Imagine you woke up one morning to find that the rules governing the universe had completely changed. Gone were the classical laws of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein in which everything behaves predictably. Instead, people randomly pop in and out of existence. Each time you make a decision, every possible outcome takes place. And objects on one side of the universe can affect objects billions of miles away instantaneously as if space, the stuff that separates them, no longer exists.
While this seems pretty wacky, physicists in the early 20th century discovered that the subatomic world is governed by a very strange set of laws called quantum mechanics--laws that make these tiny particles act in seriously peculiar ways. Turns out that our everyday experience is masking a weird, wondrous subatomic realm that is far stranger than anyone expected.
"The Fabric of the Cosmos," based on Brian Greene's bestselling book and the sequel of sorts to NOVA's award-winning "The Elegant Universe," aims to answer some of the most mind-boggling questions about space and time, but it will also dive deep in to the land of quantum mechanics.
Recently the "Quantum" hour production team, headed up by producer Josh Rosen of Spine Films, took off for the bowling alley to explain how this bizarre quantum world works...
So what does quantum mechanics have to do with bowling?
Brian Greene on set for NOVA's upcoming series "The Fabric of the Cosmos." Photo by Jonathan Sahula.
While this seems pretty wacky, physicists in the early 20th century discovered that the subatomic world is governed by a very strange set of laws called quantum mechanics--laws that make these tiny particles act in seriously peculiar ways. Turns out that our everyday experience is masking a weird, wondrous subatomic realm that is far stranger than anyone expected.
"The Fabric of the Cosmos," based on Brian Greene's bestselling book and the sequel of sorts to NOVA's award-winning "The Elegant Universe," aims to answer some of the most mind-boggling questions about space and time, but it will also dive deep in to the land of quantum mechanics.
Recently the "Quantum" hour production team, headed up by producer Josh Rosen of Spine Films, took off for the bowling alley to explain how this bizarre quantum world works...
So what does quantum mechanics have to do with bowling?
Brian Greene on set for NOVA's upcoming series "The Fabric of the Cosmos." Photo by Jonathan Sahula.
Well, not much on the surface. But, Brian used the location to simulate a famous experiment: the double-slit experiment.
Let's imagine that the bowling balls are subatomic particles, like electrons or photons for example. We'd expect that if we position a barrier with two slits in the middle of the lane and place a wall at the end of the lane in front of the pins, the bowling ball Brian rolls would go through one slit or the other and make one mark on the wall. But this isn't what happens in our surreal bowling alley. Instead the ball somehow interferes with itself and acts like a wave--it appears to be going through both slits at once!
Using bowling balls and special "electron" balls, Brian explains how matter behaves both like waves AND particles. It's a huge discovery that would fundamentally change the way we look at the universe.
So get ready to engage in some mind-bending physics, and come back to this blog for a continuing inside look into the making of "The Fabric of the Cosmos." In the mean time, read a recent interview Brian gave where he discusses the series on the "World Screen Magazine" website (flip to page 36).
Let's imagine that the bowling balls are subatomic particles, like electrons or photons for example. We'd expect that if we position a barrier with two slits in the middle of the lane and place a wall at the end of the lane in front of the pins, the bowling ball Brian rolls would go through one slit or the other and make one mark on the wall. But this isn't what happens in our surreal bowling alley. Instead the ball somehow interferes with itself and acts like a wave--it appears to be going through both slits at once!Using bowling balls and special "electron" balls, Brian explains how matter behaves both like waves AND particles. It's a huge discovery that would fundamentally change the way we look at the universe.
Photo by Anna Lee Strachan.
So get ready to engage in some mind-bending physics, and come back to this blog for a continuing inside look into the making of "The Fabric of the Cosmos." In the mean time, read a recent interview Brian gave where he discusses the series on the "World Screen Magazine" website (flip to page 36).
Josh Rosen behind the camera. Photo by Anna Lee Strachan.
Publicist Note: "Fabric of the Cosmos" hosted by Brian Greene will premiere on NOVA fall 2011
Publicist Note: "Fabric of the Cosmos" hosted by Brian Greene will premiere on NOVA fall 2011
June 17, 2010 7:26 PM
Hello Professor Greene!
I've been reading about quantum entanglements
and how it could be used in modern communications.
And this other thing, called a quantum dot,
and how they want to employ it in the quest to build the quantum computer.
I'm guessing by 2020 we will see the quantum computer and quatum communications, but what does all this quantum technology mean to me and how will this change our world?
I love your show!
good luck
June 26, 2010 2:50 AM
I'm a huge huge fan of Dr. Greene and his work. I can't wait to see this. You guys do a great job making it fun and interesting!
June 30, 2010 2:13 AM
Always wanted to learn more about the double-split experiment. I'm curious to see just how he uses the bowling balls to illustrate it.