StarTalk @ NY Comic Con: It’s About Time! (Brian Greene & Neil deGrasse Tyson)

String Theory

String theory offers a fascinating lens through which to view the universe, particularly when considering the interplay between quantum physics and general relativity. Neil deGrasse Tyson and Brian Greene discuss how these two theories, which govern the small and the large respectively, come together in the context of string theory 1. This union is likened to a "shotgun marriage," highlighting the complexity and potential of string theory to bridge these fundamental aspects of physics. Greene explains the concept of curled dimensions, using the analogy of a flea on a tightrope to illustrate how dimensions can be both large and small, revealing hidden aspects of space 2.

Dimensions can be big and small. If a dimension's curled up like this circular dimension that's on a tightrope wire from a disadvantage point, you and I won't see it.

--- Brian Greene

This perspective opens up possibilities for understanding the universe in ways that transcend our usual perceptions.

   

Multiverse Theory

The concept of the multiverse challenges our understanding of reality by suggesting the existence of multiple, parallel universes. Neil deGrasse Tyson and Brian Greene explore the idea that these universes are governed by the same physical laws as our own, potentially connected through phenomena like wormholes 3. Greene explains that in the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, every possible outcome of a quantum event occurs in its own separate universe 4. This means that there could be countless versions of ourselves experiencing different realities simultaneously.

In one universe, Schrodinger's cat is alive, and in another universe, Schrodinger's cat is dead. So each of the outcomes happen. They just happen in different places.

--- Brian Greene

Such theories not only expand our understanding of the cosmos but also invite us to reconsider the nature of existence itself.