Do you think its possible we are living in a holographic universe?

[Deleted member 848]

The De Broglie relation; Wavelength = Planck's constant/Momentum

It applies to everything, not just particles. For example a car weighing 1000kg travelling at 100km/hr per second will have a wavelength of (6.626*10^-34)/((1000)(360))

That equals 1.8*10^-39 m! Which is very very small, and beyond the ability of any technology to measure. But it exists in that way nonetheless.

Right! De Broglie. That's what it was. I remember finding that cool when I first came across it.

 

[Siro]

Or in other words, when we observe it. So essentially it only exists as a particle when it is observed. Otherwise its a wave of information. Thats whats so interesting. The universe only seems to exists in particle form when life acknowledges that it is there. Otherwise it is an information field carrying infinite amounts of information waves.

That is some pretty spooky stuff.

Did I explain it in a correct way Siro? Obviously electromagnetism is in there somewhere giving the physical feel to "reality".

A particle doesn't need to be observed by a human eye for the wave function to collapse. Typically, computer connected equipment will measure a particle, and the computer will inform you of the measurement. Our brain simply allows us to recognize the measurement of the event.

I don't do mystic musings about consciousness caused collapse or any of that stuff. I'd like to keep the conversation grounded in what is known and understood.

 

[Hotdog]

Learning about this in physics right now! I'll be getting my bachelors in physics and PhD in astrophysics. So hopefully I'm at the forefront of studying this kind of stuff.

Do you think you will make good money right out of school? What kind of jobs will you do?

 

[Siro]

Actually been thinking about doing that lately. Hard to go full time though because of life obligations. Would just love to win a million bucks and go back to school on it. Would be awesome.

Have you studied this subject quite a bit?

I just love this era of science we are in. Seems as though the possibilities are endless and we are figuring out that science fiction isn't so much fiction anymore. Its very exciting.

It's what I studied at school. And yes, we are in an amazing era indeed.

 

[Bawse Dawg]

Do you think you will make good money right out of school? What kind of jobs will you do?

Astronomer is my dream job, I know they make good money. Haven't been too worried about jobs yet because a physics degree is always going to be valuable no matter what, and I have zero family plans right now so making $80k right out of college isn't a need. I also haven't even got my associates degree yet, so plenty of time to figure it all out.

 

[Hotdog]

A particle doesn't need to be observed by a human eye for the wave function to collapse. Typically, computer connected equipment will measure a particle, and the computer will inform you of the measurement. Our brain simply allows us to recognize the measurement of the event.

I don't do mystic musings about consciousness caused collapse or any of that stuff. I'd like to keep the conversation grounded in what is known and understood.

Does that mean you dont like to theorize what the implications of all this means? I thought thats what made it fun?

 

[Siro]

Does that mean you dont like to theorize what the implications of all this means? I thought thats what made it fun?

You don't know enough to pick an interpretation, and theories should be rigorous and include all known evidence, if possible. Don't just believe in something because it sounds good.

I'm also very hesitant to pick an interpretation myself, as I think it is better to just stick to the facts at hand. But if I HAD to pick one, it would definitely not include hidden variables, nor observer role, and probably no actual collapse of the function. So... multiverse it is.

 

[colton]

You don't know enough to pick an interpretation, and theories should be rigorous and include all known evidence, if possible. Don't just believe in something because it sounds good.

I'm also very hesitant to pick an interpretation myself, as I think it is better to just stick to the facts at hand. But if I HAD to pick one, it would definitely not include hidden variables, nor observer role, and probably no actual collapse of the function. So... multiverse it is.

Personally I think the multiverse explanation is exceedingly lame. It takes away our freedom of choice and the consequences of actions, which I firmly believe in--both for religious reasons as well as from the evidence of my own experience. Conversely, there's absolutely no evidence for a multiverse. There's also no current evidence for, say, string theory--but string theory at least holds the promise of one day being able to produce verifiable or falsifiable predictions. The multiverse theory does not. In my opinion it's not science, it's philosophy.

Sorry for the mini-rant.

 

[colton]

Are you familiar the double slit experiment, and the quantum wave function?


Just curious if anyone else follows Physics and Quantum Mechanics.

Yes, that's what I do for a living.

The stuff is really mind blowing and interesting.

Glad you agree.

 

[colton]

Learning about this in physics right now! I'll be getting my bachelors in physics and PhD in astrophysics. So hopefully I'm at the forefront of studying this kind of stuff.

Cool! But actually astrophysics doesn't typically use much quantum mechanics. Well, depends a lot on the type of astrophysics, anyway.

Good luck with your degree plans. I realize you're just starting out in your undergrad program, so you may well change your mind before it comes to grad school, but let me give you my universal advice for anyone considering a PhD: be aware that getting a PhD takes a VERY LONG TIME. For physicists, the average time is 6 -6.5 years after a bachelor's degree. And then, depending on what job you're trying to get, there's a 2-3 year "post doc". And things are highly competitive all along the way. So I tell students to not even start unless you are certain that's what you REALLY want to do--whether it's because of the career you want, or because you just can't help wanting to learn more.

 

[Deleted member 848]

Cool! But actually astrophysics doesn't typically use much quantum mechanics. Well, depends a lot on the type of astrophysics, anyway.

Good luck with your degree plans. I realize you're just starting out in your undergrad program, so you may well change your mind before it comes to grad school, but let me give you my universal advice for anyone considering a PhD: be aware that getting a PhD takes a VERY LONG TIME. For physicists, the average time is 6 -6.5 years after a bachelor's degree. And then, depending on what job you're trying to get, there's a 2-3 year "post doc". And things are highly competitive all along the way. So I tell students to not even start unless you are certain that's what you REALLY want to do--whether it's because of the career you want, or because you just can't help wanting to learn more.

To echo these sentiments, I would suggest getting involved as a volunteer, or a summer-student in an astrophysics lab, or any physics lab in general. You'll be working with post-docs, PhD students, people who already have their PhDs (and maybe are tenured professors)-- and get some great insight as to what their job is really like.


I really thought I was going to go for getting a PhD in either Genetics, or Cell Biology in the beginning of my undergrad. I now have been involved with a Prostate Cancer research lab (also a really cool field of science, I must say) for about a year and a half-- and I've realized that I strongly dislike it. I really enjoy some aspects of research, but I am far too restless for the meat and potatoes of it. It takes a lot of skills that don't really match my skill set, so I decided to set my sights elsewhere.



Tl;dr Had I not volunteered, and been a summer-student in a research lab, it would have taken my 6+ years of schooling to ever enter a lab-- only to realize that I hate it, and determine that I'm better off changing career plans.

So try and email a prof in your area running a physics lab, and ask him if you can get involved in it in some sort of way.

 

[Dr. Jones]

This thread is entirely fascinating in an I-don't-get-it kinda way.

Keep it up.