We're sunsetting PodQuest on 2025-07-28. Thank you for your support!
Export Podcast Subscriptions
cover of episode Singularities Are Hard to Kill

Singularities Are Hard to Kill

2025/6/10
logo of podcast Quanta Science Podcast

Quanta Science Podcast

AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
C
Charlie Wood
N
None
S
Samir Patel
Topics
Charlie Wood: 作为一名物理学作家,我一直在探索量子引力,试图调和广义相对论和量子力学这两大理论。广义相对论完美地描述了时空,而量子理论则解释了物质的行为。然而,当我们试图将两者结合,尤其是在黑洞或宇宙大爆炸等极端条件下,就会遇到奇点问题,即现有理论失效,数学上出现无限大的结果。我与Samir讨论了解决这些奇点的各种尝试,包括彭罗斯、沃尔和布索等人的工作,他们试图在模型中引入量子效应,但奇点仍然存在。我认为,这可能意味着我们需要彻底改变对时空的理解,甚至接受奇点作为现实的一部分,并寻找新的理论框架来描述这些现象。 Samir Patel: 作为Quanta杂志的主编,我经常接触到关于量子引力的讨论。我与Charlie讨论了奇点问题,以及物理学家们如何努力调和广义相对论和量子力学。我们探讨了奇点在黑洞和宇宙大爆炸中的作用,以及解决这些奇点的各种尝试。我理解奇点是现有理论的崩溃点,它可能预示着我们需要一种全新的物理学。虽然我们尚未找到量子引力理论,但我相信通过不断探索和提出新的问题,我们终将能够理解宇宙的本质。

Deep Dive

Chapters
The biggest mystery in physics is the incompatibility between general relativity and quantum mechanics. General relativity describes gravity and spacetime, while quantum mechanics describes matter at the atomic and subatomic levels. The incompatibility becomes especially apparent at singularities, such as the Big Bang and black hole centers.
  • General relativity describes gravity and spacetime.
  • Quantum mechanics explains atomic and subatomic particles.
  • The two theories don't agree mathematically.
  • Singularities occur when the theories break down.

Shownotes Transcript

Black hole and Big Bang singularities break our best theory of gravity. A trilogy of theorems hints that physicists must go to the ends of space and time to find a fix.

This is the fourth episode of The Quanta Podcast. In each episode, Quanta Magazine editor in chief Samir Patel speaks with the minds behind the award-winning publication to navigate through some of the most important and mind-expanding questions in science and math.