Why Is 1/137 One of the Greatest Unsolved Problems In Physics?
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The Fine Structure Constant is one the strangest numbers in all of physics. It’s the job of physicists to worry about numbers, but there’s one number that physicists have stressed about more than any other. That number is 0.00729735256 - approximately 1/137. This is the fine structure constant, and it appears everywhere in our equations of quantum physics, and we’re still trying to figure out why.
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@EnesMiracKaya Рік тому
Some alien civilization wanted to make a fully simulated space game. One programmer set a constant as 1/137 during development, then left the dev team. After a while some other programmer went over the code and couldn't figure out what the constant was for. He commented the code saying "I don't know what it does or why it has that value. When deleted the whole universe breaks down so don't touch it."
@Pallidum Рік тому
The fact that it's not exactly 1/137 is due to a rounding error in an earlier version of libuniverse. This has been kept in the code for legacy compatibility.
@1224chrisng Рік тому
this "Coconut Constant" can be combined with the Rum and Pineapple constants to make an ultimate universal constant, to be discovered by the large piña collider
@patreekotime4578 Рік тому
Its an easter egg. 1/137 is just the programmers name.
@sudeeptaghosh Рік тому
What if the parallel universes are created just by varying this constant
@osmosisjones4912 Рік тому
If you make a simulation close enough down to every atom isn't that more of a recreation
@CL-ie5fz Рік тому
Its 0.007299, not that hard to solve bros.
@Rxmstrk Рік тому
Harvard owes you a PhD now
@dm121984 Рік тому
Bruh, it's just a number bruh, it can't hurt you. PhD please.
@HellDragon115 Рік тому
Mom: we have a ramanujan at home Ramanujan at home:
@sileightynz5274 Рік тому
But y tho
@eddsson Рік тому
@@HellDragon115 HAH!
@przemek3556 7 місяців тому
Wolfgang Pauli had always been mystified by fine structure constant. He died in hospital in room number 137.
@reeflextv9805 5 місяців тому
Wait till you realize that that was no mere coincidence (coincidences are a false concept). God will deliver this message soon.
@Rakscha-Sun 5 місяців тому
This is when dedication to math goes to fare :)
@tuberroot1112 5 місяців тому
@@reeflextv9805 Wow that is the 137th time I've heard that crap. God must be telling me something.
@baptistebauer99 5 місяців тому
@@reeflextv9805 A few questions, why do you come to a physics enjoyers space to tell religious things? What do you expect? Are you simply trolling? I mean no harm.
@TeHPHoBoS999 4 місяці тому
@@baptistebauer99 Because physicists are also some of the most superstitious people in existence. And because it's funny.
@jrp107 9 місяців тому
"To build a universe it may be that only one number needs to be decided. And from it all other constants of nature follow." That sounds a lot like the seed value for a procedurally generated world (like mincraft)... But I also like the idea that it could be related to some higher level geometries that we don't yet understand (like PI is to circles).
@Mexican00b 8 місяців тому
Oh cool, i bet we got some speedrunner right now doing a small 13 trillion year speed run of our universe
@RovingTroll 8 місяців тому
To top that off we know that the plank length is the smallest unit of distance that something can travel, which implies a universal pixel size.
@davidhand9721 7 місяців тому
@@RovingTrollno, the Planck units don't work like pixels. The concepts of pixel resolution and physical resolution are not the same. Space does not have unitary cells. The Planck length is the minimum _distance_ that can be meaningful. If two things are closer together than the Planck length, that's fine, but nothing else in the universe can tell they aren't just one thing. It's similar to how resolution works in a microscope. No matter how many magnifying lenses you use, you're never going to see two distinct objects closer together than the resolution.
@RovingTroll 7 місяців тому
@@davidhand9721 that's basically a pixel
@davidhand9721 7 місяців тому
@@RovingTroll it really isn't, though. Pixels are evenly spaced. Planck lengths are not. With pixels, you can resolve two objects less than a pixel apart if they are on opposite sides of a boundary between pixels; both objects will light up a pixel. However, two physical objects less than a Planck length apart can never be resolved. There are no Planck length boundaries; space is continuous in QM. There are a variety of properties in QM that are quantized, i.e. they can only be integer multiples of some minimum unit. Space is not one of them. Planck units aren't generally related to quantization. For example, the Planck mass is the _maximum_ mass of a single particle, and that particle would be a black hole with an event horizon surface of one Planck area. I guess you could think of the Planck mass as the minimum black hole mass, but it's absolutely huge on the particle scale. It's roughly the mass of a dust mote. The same applies to the Planck time. Time is continuous also, so it doesn't represent something like a frame rate. I hope that clears up the confusion.
@peabody3000 Рік тому
i can attest: it's amazing how i always understand almost exactly 1/137th of every PBS spacetime video i watch
@horaceosirian8993 Рік тому
Let's entangle: that way I'll always understand almost exactly 1/137th of every PBS spacetime video you watch, without having to do anything, and you'll understand almost exactly nothing, w/o any effort on your part. Everyone -wince- wins.
@lokan_kuru8721 Рік тому
You're on 137th like, I won't like it to maintain equilibrium
@MarriedMindless Рік тому
You just made my day!
@henriqueacabral Рік тому
ahah precious
@razaus Рік тому
that's 1/137 more than me.
@MichaelNiles Рік тому
Little known fact: our universe was a typo, the 4D experimentalists had originally meant to type "1337" for the seed phrase
@MechaStorm7 Рік тому
Great, this is my headcanon now
@innocentbystander3317 Рік тому
@@MechaStorm7 Cosmic inflation and redshift is the map getting smaller, dark energy is the shutdown command, and dark matter is the "save-state" on backup media. All is naught as the backup will be deleted as a mistake and a new seed (sans typo) will be started (new heavens and new earth). It's all been foretold and prophesied. In the name of the proton, neutron, and electron; Ramen!
@3VILmonkey Рік тому
Excellent.
@timothycain8639 Рік тому
Brilliantly done
@VanBurenOfficial Рік тому
Smoke 🎉 me 😂 out
@diegosolis9681 3 місяці тому
The most interesting thing about physics is that when we start to tug on the strings of one thing we find out it's tangled with the strings of the entire universe. In Marcus Aurelius words: “And in the case of superior things like stars, we discover a kind of unity in separation. The higher we rise on the scale of being, the easier it is to discern a connection even among things separated by vast distances.” Dude lived thousands of years ago and he was already unto something
@user-io2ym6gm8z 2 місяці тому
Or ON SOMETHING 🤣
@diegosolis9681 2 місяці тому
@@user-io2ym6gm8zHe was Roman... so perfectly plausible 🤣
@coyotepeyote Місяць тому
What's crazier is Marcus Aurelius was one of the emperors, if only all politicians could be so wise.
@jasonodaniel6487 Місяць тому
The most interesting thing about physics is you think it's a real thing and entangles the whole universe. The super, duper majority of the scam known as physics is less real than Vulcans. There's a theory that explains the universe even though none of these people can use any of it to solve their own goddamn lives. They still get divorced. They still have kids on drugs and they still get stuck in traffic jams. They die in plane crashes on the way to AIDS conferences. Their big brains and allegedly infallible math can explain the universe but it can't tell them they're going to get cancer 6 months from now. People belonging to this religion are every bit as insane as Charles Manson. Explains the universe but can't even tell them what's coming 5 minutes from now in their own lives. Geniuses to be sure... the same way Manon's "family" thought he was a genius. When you're galactically stupid, everybody is a genius by comparison so congrats on your stupidity Diego.
@skeetyeet3928 29 днів тому
@@coyotepeyote whats crazy is the fact rick and morty creators realised this and dedicated ricks universe C-137
@sebastiancardozo591 9 місяців тому
I loved the way you all wrapped this video up. Gave me goosebumps thinking that the universe could be built off of one constant variable. Something extremely complex came from something so simple.
@volteer1332 9 місяців тому
Isn't that how computer random number generators often work? A single string that diverges dynamically each time it calculates?
@PCRedman 9 місяців тому
It's our minecraft seed
@volteer1332 9 місяців тому
@@PCRedman that is a very good analogy!
@user-mz8bw6rz9v 8 місяців тому
It looks like 4²+1)6)+1
@billshiff2060 7 місяців тому
What give me goose bumps is that Archimedes constant PI is there too.
@Greatamericaneclipse Рік тому
Outstanding and stimulating video! When I studied physics at UC Berkeley, my quantum mechanics classes were Physics 137A and 137B, not a coincidence
@B.O.L.T. Рік тому
Of course they were. What other number would they be? 😆
@luiszuluaga6575 Рік тому
No doubt some of the tenured professors or faculty was having their fun with the undergrads. 🤷🏻♂️😅
@samiam619 Рік тому
And did ANY of it make sense?
@AlanTheBeast100 Рік тому
If you posted an assignment defining what 1/137 meant: automatic fail.
@muondude Рік тому
I was a TA for 137😂. Still haven’t figured it out!
@alexanderferling4092 Рік тому
Pauli died in 1958 in Zürich in hospital room No. 137. He was crazy about this room number and saw it as a bad sign!
@arzelzon4489 Рік тому
bad sign?
@tylerknight99 Рік тому
@@arzelzon4489 well yeah he was right, he died in there. it was a freaking hit job
@fryncyaryorvjink2140 Рік тому
The real 666
@innacrisis6991 Рік тому
@@tylerknight99 I guess the universe really didn't want him figuring this one out, huh?
@JoniIkalainen Рік тому
@@innacrisis6991 just mocked him about it
@pizza8725 4 місяці тому
This number is also the ratio between electronic force and strong force so it could be related to this
@davidhand9721 2 місяці тому
That's just because the strong force coupling constant is close to 1. It doesn't shed any additional light.
@Lund.J 11 днів тому
It is a quotient relative to the 33rd prime number. But do you understand, what that means ?
@TerryKakavoulis-vv1pt 5 місяців тому
It’s wonderful to have a proportional representation of the proton being projected as an electron after a proton is discovered and weighted in terms of h bar in a field between two h bars. A discovery indeed! To get to h bar.. Thank you Mat.
@aaronlangley8106 Рік тому
wow the conundrum really is like discovering pi but not being able to visualise a circle
@drd1924 Рік тому
I like it
@michaelallen2971 Рік тому
This
@AlanTheBeast100 Рік тому
One of the nicest comparisons I've ever read.
@greenanubis Рік тому
Hmm, similar to visualizing a tesseract. Its one dimension more than we can "see".
@ighfee Рік тому
Nice analogy 😜
@ArseneGray Рік тому
I stopped understanding anything really 40 episodes ago or so. But I am addicted to this channel
@xezazase Рік тому
The weird synth music, British accent, diagrams, and big words... It just seems like it must be making me smarter.
@hbermpi Рік тому
Thanks Lester, I thought it was just only me!
@pentasteve9723 Рік тому
@@xezazase pretty sure he's Australian and not British
@martinschmidt4894 Рік тому
@@pentasteve9723 Must be the physics frazzling his brain.
@karenfox1421 Рік тому
Me too. 😀
@aidenmcdonald5605 7 місяців тому
earlier in the video you said the fine structure constant started out as 1 but eventually fell down to ~ 1/137 , but it has the unique value of e^2/(4π*E0*h*c) where e, π, E0, h, c, are all well defined natural constants (some with units). But does that mean that earlier in the universe, some combination of these constants also had to start off at a different value? (ex. plank's constant started at a specific value but fell down to 6.6x10^(-34) ? or am i misunderstanding things? does this mean at the moment when a=1, e^2 would have equaled 4π*E0*h*c ? or did it happen to just settle to the value of this combination of natural constants?
@GruntDestroyarChannel 5 місяців тому
e is a purely mathematical constant like pi, not based off physical reality. The other constants may have varied though 😮
@LilB0pete 5 місяців тому
Actually due to e=mc^2 all forces in the universe were all once the same. The only relic of this our universe is left with electroweak coupling
@Writer_Productions_Map 29 днів тому
This is literally that meme like: "P1: Hey, what's [mathematical equation]? P2: [Some nerdy stuff]... P3: Agreed, [more nerdy stuff]. P4: That's right, but [even more nerdy stuff]!
@Condorman1 25 днів тому
Thank you Matt and Space Time. You put on an amazing presentation every single time.
@TheDisabledGamersChannel Рік тому
I LOVE it when Physicists, mathematicians, scientists etc etc say "i don't know", it make me excitied cause theres still allot to be discovered and learn about.
@pbsspacetime Рік тому
EXACTLY! The other phrase we always want to hear was best described by the great Isaac Asimov: "The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not “Eureka” but “That's funny...”
@TheDisabledGamersChannel Рік тому
@@pbsspacetime 👍
@kapsi Рік тому
Just because we don't know something doesn't mean it's possible to learn it. Like how we'll probably never learn if other universes exist.
@Joe4evr Рік тому
@@kapsi Indeed, as proven by Gödel.
@DrWhom Рік тому
mathaticians?
@pavelvalenta2426 Рік тому
so the answer to universe and everything is not 42 but 1/137. Interesting.
@822nivla Рік тому
My thoughts exactly!
@smithcon Рік тому
Fun fact: If you invert the fine structure constant, divide the result by pi, and then subtract the golden ratio from the result, you get approximately 42.
@cereal-killer4455 Рік тому
@@smithcon no you don’t. What is inverting and dividing? Isn’t that just dividing the other way?
@MarcelloGarini Рік тому
@@smithcon I think you are onto something here 😂
@ncdave4life Рік тому
It means God has 34 fingers. 137 in base 10 is 41 in base 34. ("42" was a typo.)
@helenavandewater3846 7 місяців тому
I am amazed! If I was younger, I would choose a physics study in quantummechanica! But these kind of videos keep me up to date!
@Stuart68505 12 годин тому
Fascinating hearing the issues regarding this number, even though that topics are way over my current understanding, it’s really interesting.
@devnull7970 Рік тому
Here's what the binary in the message @9:48 translates to 00110100 00110010 = 42 00110110 00111001 = 69 00110001 00110011 00110111 = 137 The problem with this is that it's encoded in base 10 using ascii symbols. Personally I think it's better to encode the numbers directly in binary. 42 -> 101010 69 -> 1000101 137 -> 10001001
@l-esprit_de_l-ouest Рік тому
More universal is: to draw 137 times the same symbol. If they don’t understand they are dumb.
@Duiker36 Рік тому
Better for what?
@chrisconnor8086 Рік тому
420 69 1337
@brandonhenley3597 Рік тому
@@chrisconnor8086 gg
@DoubleOhSilver Рік тому
@@Duiker36 he means it's better to represent the numbers in binary, rather than ASCII. The encoding is actually "42" as a string instead of the actual value 42. Same for the other numbers
@reggieziet Рік тому
Man I understood 1/137th of it all, but still nice to learn something new that is truly fascinating.
@goldenageofdinosaurs7192 Рік тому
Lol, same. It didn’t help that I kept spacing out during the video. Still, it’s great to know that people are out there trying to answer the questions
@donadams5503 Рік тому
As a SETI person, I always wanted to use Pi times hydrogen as the carrier frequency. But now I'll have to rethink unique signatures
@bigboss-tl2xr Рік тому
@@donadams5503 we won't EVER be allowed to join the Federation as long as we still engage in war.
@billyalarie929 Рік тому
same.
@BlackBuck777 9 місяців тому
Absolutely riveting. Even if I don't really grasp all of the concepts. What I do understand is that we live in a universe that's exactly right and that's a whole other philosophical problem. However - as something of an aside - at 7:35 - ish you're explaining the drop in the value of the constant from the Big Bang (1) to now (1:137) and I am strongly reminded of H2G2 at the point where Trillian is on the Heart of Gold just about to pick up Arthur Dent, and the Infinite Improbability Drive is counting down.
@kevinbrooks9074 6 місяців тому
Frank Sinatra's "Balls in Yo Jaws" used to play at my uncle's house all the time when I was young! I remember him picking me up in his van after t-ball practice, it was cool because it always had candy! He always had a warm popsicle in his pants too, cream-filled I think? He used to compliment me on how good I could keep secrets. The song really takes me back to a better time!
@V.O.Y.S. 4 місяці тому
This is honestly mind blowing stuff right here.
@henryj.8528 Рік тому
Astrophysicist Arthur Eddington was fascinated by pure numbers. He promoted the "Eddington number, " which he calculated to be 10E80 protons in the universe (current estimate). He used that number and a complicated formula to derive the fine structure constant which had been measured to be 1/136 (at the time). Later, when alpha was measured more accurately and determined to be 1/137, Eddington revised his formula so that it now equaled 1/137. He was then known as "Arthur Adding-one." On the other hand, he's also the guy who put Einstein on the map.
@brockdidenko5729 Рік тому
🤣
@PeterMancini Рік тому
I love that story! 🙃
@maak6270 Рік тому
Arthur '2 Sheds' Jackson 😁
@InertiaCreeps Рік тому
This speaks to my comment. Humans are still small minded animals who are absolutely dumbfounded by patterns and will go to painful lengths to claims that 1/137 (0.007299270072993) is the same as 137 is the same as 137^2 (18,769 ) and that there is *clearly* SOME MEANING behind similar numbers randomly popping up in completely unrelated places. It’s infuriating and yet mildly reassuring to know that our greatest minds are susceptible to human fallibility just like the rest of us.
@hkumar7340 Рік тому
Adding-one was also the one who publicly (at a Royal Society meeting) trashed Chandrasekhar Subramaniam's finding, that stars whose mass exceed the Chandrasekhar Limit could end up as a black hole due to gravitational collapse. Eddington did not like Chandra's result because it went against a grand theory of the universe that he (Eddington) had propounded. So, instead of demonstrating the logical shortcomings of Chandra's paper, Eddington said, "I am sure that there must be a law of the universe to prevent such an absurdity from occurring." The 'absurdity,' of course, being the black hole. Science progresses one funeral at a time!
@felixu95 Рік тому
Excellent video, but I think the number most universally stressed out over by physicists is the rent.
@Robinson8491 Рік тому
They are always 'seeking alpha'
@WalterKiefer Рік тому
You're right, it is too damn high.
@dens790130 Рік тому
All they could afford was a fine structure
@Ace1King1 Рік тому
It's Trump's IQ.
@deloachapproach4273 Рік тому
@@Ace1King1 Why does some Ass King always have to come along and ruin everything by inserting politics into the equation?
@mitchilito99 5 місяців тому
Matt never fails to awe and entertain. What a great resource!
@andywallace56 5 місяців тому
A thought moment: It's fascinating that the rough age of the universe has been believed to be around 13.7 billion years.
@grantnatalie8439 5 місяців тому
To be fair tho, the year as a unit of measurement is just a consequence of Earth’s orbit. It isn’t some sort of universal constant.
@monkemilitia 4 місяці тому
1/137 is embedded in the laws of physics, so when the universe was 2 billion, or 3.76 seconds, or 4.98 billion years old, it didn’t matter. It’s a coincidence that we live in the exact time that our current understating puts the universe at 13.7 billion years; and nothing more then that.
@masterleon40 4 місяці тому
@@monkemilitia The unit years is arbitrary, so the aprox age of the universe being 13.7 billion years is completely meaningless.
@monkemilitia 4 місяці тому
@@masterleon40 that’s what I said
@guilhermemaximo9337 4 місяці тому
@@monkemilitiadid you watch the video? 7:20
@Ebani Рік тому
Love the atmosphere you create around explaning that constants are dimensionless, feels almost paranormal.
@vedantsridhar8378 Рік тому
True. Perfect thing to watch just before sleeping.
@808bigisland Рік тому
The "dimensionlessness" of a field can vary in size, can be a pointlike singularity and hide hidden variables at the unobservable planck size.
@ninianstorm6494 Рік тому
need to force city officials to cut own wealth to support daca+ lower taxes permanently by big amount for all those making below 150k per year to prove daca worth it since for ages DC never lower living cost only print dollars to do more refugee crisis Nuland Hillary McCain Podesta deeply involved start ukraine crisis strike first blood but use woman that put severed finger in wendy chili 2.0 shameless blame russia when muller charge manafort for things nothing to do with russia hack but let podesta go for same reason =blackmail dc/Britain(thank Blair Iraq) to support blame russia to cover up fact 2 party system failed since mccain-hillary all did united fruit company scandal 2.0 but remain rich recall fbi never look at physical evidence just crowdstrike/hillary words, cia break glass 2017 inauguration with media claim russia stolen election left wing media give protest t-shirts to san quan mayor for lying about never receive maria supplies ukposts.info/have/v-deo/qYmed6qQg3tqzGQ.html george bush 14y ago said add ukraine to nato foreshadow nuland f eu coup 2014 support = 1. ukposts.info/have/v-deo/poSCZ3pomGObk2Q.html 2001 pentagon memo kill occupy iraq to syria ukposts.info/have/v-deo/l52jfoh_rpiHqGw.html current ukraine gov is proxy since obama drew red line just like did in syria earlier arming rebels telling russia not to interfere while zelensky ethnic cleanse donbass region 7y= 2. ukposts.info/have/v-deo/rJFqmI2JmnqGsXU.html 3. ukposts.info/have/v-deo/gXKWhnhuqY2cwGw.html dnc establishment kill 50 in vegas/portland, thugs attack with stand down cops san jose/charlotte, burn loot several months, sabotage afgan withdraw using russia bounty smear to give taliban equip, crash car in to wisconsin parade thanks to nbc follow jury bus smearing ritten house too ukposts.info/have/v-deo/jaiggG6rf4mSmJs.html ray epps-fake sole survivor from ritten house case 2.0/podesta 2.0 when you look at left wing msm collaborate ukposts.info/have/v-deo/h56HfJ6lZKyYtqs.html dnc smear looking into treat covid symptoms/travel bans but permit parades/riots, recall snitches get rewards? a. ukposts.info/have/v-deo/aGZ3rZ1rpJd9uJs.html b. ukposts.info/have/v-deo/iGF3iYObf4tjmpc.html
@JamesNeave1978 Рік тому
No Units can be seen as just another way to express A Ratio. What's really turning up are pairs of numbers describing two similar things where the left hand thing is 137 times larger than the Right Hand Thing. But everywhere.
@ivanleon6164 Рік тому
every physicist has nightmares with it.
@Lew114 Рік тому
These videos manage to blow my mind even though I only understand about 1/137 of the physics.
@davidparadis490 Рік тому
Better than me...I only understand about 1/137 squared of quantum physics
@dy6682 Рік тому
I understand even less . Will wait and ask God herself. Respect
@rubiks6 Рік тому
@@dy6682 - It sounds like you've invented your own god. The true, living God has given us His Word and when he refers to himself he uses masculine pronouns. If that bothers you, too bad. He is, after all, God. He always wins arguments.
@DobromirManchev Рік тому
Underrated comment
@CrakenFlux Рік тому
@@dy6682 Not a lot of respect on your part assigning gender to the creator. he is not to be measured by your ideations anymore than we would be by a phage's.
@lucreziaravera 3 місяці тому
Nice video, congratulations, always very clear! Let me just point out that in the formula at 3:28 there is a typo in the units for the vacuum permittivity: it should be C^2 instead of C^7. P.S.: I totally love the black hat with the channel logo... 🤩😍
@VoloMit 8 місяців тому
Thank you very much for your videos, they are great! I have a question/remark about $\alpha$. At minute 7, in the video, you say that $\alpha$ was initially around 1, then that during the expansion of the universe it gradually dropped to its current value. Perhaps this is a kind of equilibrium reached by gradient descent? Maybe a stable universe, induced by $\alpha \approx$ 1/137, acts in return on $\alpha$, preventing it from going any lower. What do you think?
@trbz_8745 6 місяців тому
...bro you know UKposts doesn't have LaTeX right?
@Eaglepass 4 місяці тому
Thanks alien commentary makes me falling back too earth 😅 Actually it's only left over data in thee DNA strands. Coined Tele pdays. Exception being $$$ just forgot the deci-points spreadsheet. Long distance calls r-included. Superman was sadly eliminated passing earth with a C+. His lucky coin chance had fell into the box. Forgeting pulse rates distribution raised furry smashing the booth into total volume decimation. I'm gonna give comprehensive a like for remembering my friend Superlatives.
@s3cr3tpassword Рік тому
We had a professor in grad school who is obsessed with the fine structure constant. Whenever he gets to the chapter with α, he would go off on a tangent about how peculiar it was. We made him a meme amongst the grad students. Whenever new grad students join, they would see α or 1/137 all over the TA and RA office and wonder what’s up with that. We just tell them to wait till they take that one professor’s class. It’s grad quantum 1, so every new grad student has to take it. And sure enough, after the semester the new students understood all the memes.
@Woollzable Рік тому
😂😂😂
@igisanchez265 Рік тому
liar, you've said in countless videos about poverty in America that you don't have money to attend college. You do know people can read, right?
@Dan-yk6sy Рік тому
@@igisanchez265 woah woah, checking comment history.. did I end back up on reddit?
@gravoc857 Рік тому
@@Dan-yk6sy The fedora’s have infested every comment section available on the internet 😂😂
@chrismanson3211 Рік тому
go off on a tangent hehehe 🤓🤓🤓 sorry, never gets old.
@justsaying7979 Рік тому
Watching this video made me feel like I learned something without actually having to have learned anything. Well done.
@horaceosirian8993 Рік тому
Plants yearn learning.
@starfyredragon Рік тому
Learning there's something you don't know, so now you know you don't know something instead of previously not knowing you don't know something is learning something.
@nodaysback8390 Рік тому
Watching this video made me feel like I learned something without actually having learned anything.
@JacobManson77 Рік тому
it's cool to know about something I don't know nothing about, but everybody who knows about it,knows exactly the same amount. (have I wrote a poem by accident?)
@HRAE Рік тому
Username checks out
@unzmpiti8147 Місяць тому
5:00 very cheeky! I went through a rollercoaster of emotions.😂
@wmmfvb9628 5 місяців тому
Thanks for the video.
@hahtos Рік тому
So 42 is NOT the answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and everything 🤯
@TravisGarris Рік тому
137 is just over 43 times π. So... 42 is close, but not quite there.
@Corvaire Рік тому
Or better yet, is 137 the question? ;O)-
@iwanttwoscoops Рік тому
but it is bro!! Calculate 2*phi, and subtract 1. Square this number. Multiply by pi (I mean, obviously... we did just square the previous number). Now, if you multiply this quantity by 42, you will get 137.
@innocentbystander3317 Рік тому
@@iwanttwoscoops Instructions unclear. Smashed calculator with head, and now I count 137 stars circling my melon.. 🤯💫
@trent_carter Рік тому
I was just going to type that (137/3.14)-1 = 42
@gavros9636 Рік тому
1/137 is the real-world version of 42. The secret of life, the universe, and everything is encoded in 1/137... Too bad we don't know the question.
@Ozinarg Рік тому
Could just be a coincidence. After all, 42 itself has a lot of things unique to itself. As do many other numbers. But since you brought up 42, check out all the stuff it's known for en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42_%28number%29?wprov=sfla1
@LuisSierra42 Рік тому
The creators of the simulation just found that the simulation only worked with this number but even they didn't now how
@gavros9636 Рік тому
@@LuisSierra42 We just need to build a planet-sized computer to calculate the solution.
@CallowG Рік тому
"What do you get if you divide 137 by Pi?" OK not exactly 42 but close.
@gavinvalentino6002 Рік тому
*SLATFATF*
@absolutedesi5899 3 місяці тому
I was recently studying the bohr model of the atom and I saw that the velocity of an electron in the first bohr orbit of hydrogen is c/137
@PhilipvanderMatten 4 місяці тому
Fascinating! Oh, and well told. I had to get used to the presenter, but soon enjoyed it very very much!
@thenderyoshi Рік тому
Back when Minecraft added the command block, the \give command still used numerical IDs, and the command block's was 137. Back then, I was really excited about this block so I just incorporated that number on a bunch of stuff I made (especially my old Scratch projects) Turns out I couldn't have picked a better number!
@SJrad Рік тому
I wonder if it was intentional
@mpjstuff Рік тому
Yeah -- well, that Minecraft project in the future is accidentally sent back to the creation of this Universe in a few hundred years. The Universe is widely regarded as a bad idea and poorly implemented, and it looks like it was your fault.🙃
@mayhemdiscordchaosohmy573 Рік тому
@@mpjstuff your name is Marc not Douglas or Addams!
@stevekalgren1059 Рік тому
Was just about to say, perhaps you didnt pick that number. Maybe, it picked you. Oddly enough, my favorite numbers are 3, 17, and 79. I can tie these numbers together in different ways a day. Like the old TVLand commercials used to do with actors.
@DomChapman Рік тому
Seems like 137 is the Minecraft seed number for our universe.
@DanielBerke Рік тому
Excellent explanation of the fine-structure constant. I got my PhD earlier this year for measuring constraints on variation in alpha (an area of research going back to 1956) in nearby Sun-like stars, and that quote from Feynmann made it into my thesis. (For the curious, I applied a method for measuring the fine-structure constant in astronomical observations to main-sequence stars in the Milky Way for the first time, allowing us to put a constraint of ~12 parts per billion on any variation in its value within 52 parsecs of us, about a hundred times more precise than previous constraints measured in our galaxy.)
@ottobhan725 Рік тому
Good on ya mate. What next?
@EmrysMerlin8807 Рік тому
Ok, but can you see why kids love the taste of cinnamon toast crunch? Edit: Seriously tho, that's awesome!
@yzmotoxer807 Рік тому
Check out the big brain on Daniel!
@EmrysMerlin8807 Рік тому
@@yzmotoxer807 Pulp Fiction?
@yzmotoxer807 Рік тому
@@EmrysMerlin8807 you got it, dude
@luizbotelho1908 7 місяців тому
In the Universal systems of unity (where the light velocity , the Planck constant and the vacuum permeability are dimensionless and all equal to unity ) and also in the framework of Weinberg Salam unification Theory , the fine structure constant (essentially the square of the electronic charge ) is exactly proportional to the Higgs field self interaction coupling with a proportionality factor (pure number) depending on the ratio of the mass of vectorial bosons and of the Higgs field.
@zacharyreid7557 24 дні тому
4:39 the portal from Rick and Morty showing up because they’re from dimension C-137 was a nice easter egg
@WeeWeeJumbo Рік тому
this is the clearest explanation of the fine structure constant that i've ever heard. my gratitude is enormous
@merseybear Рік тому
Matt you and the team that put PBS Space Time episodes together week after week are doing a fantastic job in explaining some of the more difficult concepts that underpin physics. Your delivery is not only clear and concise but also entertaining as well as thought-provoking. Bravo to you all.
@residentfelon Рік тому
pbs logo is npc meme xD
@KyleBenzien Рік тому
Well said
@PersonManManManMan Рік тому
Well said
@natashaparrott8593 6 місяців тому
if alpha = 1 in the beginning and alpha also equals e^2/(4piE0hbarc) 12:02 (sorry for how that looks) then is it the case that the top and bottom of the fraction were equal or did alpha just change to equal that?
@tylerchristensen1484 7 місяців тому
I usually tend to watch about a third of these PBS Space Time videos because I don’t know what the heck it all means, but here goes something!
@user-yo3dz8in8f 9 місяців тому
It’s crazy how 4π just pops up in Coulomb’s Law. 4π steradians is the solid (3d) angle of a whole sphere. If you haven’t yet discovered steradians, that’s like 360° but for a sphere not a circle. The universe is telling us it prefers spheres, and that’s roughly what we see at every scale of organization we’ve observed.
@julianbell9161 9 місяців тому
It makes sense when you take into account that a sphere creates the shortest distance around a center for all points along the surface. In the case of Coulomb’s law, an electron emits an electric field equally in all directions from itself, so the force generated from that field would logically form a sphere. If it formed a cube or an oval or any other shape, that would mean some medium or something is causing an unequal amount of force from a center point
@SPHYNX99752 4 місяці тому
@@julianbell9161 leptons, muons, and peons. ❤
@rajdeeppatel9151 4 місяці тому
The point also is, why tf is Pi everywhere? It is just circumference upon diameter of the most basic geometrical figure we see or can imagine of.
@IllKeepALightOn 4 місяці тому
@@rajdeeppatel9151mmmm pie
@SakibHasan-ks2fe 4 місяці тому
The 4π is an addition by us to make our math neat.
@taylorhornby7475 Рік тому
If α changed over time, does that mean the ratios between the other constants changed over time? e.g. rewrite the equation as c = e^2/(α4πε₀ℏ); either the speed of light changed over time, some other constants changed to hold c constant, or the formula for α isn't true at all times.
@davidandrewthomas Рік тому
This is a really great question. I hope he answers it in the next video.
@davidandrewthomas Рік тому
My guess as to the answer: it’s the minimum value of the fine structure value that is actually a constant. The value that changed over time has decreased down to approach this constant limit, and this constant limit is the α that shows up in the equation with other constants of nature.
@rosskrt Рік тому
I would guess π changes from time to time.
@rosskrt Рік тому
Jokes aside, as the fine structure constant is also the electromagnetic coupling constant, I would guess that IF (big if) the formula is true at all times, it's the electric permeability of the void to change over time. But that's just a wild guess, it could totally be that c was different in the past or that the formula needs adjusting to account for different energy levels. Who knows.
@patreekotime4578 Рік тому
I think that "over time" was relatively quickly during the formation of the universe. As he mentioned, higher a values mean that atoms cannot form. So the early purely energetic universe had this super high a value but everything had to cool down to a ~ 1/137 before "stuff" could form from the pure energy state.
@MagusArtStudios 9 місяців тому
I really enjoyed that, very intriguing. :)
@llort42 4 місяці тому
I always speculated the FSC defined the vacuum state of our universe's chemistry. Hence no need for anxiety regarding false vacuum decay due to Q-tunneling or some extraordinary energy pulse. The energy already depleted to a nominal post BB, allegedly.
@TotalRookie_LV Рік тому
It's also 33rd prime number (starting counting from 2), thus for communication it might make sense to transmit list of prime numbers up to 137.
@jajssblue Рік тому
I like this idea
@Chareidos Рік тому
@@jajssblue That it is a prime-number actually freaks me out a little ^^
@finickybits8055 Рік тому
@@Chareidos Ditto
@elledan77 Рік тому
mason's have 33 degrees too
@garymathis1042 Рік тому
It's not a prime number; it's an irrational number.
@pierredelecto7069 Рік тому
Maybe if we just used base 137 instead of base 10 this would make sense. If only we had 137 fingers.
@TheSettlers90 Рік тому
But it seems to me that the constant is only closely approximated by 1/137, the real number is slightly different
@1224chrisng Рік тому
well, every base, when written is its own base, is base 10, the problem is what base is that written in
@petersage5157 Рік тому
I think base e would be more natural.
@bobbasic Рік тому
@@petersage5157 Or base pi.
@AndrewBlucher Рік тому
@@petersage5157 Ah, a very wise choice!
@marknthetrails7627 3 місяці тому
Love your explanations, 👍✌🖖🥃
@BachTeen1 Місяць тому
9:18 my first thought was a list of prime numbers, like 2 3 5 7 11 13 etc, because they work in any number system. Just remember Contact (1997) film🙂
@KuroKitten Рік тому
Okay, I'm so glad you brought up PI towards the end. I was struggling to understand what the difference is between the fine structure constant and something like, yeah, say PI. It's also unitless, yet still describes a pretty fundamental aspect of nature - namely, "roundness". I felt much less crazy knowing far smarter people than me are already thinking about this ^.^
@Fundamental117 Рік тому
My exact same thought. Pi comes litterly in every single equation so why not 1/137
@IveGotWheels Рік тому
I think the difference is that we know what π means in terms of how it relates to the geometry of Euclidean space; that being the constant relationship between the square of the radius and the area of a circle. The confusion around α is that nobody can figure out what relationship it is actually describing. In other words, π is to a circle as α is to a (?). The answer might lay in finding out which mathematical structure can replace the (?).
@rayoflight62 Рік тому
Alpha is directly responsible for the resonance frequency of the hydrogen atom, 1,420 MHz - or a wavelength of 21 cm. If you receive a modulated 21 cm signal (like the Wow!) you can be pretty certain that somebody wants to speak with you. Just like in the film "Contact" written by Carl Sagan, they receive a 1,420 MHz signal multiplied by Pi, to reinforce the idea that a rational entity was behind it. Alpha also reinforce the idea that the Universe could be somehow the work of a Master Designer...
@DavidtheRationalist Рік тому
There are more similarities between Fine Structure Constant and Pi than just a number with never-ending digits and a dimensionless value. Both describe a geometric ratio. Whereas Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to diameter, Fine Structure Constant can be shown to be the ratio of geometries that include circular properties. Thus, Fine Structure Constant can be derived from Pi. "The Relationship of the Fine Structure Constant and Pi" by Jeff Yee
@ObjectsInMotion Рік тому
Because there are twenty numbers just like the fine structure constant and they all can't be mathematical in nature
@coder0xff Рік тому
The coy teasing of some yet unseen structure deep inside the fabric of our reality fills me with fascination and wonder.
@samuelmelcher333 7 місяців тому
Even as a lay person, I think I can imagine why this number would be so damn tantalizing. Questions like “How does Quantum Mechanics fit with Relativity?” or “What caused the Bang Bang?” or “What’s at the center of a black hole?” seem to call for a response of, “Well, I sure hope the combined work of scores of teams of brilliant scientists eventually figure that out, ideally in my lifetime, but it seems possible we’ll never know.” The fine structure constant not only feels like it’ll inevitably be part of some greater understanding of physics, but also that there’s just enough information there to make it feel like, “if only I could just bang my head hard enough against the problem I just might be able to unlock an answer, and maybe even that new understandings of physics along with it”.
@FillipTraumItWasAGoodDream 6 місяців тому
I have to say, you put this in a way that I see reality, the void, and the reaction a little more (designed space created vs the creation of a space per the reaction on ones reality in its building or as it is built. What is more real -the void between reacting and the reaction per the void as it is pre reaction into its reaction. Ty.
@chriswhite599 4 місяці тому
The fine structure constant is endlessly fascinating. Thank you so much for this video
@jasonodaniel6487 Місяць тому
He says he failed the test and you find his severe LACK of knowledge fascinating. Insane much?
@BanditBloodwyn Рік тому
In my head, an analogy appears: Couldn't we indeed compare Alpha with our commonly known Pi? Imagine our maths doesn't know about the concept of the circle. But everytime, when talking about angles in geometry, this mysterious 3.1415 appears. For me it really looks like Alpha is hinting towards a deeper concept or principle we haven't discover yet.
@DavidtheRationalist Рік тому
There are more similarities between Fine Structure Constant and Pi than just a number with never-ending digits and a dimensionless value. Both describe a geometric ratio. Whereas Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to diameter, Fine Structure Constant can be shown to be the ratio of geometries that include circular properties. Thus, Fine Structure Constant can be derived from Pi. "The Relationship of the Fine Structure Constant and Pi" by Jeff Yee
@Deh9o11en8or Рік тому
And sometimes it appears in contexts that seem completely unrelated to circles at first glance too.
@PhailRaptor Рік тому
@@DavidtheRationalist So the Fine structure Constant is to Pi what a 4th dimensional shape is to a circle?
@Unfinished80 Рік тому
That's a good point. Pi is also a dimensionless constant resulting from a ratio. Pi is the ratio of a circles circumfrence to its diameter.
@UnsolPhysics Рік тому
@@PhailRaptor more like relationship between pi and the diameter, they are direct relations. But instead of just double, their relation involves all of the other fundamental constant of the universe
@sheriayn Рік тому
If you have a chance, watch the movie "The Quiet Earth". Its plot involves the fine structure constant. The ending still haunts me even though I haven't see the movie in almost 20 years.
@wmwilliamsiii Рік тому
I rented this movie in the mid 90s. A very underrated / unknown film. It was so good, it's also still kind of a nightmare/fantasy of mine.
@Aircool212 Рік тому
@@wmwilliamsiii I've been trying to remember the name of this movie for years, and oddly enough, it was released 37 years ago...
@hugofontes5708 Рік тому
@@Aircool212 too bad I probably won't be around to watch it in a hundred years from now
@comparatorclock Рік тому
@@Aircool212 ITS A SIGN FROM THE GODS lol
@chuckintexas Рік тому
@@comparatorclock - Or _THE_ God !
@AFlameofVengance Місяць тому
Us sending aliens a number to show we are smart. The aliens using a different base number system. "These guys are stupid"
@lesliegreenhill2389 7 місяців тому
Let me add something unexplored. The number 137 appears as the hypotenuse in a Pythagorean Triple with the proportions 88:105:137. The sum of these three numbers is 330. Divide 330 by 105 and the quotient is 22/7, the famous fraction used to represent pi. All this leads to marvellous things.
@sillybears4673 7 місяців тому
Also Rick and morty were in the universe c137. Which is also interesting lol
@Blade.5786 7 місяців тому
@@sillybears4673*cue "You need a very high IQ to understand Rick and Morty" copypasta*
@FillipTraumItWasAGoodDream 6 місяців тому
Interesting
@ColinCarFan 4 місяці тому
Only problem is that pi is not 22/7 so not precise enough.
@lesliegreenhill2389 4 місяці тому
@@ColinCarFan I didn't say pi was 22/7. I presume you know that proportion appears in the design of the Great Pyramid.
@OgarnijmytoRazem Рік тому
In movie Stargate there was a scene when Ra says something like: "You advanced much, you mastered nuclear energy". I always had a feeling that advanced alien wouldn't point out something that average human think is important while in reality being just application of some more profuond science. He (she or it) would rather say something much less obvious but in reality much more important for better understanding the universe. And maybe he would say something like: "You noticed 137. That's impressive. You have a feeling it's important. You have some hypotheses about it. Go and dig dipper." And most of the contact team would be like: "What the...?" And scientists would be blown away and spend rest of their lives studying 137. And unsatisfactory ending of this story could be that some 300 years later scientists would discover that the alien was just trolling them :D
@michieal221 Рік тому
So, essentially, alpha is the random seed value for the universe. Seriously, you just described a map-generator taking a seed for the universe's creation. BTW, love this video -- it's my new all-time favorite from this channel!
@MannyLectro Рік тому
Exactly what I thought while watching the video! I suddenly had flashbacks of playing Minecraft and thought: "Wait a minute! Are you telling me that 1/137 is our universe's seed?!"
@davidhand9721 Рік тому
It's not really like a random number seed if it's used in calculations all the time. A random number seed matters exactly once. If it mattered twice or more, then it wouldn't be random. Then there's the fact that it isn't really a constant, and charge isn't really fundamental. It's more like a maximum resolution or stress-sensitive recursion limit, if we are going with the whole computational analogy. I'm currently keen on seeing it as a byproduct of neglecting to define a natural unit for charge. We have Planck lengths, times, masses, etc., but you can't get Coulombs (the SI unit of charge) out of there without seeing alpha as the ratio between the electron charge and the natural unit charge squared. It doesn't really tell us why there's a maximum or minimum or what it means, but it does make it a lot less spooky. Good try, though. Keep learning and thinking.
@B.O.L.T. Рік тому
That's what I was thinking.
@michaelwerkov3438 Рік тому
@@Bone_Thug wroung!
@michaelwerkov3438 Рік тому
@@davidhand9721 charge has a maximum and a minimum? Is there anything else like that, other units or significant compound units? Temperature has absolute 0, but that's all I can think of. If some basic unit of charge were to be shoehorned in without deriving it, what significant change to the equations might there be? And would rewriting them to consider that offer any insights?
@stevedavis1437 27 днів тому
Excellent post. What is the relationship between the fine structure constant and pi? Is there one?
@Matthew11L 7 місяців тому
So like the Golden Angle 137.5. degrees. The principle is at work in the formation of pine cones, sunflowers, pineapples, and cacti etc. Saying that a given branch or leaf will grow out of the stem approximately 137.5 degrees around the stem relative to the prior branch?
@deathw8sf0rno1 Рік тому
If the fine structure constant wasn't constant (like during the big bang), wouldn't the relationship between the other constants (12:05) also be different during that time? Does that severely change any interactions during that period?
@chrystalll1011 Рік тому
I had the same question in my head. Wouldn't it indicate a difference in the behaviors and interactions of the electrons shortly after the big bang?
@nias2631 Рік тому
Yep, that is what he was laying out. Once the constant was fixed it fixed in place all the other constants. That dictated all interactions that could possibly occur in an alpha=1/137 universe.
@taelim6599 Рік тому
I think what's going on is that the "fine structure constant" and the actual fine structure number are two different things. The fine structure number is dependent on energy levels and what changed in the history of the universe, while the fine structure constant is the unchanging absolute minimum the fine structure number can be, and is the constant that physics is built around.
@milod.5267 Рік тому
@@taelim6599 Just thought the same.
@GameNationRDF Рік тому
@@taelim6599 very good way of putting it, the semantics is useful here
@atomsofstardust Рік тому
Why am I hearing about this number for the very first time in my life after years of watching various popular science videos like that? Odd it’s not talked about more.
@stargazer7644 Рік тому
It’s a pretty important thing in the deep math of physics. If you aren’t much into that, you’ll not see it much.
@-dennis3755 Рік тому
These pop-science channels haven't been around for a super long time all things considered, and there's a lot of depth in physics. While im very surprised I never heard about this in other videos about the constant's (though maybe I did in passing and forgot) it does make sense that it couldve just taken awhile for a channel to get to it for a full video.
@xBINARYGODx Рік тому
@@-dennis3755 well the preface to these channels is what TV used to be - and its not there either (I know, i have watch ALL tv, up to the yar 2010)
@thejaramogi1 Рік тому
@atomsofstardust Maybe you've heard about 1/137 before, but it was like a sound wave passing through you at just the right frequency - you didn't realize it was there until someone pointed it out. But don't worry, now that you've heard about it, you can be the life of the physics party with your newfound knowledge!
@nickopeters Рік тому
When I was about to post my Like on your comment--; the number of Likes already-there just-then--; was "137 Likes--!".
@2smoker64 9 місяців тому
Thank you PBS.
@Cloudsurfer69 Місяць тому
Such a complex script and you make a reading error in the last few sentences haha. Love it.
@Beliar_VR Рік тому
Ok, now Dimension C-137 makes so much sense to me 🤯
@rossirwin8909 Рік тому
Dude...
@wallyman292 Рік тому
It amazes me just how much humankind has been able to discover and/or figure out about our universe over the past century or so. Definitely has to be one of, if not the actual , most important "renaissance" periods of mankind.
@wmpx34 Рік тому
Flat Earthers: challenge accepted
@FilipOscadal Рік тому
the simulation discovers the simulation rules
@AlokKumar-tk1ty Рік тому
Offcourse We are accelerating our knowledge since newton era.
@wallyman292 Рік тому
@@AlokKumar-tk1ty Agreed. My point is the sheer amount of "acceleration" over the past 100 years is just astounding.
@Danboi. Рік тому
Crazy to think this isn't the first time.. there's countless lost civilizations, possibly having up a 1000yrs of studying math
@rpgiacon 8 місяців тому
Ist this value linked to the complexity of the interactions possible? I saw this number emerge in chaos theory too. So i cant help thinking this number is the one that maximize the complexity of particle interactions
@finalone24 6 місяців тому
What really gets me is how the units all get canceled out, leaving just a number. My mind won't accept just a number with no unit of measurement attached.
@IAmNumber4000 Рік тому
5:12 I thought he was about to say “When two particles love each other very much…”
@LiminalMan777 Рік тому
This was an absolutely fantastic episode, another one I'll be rewatching multiple times
@WeeWeeJumbo Рік тому
*RIGHT???*
@smergthedargon8974 Місяць тому
During the "how being dimensionless isn't special" section, I was really hoping he'd throw in something that actually does equal the FSC.
@muskett00 8 місяців тому
Is it anything to do with the current state of entropy at our current reference in space/ time, relative to C?
@douglasstrother6584 Рік тому
Arnold Sommerfeld contributions to Physics are under appreciated. He was one of the strong bridges between Classical and Quantum Physics.
@aaizner847 Рік тому
Misread "Schwarzenegger" at first glance. For a sec I was like - I guess his contributions to physics ARE underappreciated!
@MantasasInHD Рік тому
Around 10 years ago me and a friend of mine started seeing the number 137 pop up everywhere. We treated it as a joke as if it's some sort of special haunted number, trying to research about it also didn't give us answers. Turns out it has a much more significant meaning than I anticipated.
@sebastianmichaelrogel6404 Рік тому
Now that's extremely weird, because i can second that. O.o
@horzathirteen Рік тому
Around 10 years ago me and a friend of mine started noticing that the number 137 didn't pop up everywhere in our lives. We've laughed about it ever since: "Can't believe we didn't notice that earlier!" And there we were thinking we were so special.
@BassGoThump Рік тому
@@horzathirteen Hey! This same thing happened with a bunch of different numbers that didn’t keep popping up. It happened with a bunch of different people that don’t even know each other so it can’t be a coincidence.
@duroxkilo Рік тому
:) add to that my birthday but don;t freak out (00729)
@constantinexi6893 Рік тому
This but 136 for me
@valramos2003 7 місяців тому
Matt: Do you want to know what the video is about? Squarespace: No thanks. Just take the money.
@markhollifield1823 3 місяці тому
Electrons have charge, bound electrons are spheres, h-bar is the angular momentum of the sphere, so is it surprising that alpha is the ratio of the energy of the photon that becomes an electron in pair production and the electron bound to a proton, as well as the ratio of that photon and that electron? Alpha is the fundamental constant tying energy, matter and spacetime together.
@jon-noj Рік тому
just finished reading QED and loved hearing all the references in this video. been enjoying the channel a lot. thank you for all your hard work!
@Rose_Harmonic Рік тому
The ending the last sentence in space-time every single episode always hits me as hilarious. I noticed the video was getting close to done and my brain started finishing every sentence with space-time to trying to guess when it was finally going to arrive. I had to focus to actually listen to the lore of our finest constant... of space-time.
@NobbsAndVagene Рік тому
If I asked how high you were, would your answer be "space-time." ?
@ronniehuntsville5100 5 місяців тому
The fine structure constant (α) is a dimensionless fundamental constant of physics that characterizes the strength of the electromagnetic force between two elementary charged particles. It is approximately equal to 1/137. The fine structure constant is one of the most important constants in physics, as it appears in many different equations, including the Schrödinger equation, which is used to describe the behavior of quantum systems. However, the fine structure constant is also one of the greatest unsolved problems in physics, because its value is not predicted by any current theory. There have been many attempts to explain the value of the fine structure constant, but none have been successful. Some physicists believe that the fine structure constant is simply a coincidence, while others believe that it is a sign of deeper structure in the laws of physics. One reason why the fine structure constant is so important is that it is a unitless number. This means that it does not depend on any particular system of units, and so it has the same value for all observers in the universe. This makes the fine structure constant a very attractive candidate for a universal constant, which is a constant that has the same value throughout the universe. If the fine structure constant were to have a different value, then the laws of physics would be different, and the universe would be a very different place. For example, if the fine structure constant were slightly larger, then atoms would not be able to form, and the universe would be a barren place. If the fine structure constant were slightly smaller, then stars would not be able to shine, and the universe would be dark. The fact that the fine structure constant has the value that it does is essential for the existence of the universe as we know it. This is why the fine structure constant is one of the greatest unsolved problems in physics. Physicists want to understand why the fine structure constant has the value that it does, and what its deep meaning is. Here are some of the specific questions that physicists are trying to answer about the fine structure constant: Why is the fine structure constant approximately equal to 1/137? Is the fine structure constant truly constant, or does it vary with time or space? Is the fine structure constant related to other fundamental constants of physics, such as the speed of light or the Planck constant? Does the fine structure constant have any deeper meaning in terms of the underlying structure of the universe? Finding answers to these questions is one of the most important challenges facing physicists today.
@landonrist9689 29 днів тому
This is an amazing video. I’m not a physicist so most of these concepts were way over my head. You can reason in circles about the fine tuning of the forces of universe, the fine structure constant to be just one of them. What seems to make the most sense is that God, our creator set the value of the fine structure constant and other forces in the universe like the power of electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force. All these forces were fine tuned by our creator to enable life to exist. It is by far the most plausible explanation.
@simonharris4873 Рік тому
When I watch your videos and I understand something you said, it feels like such an achievement. Thanx for that.
@rayoflight62 Рік тому
Albeit being a simple number, the fine structure constant has such deeper meaning, and your description of a "Relationship of relationships" paint it perfectly for non-physicists; have my congrats for that. When you described the problem of defining the units of measure when communicating with aliens, you correctly said that alpha is the perfect number to establish a correct universal unit; you may have added that the two golden records on the Voyagers space vehicles have alpha defined pictorially at the beginning, and then used for multiple descriptions, like the position of the Earth in the Galaxy. I strongly believe that physics should be taught in the elementary schools. Thank you Dr. Dodds for all your efforts to spread the knowledge of physics more widely; I sincerely appreciate it. Regards, Anthony
@osmosisjones4912 Рік тому
Can light Warp space is that negative Mass . At least a certain wave length. Loom physicist break light speed barrier
@castonyoung7514 Рік тому
But I thought that Plank's constant was also dimensionless...
@pacotaco1246 Рік тому
@@castonyoung7514 no it has the same units as angular momentum
@GlacialScion Рік тому
@Graham Perry What do you mean?
@Hunnter2k3 Рік тому
@@GlacialScion I think they are meaning the fact that you can't just transmit 137 and expect any alien species to understand it. You also need to explain the base you are using and what 1, 3 and 7 mean. A small explanation mind you, but an important one. Considerably simpler than trying to explain our physics since ALL of it is based on human conventions. Not even Math itself is the "language of the universe", our Math is human-convention at the very foundations - order of operations. This gets even more complicated with more advanced math.
@oliverfranke7650 8 місяців тому
I would agree on alpha being a mathemtical constant like pi or e. Like both it discribes a proporionality between one or more physical properties. They are purely derived from mathematics and have no real physical property. Yet they are fundamental to make our mathematics work with the observations of physics.
@gerardvanwilgen9917 4 місяці тому
But if α was larger in the past, then it cannot be a mathematical constant, at least, not exactly. Maybe the true constant is a mathematical limit that is reached when time goes to infinity and the current value of α is then a close approximation of it.
@danielm6507 4 місяці тому
Beautifully explained. I love seeing proof of our universe being designed, programmed, engineered, etc. Imagine what’s left to discover if our “advanced physics” only explains less than 5% of the universe.
@k00ij Місяць тому
Ehhh, when there are potentially infinite amount universes with potentially infinite amount of different results of big bangs, and potentially infinite amount of configurations, the chance of getting the right situations to produce a viable universe as we know it is 100%
@JamesOKeefe-US Рік тому
I love these. As a non scientist, this is so fascinating and well explained. Thank you for these, the universe is truly a wonder 😊
@bencrossley647 Рік тому
I love the consistent ending. You can always feel that it's coming. I swear I get a dopamine hit just from hearing the word spacetime!
@ColdHawk Рік тому
Spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime, spacetime! There you go. Enjoy the buzz, and have a great day!
@posthocprior 4 місяці тому
If you don't know, four pi's, arranged using common arithmetic functions, can be arranged into any n, where n is a real number. This then means that a Bayesian analysis can be used to find all combination of arithmetic functions, which is represented as the prior, that equal the posterior of 1/137. A probability density function can then be constructed to find the likelihood of any random combination of arithmetic functions, which use 4 pi as the denominator, to equal 1/137. An intuitive guess: it's much higher than 1/137. In other words, our perceptions of the likelihood of randomly getting 1/137 is skewing our perceptions of the likelihood of actually getting 1/137 in most physical cases, which use 4 pi as a denominator.
@mhoop1 7 місяців тому
It's a computational limit for the processor running the simulation or It's the observable error hidden in 3 dimensional limitations that is plain as day in the 4th dimension, once we know how to access it. or We only see it as a constant because of our fleeting existence; in geological/astrological time it is/has been/will be easily observed reaching that zero state and the end of existence; which you don't have to bother with when you have 4th dimension understanding and access. or It's the value that ties gravity to time; without it all gravity ~everywhere~ would act without limitation in a single instance to reach that zero state.
@pawe3039 Рік тому
Amazing content, as always! I can't really understand physics because I never suited it except for two semesters at uni, but even then it was taught in a similar way - very entertaining and inspiring! I'm really grateful that this channel exists.
@kirksneckchop7873 Рік тому
Putting the fine structure constant in a communication seems like a good way to make aliens think the message is just a natural fluke.. after all, it turns up everywhere and in strange places.
@olivernorth7418 Рік тому
It turns up everywhere in the ratios between values. It wouldn't make any sense at all for it to pop up encoded in binary in a transmission unless that transmission was sent by an intelligent species.
@matchesburn Рік тому
"Putting the fine structure constant in a communication seems like a good way to make aliens think the message is just a natural fluke.. after all, it turns up everywhere and in strange places" ...Radio waves also appear everywhere in nature. But if you received one showing you an imagine of a hydrogen atoms structure, you'd realize quite quickly that it's probably not a naturally-occurring source.
@silviafox78 Рік тому
@@olivernorth7418 - what if the aliens don't have the same binary meanings as us... what if our way of saying 137 in binary is the aliens' way of saying "731" in the same coding? This makes no sense!
@kettelbe Рік тому
Easier with the value of h2 i believe?
@ianhopcraft9894 Рік тому
@@matchesburn Unless the receiving aliens treated the signal source as occurring naturally through evolutionary processes. The aliens are as unlikely to share our natural/unnatural dichotomy as they are to use meters and seconds... just saying.. 🙂
@theoriaomnia6659 7 місяців тому
Existe-t-il une équation qui donne le résultat de la constante Alpha avec ses 13 décimales? Autre question d'un non-mathématicien, pourrait-on bricoler une formule simple qui donne ce résultat et que l'on pourrait utiliser dans une autre équation au lieu d'écrire toutes les décimales? En réalité j'ai réussis à écrire une telle formule mais je ne sais trop si cela existe déjà ou si cela pourrait avoir une quelconque valeur... Si quelqu'un avait la gentillesse de me répondre, cela serait très apprécié... Is there an equation that gives the result of the Alpha constant with its 13 decimal places? Another question from a non-mathematician, could we cobble together a simple formula that gives this result that we could use in another equation instead of writing all the decimals? In fact I managed to write such a formula but I'm not sure if it already exists or if it could have any value... If someone would be kind enough to answer me, it would be very appreciated...
@coorisnarmc2039 5 місяців тому
1/137 is a result of energy sources, both micro and macro. What you're missing, is resonance, or what we know as sound. 1/137 with maintain a wave that is perpetual at the right frequencies through all mediums, regardless of space/time. It's structure is dictated.
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