The Photon Clock Challenge | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

January 20th, 2016

What time is it??? …And be sure to pre-order a Space Time t-shirt: http://dftba.com/spacetime

Rules: please give an explanation for your answer! Also, if you give an answer in the comments here you’ll be disqualified.

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Last week’s episode on Einstein’s photon clock thought experiment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GguAN1_JouQ

Question #1: When the clock is moving towards you, do you observe its hands to be ticking slower, faster, or at the same rate compared to the rate of ticks that you observe when it’s moving away from you?

Question #2: When the clock is moving towards you do you see its hands ticking slower, faster, or at the same rate as a second clock that is stationary with respect to you?

Make sure you title your email: “Photon Clock Challenge Answer”

5 random winners will receive a PBS Space Time Digital Studios t-shirt!

Good luck!
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Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)

Posted in Physics |

When Time Breaks Down

January 13th, 2016

This episode on the physics of time syncs perfectly with Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon.’

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Last week we learned how motion gives matter its mass. But how does motion affect time? Let’s dive deeper into the true nature of matter and mass by exploring Einstein’s photon clock thought experiment, and the phenomenon that is time dilation.

Last Week’s Episode: The True Nature of Matter and Mass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSKzgpt4HBU

The Speed of Light is NOT About Light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVuCEs8Ydo
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Original thumbnail art by Charles Ballard
http://cdesignz2k.deviantart.com/art/Tic-Toc-a-space-time-clock-214287288
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COMMENTS:

Paramdeep Singh obheroi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSKzgpt4HBU&lc=z13gtjkwuv2luzwaw04cjlag3qmitx0ajco

Bernardo SOUSA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSKzgpt4HBU&lc=z123vrbrawvzjdj3i22pflhzekm0tputk

Joshua Hillerup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSKzgpt4HBU&lc=z133jfi4tw2bjdia204cfd1jgozeydsyikg0k

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Written and hosted by Matt O’Dowd
Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)

Posted in Physics |

The True Nature of Matter and Mass | Space Time | PBS Digital Studios

January 6th, 2016

Are matter, mass, and time real?

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We know that mass is energy… but what is energy? And where did matter and time even come from? Matt begins to dive into these intricate topics by first examining what inertial mass is, how it relates to gravitational mass, and what it all means for mass as a fundamental property.

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

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

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COMMENTS:

Caleb Limb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kixAljyfdqU&lc=z13quhjzkvituzvmf23fx5oy5pzxilxeh

Felix Feist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kixAljyfdqU&lc=z12fvxor4kn5jxexj04cgrhw2v2bv5rywf0

deathbypowerpoint
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kixAljyfdqU&lc=z124hzobmyvhxdx4n04cef5xzrjpwjob52c
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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!

Help translate our videos! http://www.youtube.com/timedtext_cs_panel?tab=2&c=UC7_gcs09iThXybpVgjHZ_7g

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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Let us know what topics you want to learn more about:http://bit.ly/spacetimepoll

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.

Help translate our videos! http://www.youtube.com/timedtext_cs_panel?tab=2&c=UC7_gcs09iThXybpVgjHZ_7g

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:
_______________________
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