Duration 13:58

Have we reached the end of physics | Harry Cliff

by TED
649 691 watched
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11 K
Published 2016/01/26

Why is there something rather than nothing? Why does so much interesting stuff exist in the universe? Particle physicist Harry Cliff works on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, and he has some potentially bad news for people who seek answers to these questions. Despite the best efforts of scientists (and the help of the biggest machine on the planet), we may never be able to explain all the weird features of nature. Is this the end of physics? Learn more in this fascinating talk about the latest research into the secret structure of the universe. TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more. Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at http://www.ted.com/translate Follow TED news on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tednews Like TED on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: /user/TEDtalksDirector

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Comments - 1111
  • @
    @KokoRickyمنذ 8 سنوات People were declaring the end of physics just a few decades before quantum mechanics was theorized. 830
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    @GGWalaceمنذ 8 سنوات i like how them scientists work.
    Bob: Did the detector find anything new from?
    Steve: No.
    Bob: Crank up the power and smash the particle twice as hard.
    158
  • @
    @shkotayd9749منذ 8 سنوات Every time that gets claimed, we discover new things and then new horizons.
    Eventually we may get to a point where more is to be discovered, but id="hidden2" class="buttons"> we cant see it. So I guess eventually yes. But not yet. Geniuses work at it every day and make new advances.
    ....وسعت 212
  • @
    @andy4anمنذ 8 سنوات have we reached the end of TED talks misnaming their videos?
    no.
    no we haven't.
    43
  • @
    @HolyGwakamoleyمنذ 8 سنوات I was never good in physics but it was one of my favourite subjects in school. So crazy and amazing how life and our mother earth is made. So many questions to answer.. 14
  • @
    @djgrubyمنذ 8 سنوات Fantastic talk! One of the best TED talks ever (if not the best)! 6
  • @
    @charvakpatel962منذ 8 سنوات Anything seems unsolvable until it is solved. 204
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    @joonhopark6693منذ 8 سنوات I spent good chunk of my life dealing with measurement and application of radiation using various detectors of varying complexity. The question I have id="hidden4" class="buttons"> for the whole LHC experimental setup is how to measure such high energy particles of no charge using our atomic(electron) level based instruments. Aren't we already at the limit of possible observables? As a student of quantum mechanics way back, I felt the whole theory just wasn't very convincing being taught from the pure theoretical physics perspective. So I went and joined nuclear engineers to see if "God plays Dice( this was a popular question back in my days)." Well, after grinding through all the actual imperical data and vigorous application of atomic models, I realized that Quantum mechanics isn't really a mechanics at all, it was just what we had to do to describe what we are observing. In fact, classical understanding of particle interaction works fine, we just had no way of deterministically perform or devise experiments that can give us a classical deterministic answer due to the limitations in our way of observing/measuring, which I emphasize once again, limited to the level of atoms and electrons. We use "electronics" to measure and perform computations!!! Anyways, I rambled on long enough. h_bar (plank's constant/2*pi) sort of gives you an idea of the level at which we can push the limits of our observable capability. Unless, we somehow learn to work with (figure out how to engineer) particles at much smaller scale, I don't think any of this is going to lead anywhere helpful. ....وسعت 4
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    @dickiemckayمنذ 8 سنوات Didn't know Mark Ronson was into physics! 17
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    @geobla6600منذ 7 سنوات It's refreshing to see such honesty in this field of science.
    To actually admit the magnitude of this lack of matter means to the Laws of Physics id="hidden5" class="buttons"> and to the Big bang Theory.
    There's an acknowledgement that the other laws or constants are also another insurmountable problem .
    I watched another Ted's Talk done by a different physicist involved with the research done at Hadron. His name was James Beacham and his approach was more on the typical side , which is to minimize the problem and present it as just a small setback.
    He went on to explain how the press got hold of some information that had accidentally (leaked out???) and how the media blew it out of proportion . Media will tend to do that when their told that. Of course he blames the media and not the 500 and some papers that were written by some of the scientists involved.
    He also mentioned that if they don't have success with the Hadron Collider, ( over 30 years to construct with 1000's of years of man hours and billions of dollars latter) we'll just have to wait until China builds even a larger one.
    Anyway , it's nice to see information presented as it should be honestly by scientists like Harry.
    ....وسعت
  • @
    @connorhilton3130منذ 7 سنوات
    IT SURROUNDS US IT PENETRATES US IT BINDS THE UNIVERSE TOGETHER
    6
  • @
    @prankmypantsمنذ 8 سنوات No of course not lol. The more you learn the more you realize the scope of understanding widens. 15
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    @geobla6600منذ 6 سنوات It's a pleasure to see this type of honest assessment made by a scientist directly involved
    with the research at the Hadron Collider. id="hidden6" class="buttons"> />You can see by some of the other comments prior to mine that theirs disappointment in
    both his assessment ( and over 500 other full time researchers and 1000's of part time researchers ) in the limited amount of matter that has been found.
    On a previous video made at the World Science Festival , the Lead Physicists in charge
    of the Cern Project was quite surprised at minimal findings up to that point.
    They can take about 600,000,000 readings per second and the equipment's power has been significantly updated twice.
    This creates a real problem for all the theories on the origins of the universe other then
    possible the multiverse which very few scientists think has any merit.
    But no need for concern. Most people have forgotten the multitude and magnitude of the
    claims which were made over a decade leading up the largest science project in the history of science.
    I'm sure that many of the claims that were made were sincere . That Hadron Collider
    would answer how nothing was the cause that caused nothing to then become everything,
    as well as creating the Four Fundamental Forces ( two he mentioned) with each of these mathematically impossible.
    Harry deserves a pat on the back for his truthful presentation. Any person with an honest interest can read the articles in many of the scientific journals to the same effect , but with some optimism , researchers are looking at new theories.
    Sure we might have to throw out most of the theories that were conceived thru millions of hours of research over the last 100 years , the same ones that were argued more as fact then a thesis . Not to worry , many physicists and other scientists try not mention these
    constants and laws that govern the universe that totally fail so many of their theories.
    ....وسعت
  • @
    @Shemratovمنذ 8 سنوات Man I do hope they find something..
    This is a bit depressing
    31
  • @
    @JibinPhiliposeDGameRمنذ 8 سنوات Nice video with perfect title awesome upload thanks a ton ted
  • @
    @salmanmughal2763منذ 4 سنوات This Physicist is awsm. He is talking as he is so excited Like he is reading from a book
    What a talk !
    I love it
  • @
    @vhsjpdfgمنذ 8 سنوات I am so glad he uses the term "unified theory" instead of the faux popsci "theory of everything" 22
  • @
    @svankensenمنذ 8 سنوات This conference could have been 5 seconds long:
    "Have we reached the end of physics?" "No."
    30
  • @
    @camrnjurenaمنذ 8 سنوات This makes me feel like the people before quantum mechanics. I feel like we're on the verge of something new an amazing. 1
  • @
    @user-gs5uw5cz4fمنذ 6 سنوات Thank you for showing me this video. I am happy to watch this video.
  • @
    @blaugranistoمنذ 4 سنوات I like his lectures, I still don't understand a thing about quantum mechanics but I addicted or entangled to it for some reason!
  • @
    @fuxyews2177منذ 8 سنوات The video specifically focuses on the answer to one question, not physics as a whole 48
  • @
    @srimansriniمنذ 8 سنوات In this fascinating talk, Particle Physicist Harry Cliff gives his pragmatic views about the 'limitations of science" and science can't give id="hidden7" class="buttons"> answers to everything in the Universe or about the Universe. The talk concludes with an interview and that also very nicely done. Highly recommended for the students of science, teachers and those who interested in the topic of Universe. ....وسعت
  • @
    @DimitriosMichmizosمنذ 8 سنوات It is not the End. It is the Edge.
    And touching the Edge is always exciting.
    Because there is always more.
    And because we have absolutely no idea what lies beyond.
    (Great talk, by the way!)
  • @
    @marksilla8276منذ 7 سنوات So.. No. Thank s for getting my hopes up. 8
  • @
    @George4943منذ 8 سنوات I invoke the Axiom of Experience!*
    Every time the assertion "We have reached the End of Physics" has been made before it was wrong. id="hidden9" class="buttons">
    ___
    *The future will be like the past because in the past the then future was like the then past.
    ....وسعت 6
  • @
    @zorankristooمنذ 8 سنوات Gravitational waves came out :D Start of the new physics :D 5
  • @
    @MW3hahaمنذ 8 سنوات That is one smart dude! I'd love to have a beer with him 1
  • @
    @nsfa19منذ 8 سنوات I truly hope Physics will be able to find something out of it all and continue on its journey because if not now I know it will be explained some time in the future but I want to be here and alive to see that happening.
  • @
    @larryfarmer5332منذ 8 سنوات the best explanation of this I I've ever heard.
  • @
    @tommcgraw5438منذ 8 سنوات This is from a while ago. Apparently 2 new particles were discovered but not put into a formal paper yet because the scientists "Wanted to be absolutely sure" 4
  • @
    @jamesberry4514منذ 5 سنوات Anyone who wants a summation of what is known about the universe, as opposed to possible theories, should listen to this guy.
  • @
    @nikokoro5862منذ 5 سنوات Wait a second. DiD YoU jUsT sAy MiCrO bLaCk HoLeS?
    This must be the work of the organization!!!
    El Psy Kongroo
    6
  • @
    @MichaelHartoمنذ 8 سنوات the fact that this guy didn't use a belt really bugs me to no end. 24
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    @challengegravityمنذ 8 سنوات I wouldn't presume that a slight difference would mean the end of any atomic structure, just the ones we know. I'm no physicist, but wouldn't id="hidden13" class="buttons"> a variance in the Higgs Field result in an entirely new universe? Perhaps a different periodic table? Perhaps not even atoms, and instead another structure for energy / mass. ....وسعت 1
  • @
    @eddenz1356منذ 8 سنوات We progress in physics stopped today I'd already be awed, amazed and infinitely grateful we apes came to understand it as well as we have. It seems id="hidden14" class="buttons"> highly unlikely we will ever achieve some sort of complete fundamental understanding of it. Why would we ever expect that in the first place? But I think it's equally unlikely we've gone as far as we are capable of.
    I think there's lots of surprises ahead.
    Btw since this TED the LHC may have detected a new particle beyond the Higgs in the data. ( so there you go!)
    ....وسعت
  • @
    @naym2268منذ 8 سنوات I feel like the idea that we couldn't do something has been said many times before in science, it may seem impossible with our current understanding id="hidden15" class="buttons"> but in 50, 100, 200+ years it might be possible to detect other universes, or not. I really wish i could live to see it happen. ....وسعت
  • @
    @adamtek909منذ 4 سنوات Four years passed. Are there any news related to this since then?
  • @
    @ductuslupus87منذ 8 سنوات Mr. Cliff seems goes a bit German when he says universe. 8
  • @
    @kakae4439منذ 7 سنوات I had to make a ringtone out of yuffie's victory chant
  • @
    @erikrisele985منذ 8 سنوات Is there not a good chance that a new particle has been discovered at the LHC that will upset the standard model. I believe they are at around 1.6 sigma or something like that.
  • @
    @Czeckieمنذ 8 سنوات there's much more physics than the quest for theory of everything 1
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    @kadourimdou43منذ 8 سنوات Wasn't there that tale where Sir Stanley Eddington,I think it was, said,All that remains is more measuring.Apart from to clouds on the horizon. They id="hidden17" class="buttons"> were QM and GR.
    Is this not similar,a bit early to say it's the end,we have only got up to 13Tev colliders.
    ....وسعت
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    @dockjordanمنذ 6 سنوات What if we subtract the total mass energy in known space from that theoretical large number.would the difference result in a constant that makes more id="hidden18" class="buttons"> sense. Because Mass exists in the vaccumm and isn't removed from the total dark energy calc.I also am just vaguely familiar so hoping someone smarter than I has already tried this ....وسعت
  • @
    @DjonnyKrajkatoaSimataIrMscمنذ 6 سنوات It surely give a new meaning to everything in life
  • @
    @andy4anمنذ 8 سنوات "have we reached the end of what we can learn about physics with our current tools?" would be a better name. 1
  • @
    @RVGENominiمنذ 7 سنوات A month later (feb 2016) the discovery of gravitational waves at LIGO is announced. Good job, guy. 1
  • @
    @xapemanxمنذ 8 سنوات I wasn't paying attention i gotta watch it again
  • @
    @Derpster2493منذ 8 سنوات The end of physics will happe three o'clock in 2037. 174
  • @
    @TeamNarlyInc1منذ 8 سنوات I presume he hasn't considered that the question of why we have something rather than nothing is more philosophical than physically important. Prof. id="hidden19" class="buttons"> Lawrence Krauss, in his book "A universe from nothing" which I highly recommend; addresses this question and argues the plausibility of a universe from nothing, laying down fundamental but indeed theoretical basis for his argument quite impressively. His book by the way got criticized by philosophers claiming his concept of nothing wasn't valid, they therefore considered he didn't really answer the question; why we have something rather than nothing. They completely missed the argument though! Prof. Krauss made the whole situation plausible! That in itself is great progress! ....وسعت
  • @
    @shainRylieمنذ 8 سنوات great Ted talk. I don't normally comment but this guy just simplified quantum mechanics and string theory. he deserves a comment
  • @
    @zeromailssمنذ 8 سنوات thank you for summarising what I learn these past half a year in few minutes.
    cant wait for 2020,if we cant find anything new by then, then we might be in trouble, but I doubt
  • @
    @stcrussmanمنذ 8 سنوات That light switch metaphor physically hurt me.
  • @
    @tomhaslingمنذ 8 سنوات Acceleration of expansion, dark energy, dark matter, multiverses, conditions prior to big bang, physics internal to blackholes, gravitational waves, and on and on. We are nowhere near the 'end' of physics. 6
  • @
    @ndromedaGalaxyمنذ 5 سنوات More we learn how to bypass the dark veil more we all become geniuses 2
  • @
    @aleksandersuur9475منذ 7 سنوات Hmmzz.. if I could only remember the exact quote, but it was from one of the important figures at the start of the scientific revolution, it was something id="hidden22" class="buttons"> like "mysteries of life are infinitely beyond the understanding of men", that was a little bit before he got his hands on a microscope. ....وسعت
  • @
    @BSmitty4rm8Fittyمنذ 8 سنوات People calling this clickbait but I have a feeling its because of their particular worldview. That being said, for our generation, we may be nearing the id="hidden23" class="buttons"> end of physics as far as our capability goes. Should we give up? No, but we should refine our work thus far so that maybe future generations can pick up where we left off. But I truly think some people are upset about this video because it proves that there are certain questions science will never be able to prove. Such as why were are here, how we got here (consensus on the origin of life, not just human but the first living cell) and the element of eternity whether that be an eternal higher being or space and time itself being eternal. Both are concepts that we can't even begin to imagine ....وسعت 2
  • @
    @gimpdoctor8362منذ 8 سنوات no.
    there, I saved you 13 minutes
    121
  • @
    @falahatiمنذ 8 سنوات Now thats what I can call a better intro
  • @
    @Zannypants666منذ 8 سنوات Since the beginning of time we always get to a point where we think we've discovered everything we can. Then 10 years later we discover something entirely new.
  • @
    @Rico-Suave_منذ 4 سنوات Amazing, science is awesome, please refrain from using “fine tuning “
  • @
    @adityasharma4040منذ 7 سنوات In one of the video of Brian Green, he describe the ways to find multi verse,
    and super symmetry, parallel universe, large extra dimensions does sound super cool and sexy.
  • @
    @bibongboi1161منذ 7 سنوات Why didn't he mention the "Big-Rip" scenario?
  • @
    @vladolevatمنذ 8 سنوات this is very interesting but dont let it pull you away from the fact that the golden state warriors blew a 3:1 lead 34
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    @moosefactory133منذ 5 سنوات Seems like the more scientist discover about the matter and energy, the more questions it raises
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    @sinebarمنذ 4 سنوات I think they should start looking at the possibility that some type of particles could be locked up in spacetime itself. Maybe that's where these new particle they are looking for are hidden.
  • @
    @BULLTRONHEROمنذ 8 سنوات So it sounds like the value of the Higgs-Boson field is like the numbers of a radio station. Static/nothing everywhere else but that one value.
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    @kilgoretrout2878منذ 8 سنوات was this before the discovery of gravitational waves?
  • @
    @wmjessemillerمنذ 8 سنوات too bad they canceled the even larger one planned on being built Texas 6
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    @UselessPppمنذ 7 سنوات I once ingested large quantities of LSD and it gave me a firsthand perspective of infinity in a sense of a smaller infinity within a larger one, which id="hidden27" class="buttons"> resonates a lot with this physicists problem. My advice is to stop focusing on the big picture, for it holds nothing useful at the moment, and continue focusing on truly understanding what you already know. Only then will you ever be able to comprehend what is seemingly incomprehensible, and you will understand that we're closer to the beginning then we are to the end, for the end doesn't exist. It's time to focus on quantum computing, let the machines do the job for you, and try to keep up, and once you understand, you'll see the predicament I'm going through constantly. You will see the wisdom in something we label as spirituality whilst its just understanding without knowing. You'll just see them as people with connections without the information to go with it.
    I'm aware most of this makes no sense whatsoever to an inexperienced perspective, but I'm getting better at explaining what I already understand daily.
    What this physicist says is true, there's a lot more universes with nothing rather then something, but the amount of universes finely tuned, as he puts it, is still infinite (hence the smaller and greater infinities).
    Don't forget we're just animals without the information that was collected for us. I personally find myself embarrassed knowing just how fragile I could have been if my situation was any different. Let me put things in perspective; An infant child has no information in their brains other then what they recieved through their DNA. That means a lot of things, but first and foremost, it means no words. Don't get me wrong, you'd still think, but selfawareness and progress in the improvement of your thinking capabilities would be vastly reduced, for using information would be greatly limited. It still is, but its more limited by words then anything else. Why do you think physicists use math rather than words when tackling the unknown? I personally don't use math, psychedelics taught me how to think without words or math, but by using mere patterns (for a lack of better words). Not strictly visual or auditive imaginations, so to speak, but more. I have yet to find a way to explain myself properly on this one.
    Every decision you ever made was an illusion of sorts. From the tinyest ones, such as looking left while waiting for your coffee at starbucks, turning your head away from the wind while walking home, scratching that itch on your knee, trimming your toenails or finishing your meal even tho you're full. Even the big ones, such as picking careers or marriage or whatever your mind can think of. All those decisions are what you see as control. You define yourself based on them. Well let me tell you you're wrong. You do both, or rather you do and you don't do. When you follow every decision you ever made back to its core, its always a simple yes or no. Both paths happen, but subjectively, you only choose one. Thats as far as control goes, but belive me that eventually you'll follow the other one aswell.
    I am a prisoner of my own mind, altho that's just how i'm percieving it at the moment. To be honest I have no idea why I'm writing this down, it's not my usual drift. I tend to keep my info for myself. I guess I've been given so much I'm starting to see the beauty in it. (not talking material things obv.) Someone out there probably needs this to push through their problem, or maybe not. Or both.
    Forget living in the moment, if you're keeping up with this, you've done enough of that as it is. Life can be like a chess game. True control lies in knowing your next few moves and branching them out. By understanding you can tailor your own decisions to get you to where you want to be. Rather than a passenger you can be the driver.
    ----
    No two things can occupy the same space at the same time (it goes something like that). Wrap your mind around that. Who's to say you're not it. Altho thats farfetched, considering I don't think of myself the same i was a year ago. But there's levels (or layers) to that. I'm talking about the core, no information, no ties. Just perspective as it is.
    It's very difficult putting all of this into words, especially considering english isn't even my first language.
    Thats as much as I feel like sharing today, for all this takes away from my humanity and I have to keep the bullshit going in order to survive by the path of least resistance in my surroundings (but not for long). No amount of knowledge will tear you out of the perspective you're in, only death will, briefly. (This paragraph was actually 4 paragraphs above but i find it more fitting on the bottom)
    The easy way may be easy, but the difficult one builds character.
    ....وسعت
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    @fehmeh6292منذ 6 سنوات "They didn't like me. They did not like me because how I sat at the piano, and how I stood after I stood up from playing the piano." 1
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    @filipveber6474منذ 8 سنوات i have only one word for you - googolplex
  • @
    @QualeQualesonمنذ 7 سنوات The hints of a multiverse is also the hints of a grand design. Let's not forget that part.
  • @
    @squidwardsnutsack6624منذ 7 سنوات "Hello, Physics? Can I get uhhhhhh fundamental matter?"
    "*Physics machine broke*"
  • @
    @ticiamusicمنذ 8 سنوات The question of why there is something rather than nothing has a simple answer. If there was ever "nothing" or non existence, then there would id="hidden28" class="buttons"> never be existence of anything, because you can't get 1 from 0. Since things exist, they must have always existed, so existence of time and space is infinite. Trying to understand fixed mathematical equations is futile when you have infinite numbers. There is nothing finely tuned about the universe, it simply exists and is infinite, so trying to use numbers to quantify the existence of dark energy or anything else is pointless. It will never make sense because space-time is not a constant fixed value. Infinity renders numbers irrelevant, as the only number that exists is 1. 0 doesn't exist. ....وسعت 4
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    @geobla6600منذ 6 سنوات That's an unexpected and honest evaluation of the data that still applies today.
    The largest and most expensive apparatus ever built and, the id="hidden29" class="buttons"> answer to the origins of
    the universe has done nothing to support the theory.
    In fact the evidence or lack of has shown the implausibility of the theory.
    But not to worry , there are some scientists that arn't deterred by the complete failure
    of most of the theories on the origins of the universe and are diligently looking
    at new areas to focus their research.
    I,m sure it will be something along the multi-universe , another explanation to
    answer the insurmountable improbabilities that are required for the origin of
    the universe and for live to have evolved,
    ....وسعت
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    @vpr1422منذ 7 سنوات I think, we evolved to experience this universe as a goldie-locks one, maybe in another universe, where atoms can't form, maybe other kind of structures id="hidden30" class="buttons"> can, and inhabitants of that universe could think they live in a goldie-locks universe because if atoms formed there everything would be f'd up. ....وسعت 1
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    @breannathompson9094منذ 8 سنوات I laughed when I read the title. It's not the end, yet. We are pretty far, I guess in retrospect, but there is much more.
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    @darwn977منذ 8 سنوات I like the honesty of scientists. Even if I'm not that deep in to physics to agree or disagree with this I admire his capability of saying we might id="hidden31" class="buttons"> not know. Now contrast that with religions that can never say as a simple a statement as 'we don't know.'
    We don't know is the greatest sentence and the most hounrable and honest sometimes.
    ....وسعت 11
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    @infinitebirchمنذ 8 سنوات There seems to be some idea about how to potentially test the multiverse theory: . 2
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    @Skinnymarksمنذ 8 سنوات What if the LCH Maxes out the resolution of the universe and causes lag. and some people who's consciousness isn't limited to one universe notice the lag and it really fucks with their day.
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    @oppanheimerمنذ 7 سنوات His statement at the end "Why is there something rather than nothing?" Do we have an understanding of "nothing"?