaust velocities of 500 km/s

Important Fact #1: Your spaceship must fly ahead of the asteroid at a distance of 1 times the asteroid’s radius, 325m above the surface or 650m from the center of mass

Important Fact #2: The thrusters on this spacecraft are angled so that the ship’s propellant just misses a “spherical” Apophis.

You’ll need the rocket equation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsiolkovsky_rocket_equation

You do not need Calculus

Make sure you title your email: “Spacetime Killer Asteroid Challenge”

Good luck!

Posted in Physics |

Why Haven’t We Found Alien Life?

November 5th, 2015

Seems like Aliens SHOULD Be Out There!

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With millions of Earth like planets around sun like stars in our galaxy alone, why don’t we see intelligent alien life? Or any other life for that matter? It gets especially weird when you factor in new scientific revelations that life on Earth occurred crazy fast! So if you want to help us theorize on the real reasons we haven’t found alien life, you should watch today’s episode of Space Time!

Is It Irrational to Believe in Aliens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAU9ofjcx-Y

5 Real Possibilities for Interstellar Travel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzZGPCyrpSU

Comments:
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Ray Vertti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ed4v_T6YM&lc=z131v34x5njqx1tu223ifh5g0lf3ipehj04

Eric Vilas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ed4v_T6YM&lc=z13wxnwbmpu1xxad4223dzdzanq3tjmbn04

solution 99x
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ed4v_T6YM&lc=z13kwngxlpnox3chw04chnfzjlraztlast00k

SirNate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ed4v_T6YM&lc=z13kwngxlpnox3chw04chnfzjlraztlast00k

References:
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On The History and Future of Cosmic Planet Formation
Behroozi & Peeples 2015, http://arxiv.org/abs/1508.01202
http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/most-earth-like-worlds-have-yet-to-be-born-according-to-theoretical-study

Potentially biogenic carbon preserved in a 4.1 billion-year-old zircon
Bell et al. 2015
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/10/14/1517557112.abstract

Posted in Physics |

Is The Alcubierre Warp Drive Possible? | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

October 28th, 2015

Is mankind capable of achieving warp speed?

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Inspired by Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek, physicist Miguel Alcubierre set out to transform one of the cornerstones of science fiction iconography, the Warp Drive, into reality. But is it even possible? Can we “warp” the fabric of reality so that we can break the speed of light? And why is NASA actually exploring this potentiality? Join Matt on this week’s episode to learn the physics of what’s physically possible!

“What Happens At The Edge of the Universe”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwwIFcdUFrE

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COMMENTS:

Renato Grigoli (Chopin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tstyqz2g7o&lc=z12rc15qaqynfjuyo04cefsiomezc32hm0g

psantochi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tstyqz2g7o&lc=z130zhkbkkbfgbrdd23qz1twqyqlfzflq

MrSh1pman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tstyqz2g7o&lc=z12utvsankqryxov022pcpaxuqifg1hwn04

Tenebrae
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tstyqz2g7o&lc=z12etzi4azrbiri4k04ccdxhuufvuvkomd0

Un Disclosed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tstyqz2g7o&lc=z13jdpchdnzudxmwn04ch3fb0kqgtb1xr2w

Simon Martin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tstyqz2g7o&lc=z121dldrsnaxunuh404cdhlwdsytfjiaabk

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REFERENCES:

Alcubierre 1994
http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0009013

Krasnikov 1995
http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9511068

Van Den Broeck 1999
http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9906050

Krasnikov 2002
http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0207057

Harold White, Warp Field Mechanics 101
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110015936.pdf

Harold White, Warp Field Mechanics 102
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20130011213.pdf

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Posted in Physics |

Have Gravitational Waves Been Discovered?!?

October 22nd, 2015

Has the last great prediction of Einstein’s general relativity finally been verified?

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For the past 90 years, the predictions laid out Einstein’s general theory of relativity have continued to be confirmed by experimental science. The last hold out is gravitational waves – the idea that certain gravitational events cause actual ripples in Spacetime. The problem is that the effects are almost beyond microscopic, so they are incredibly hard to detect. But have scientist done it? Have gravitational waves finally been directly observed??? Watch the episode to find out.

Gravitational Waves Extra Credit:

Nature article on rumor:
http://www.nature.com/news/has-giant-ligo-experiment-seen-gravitational-waves-1.18449

Lawrence Krauss’ tweet:
https://twitter.com/LKrauss1/status/647510799678750720

Comments:
Eshan Das
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzZGPCyrpSU&lc=z12ueztykoiusb4ra04cc5hy4zz1dnkwujw

NOBUNAGA1991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzZGPCyrpSU&lc=z13ji1objvn4cdas223lib3wzmnvhvc5e04

aaroNiGHTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzZGPCyrpSU&lc=z12uhtdayxj2jpveu22bttlivovqtxmos04

Tim Pipp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzZGPCyrpSU&lc=z12ydpwphkq1xr2fy22yj1pasqq2yvyfi

Marse Petrarse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzZGPCyrpSU&lc=z12pyr1jtwywsr0vv22gsbnz1oi4xbsia04

Procyon Beta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzZGPCyrpSU&lc=z125spnzlzjdfn1w504ciplq0pfhy5ujxpg0k

dentoncrimescene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzZGPCyrpSU&lc=z13gjl0hbrzut33bl04cj3rzetfvutkgiyg0k

Posted in Physics |

5 REAL Possibilities for Interstellar Travel

October 15th, 2015

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The prospect of interstellar travel is no longer sci-fi. It COULD be achievable within our lifetime! But, how would an interstellar rocket-ship work? On this week’s episode of Space Time, Matt talks options for interstellar travel – from traditional rocket fuel to antimatter drives, could we travel to other star systems? Watch this episode of Space Time to find out!

“Quantum Entanglement & Spooky Action at a Distance”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuvK-od647c

“The Real Meaning of E=Mc²”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo232kyTsO0

“Could You Fart Your Way To The Moon”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaN0xg2VQSo

“The Speed of Light is NOT About Light”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVuCEs8Ydo

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COMMENTS:

andrea papone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVuCEs8Ydo&lc=z12wh5ajgo3njhg4u04cdnkbut3kyrg4nl00k

Jai Kalra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVuCEs8Ydo&lc=z12guj5w0k2yvhqws04cib4rtwmmj1ix0zo0k

RedStefan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVuCEs8Ydo&lc=z12ac5iogm3pjf1mq22vgr4ify2puf0wr04

TheColonel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVuCEs8Ydo&lc=z13nwvgr5wa1ubto004cfrg44vubhrarca0

Tyler Hamilton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVuCEs8Ydo&lc=z12utzqokkzsx1rxu04cgpgpomjscboohsg0k

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Posted in Physics |

The Speed of Light is NOT About Light

October 7th, 2015

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The speed of light is often cited as the fastest anything can travel in our universe. While this might be true, the speed of light is the EFFECT and not the CAUSE of this phenomenon. So what’s the cause? On this week’s episode of Space Time, Matt helps explain what the speed of light REALLY is and why it’s the cosmic speed limit of our universe!

“The Real Meaning of E=mc²”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo232kyTsO0

“Are Space And Time An Illusion?”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YycAzdtUIko

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SOURCES:

Einstein’s derivation or the Lorentz transformation from the invariant speed of light:
Einstein, Albert (1916) “Relativity: The Special and General Theory”
http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924011804774#page/n159/mode/2up

Lorentz Transformation without invariant speed of light, from relativity, isotropy, and consistency of frame transitions (closure group postulate):
von Ignatowsky, “Das Relativitatsprinzip,” Archiv der Mathematik und Physik 17, 1–24 (1911)

Berzi1 & Gorini, J. Math. Phys. 10, 1518 (1969)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1665000

Pelissetto & Testa, American Journal of Physics, 83, 338, (2015) “Getting the Lorentz transformations without requiring an invariant speed”
http://arxiv.org/abs/1504.02423

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derivations_of_the_Lorentz_transformations

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COMMENTS:

Denny Hiu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwwIFcdUFrE&lc=z124w3dhotmtx34lk224wzxyhwqufdefe

. (RadimaxRadimaX)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwwIFcdUFrE&lc=z124xv145zzkzpiei233spnqjzraejjig04

Epsilon Lazerface
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwwIFcdUFrE&lc=z12fv5ejyzyyc1dbv04cgzhyxknfzdnjcao

LassieDog999
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwwIFcdUFrE&lc=z12zz13iezrqh142k23kitgxuqjqy35su

Tenebrae
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwwIFcdUFrE&lc=z134yj2pcvrkhnu4u04ccdxhuufvuvkomd0

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REFERENCES:

Krauss & Scherrer 2007 http://arxiv.org/abs/0704.0221

Vardanyan, Trotta & Silk, 2011 http://arxiv.org/abs/1101.5476