1 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: Hey, Daniel, do you think humans will eventually discover all 2 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: of the deep secrets of the universe? I guess I 3 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 1: think it depends on what you know. It depends on 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: how curious future generations are. If the kids growing up 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: today are curious enough, who knows what they might discover. Well, 6 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: that's why I give my kids plenty of vitamin C 7 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: so they'll have a strong immune system to survive the 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,520 Speaker 1: next pandemic. Actually, I mean C for curiosity, so they're 9 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: not immune to amazing discovery as long as they don't 10 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: get a C in science. But see for catching it 11 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: all right, that's right. Hi am or Hey, I'm a 12 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: cartoonist and the career of PhD comments. Hi, I'm Daniel. 13 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,400 Speaker 1: I'm a particle physicist, and I'm super curious about what 14 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: our kids will discover. Welcome to our podcast, Daniel and 15 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: Jorge Explain the Universe, a production of I Heart Radio 16 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: in which we ride that curiosity wave. We take the 17 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: power of your curiosity and we take it all the 18 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: way to the end of the universe and look backwards. 19 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 1: We try to understand the very big the very small. 20 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 1: We ask all the questions from the littlest ones to 21 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,960 Speaker 1: the biggest ones, to the hardest ones, to the weirdest ones. Yeah, 22 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:31,959 Speaker 1: because it seems to be part of human nature to 23 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 1: ask questions, you know, to ask questions about their surroundings 24 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: and even about the universe. It seems like we're all 25 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: curious at some basic level, that's right. And sometimes we 26 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: want to know the way things work around us for 27 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: practical reasons like wow, how fast can that leopard run? 28 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: Am I faster than it? And sometimes we just want 29 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: to know. We want to understand the context of our lives, 30 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: how should we live, what does it mean, where do 31 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: we all come from. It's a deep seated need to 32 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: understand the universe around us, and it's translated into a 33 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: pretty impressive set of knowledge about the universe and how 34 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: it works. But it's also shown us how much we 35 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: still have to understand. Yeah, and it's not just scientists 36 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: who have curiosity. It's kind of everyday people, right, it's everybody. 37 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: When I talk to people about what I do from 38 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: my job, their eyes light up. Well, first they say physics, Man, 39 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: I did terrible of physics in high school. And then 40 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: they go, oh, wait a second, I want to note 41 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: the answer to that question. What is the universe made 42 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: out of her? Where did it come from? Everybody is curious, 43 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:33,679 Speaker 1: and on this show, we believe that wondering and curiosity 44 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: belongs to everybody. Nobody ever confuses you for a psychic 45 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: instead of a physics person. That's never happened, not even once. 46 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: They can read my mind, so they can tell that 47 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,359 Speaker 1: I can't read theirs. Well, today we have a very 48 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: special episode because we are announcing the release of our 49 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: television show. I don't know how many of you out 50 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: there follow us on social media on our Instagram and Twitter, 51 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: but Daniel and I have made a television show for kids. 52 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: That's right. It's the next step in our adventure of collaboration. 53 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: We started with online videos and then wrote a book 54 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: together and we've been doing this podcast and the next 55 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: step is this TV show which celebrates and supports curiosity, 56 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: especially scientific curiosity in children. Yeah, it's a show called 57 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: Eleanora Wonders Why, and it premiers this week on PPS 58 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: Kids dot org and on the PPS Kids app and 59 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: also on the pus Kids YouTube channel and also on 60 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: Amazon Prime if you have the ppous Kids subscription. It 61 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: will dig into the details of what that show is about. 62 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: But basically It's about a bunch of curious kids asking 63 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: questions about the world they find themselves in and figuring 64 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: out the answers for themselves. It's a project that Daniel 65 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: and I are super excited about. We've been working on 66 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: it for years, kind of on the background of this podcast. 67 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: We're super excited to share with you and with all 68 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: of the kids in your lives, whether they are nieces 69 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: and nephews or grandkids or kids. So, if you're a 70 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: fan of science and you're a curious person, and you'd 71 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: like your kids or your friends kids to grow up 72 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: with a scientific mindset and explore the universe and answer 73 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: some of these deep questions that we all have about 74 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: the universe, maybe give it a try share with them. 75 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: And So the show is called Eleanor Wonders Why, and 76 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: it's based on our kids. But specifically, the main character 77 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: is called Eleanor, and she's the bunny rabbit in this 78 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: world of the show, but she's based a little bit 79 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: on my daughter Eleanor. And so today, to celebrate the 80 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: release of the show, we thought it'd be cool to 81 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: answer some questions that Eleanor has about the universe. That's right. 82 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: We were hoping in this show to model the way 83 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: that we talk to our kids about science. We answer 84 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: their questions, we reflect their questions back to them, but 85 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: also to tap into that curiosity that kids have in 86 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: its raw form. And those of you who have curious kids, 87 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 1: and I know many of you have written into the 88 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: show and sent in their questions, know that their questions 89 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: are wonderful because they asked the deepest but most basic 90 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: questions about the universe around us. Yeah, and it sort 91 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: of seems like once they can to school, a lot 92 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 1: of that curiosity gets sort of ground away or beaten 93 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: down a little bit. I don't want to say anything 94 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: negative about school or teachers, because they're having a hard 95 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:15,040 Speaker 1: time these days, but it's true that that like joyful curiosity, 96 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,799 Speaker 1: that wondering about the universe, there isn't always a place 97 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: for that in your normal, everyday school curriculum. And so 98 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 1: we were hoping this TV show would help supplement that, 99 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: would help inject that wonder and that excitement about the 100 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: very biggest questions and also just the world around Yeah. 101 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: And so we have two questions here today from the 102 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: real Eleanor. And these are questions that she totally just 103 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: came up out of normal conversation, like we were just 104 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: folding laundry and suddenly she had these She gave me 105 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: these two big questions about the universe. And she always 106 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,039 Speaker 1: just like popping questions about the universe on you at 107 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: all times. Oh yes, did I mean? She inspired a 108 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: show called Eleanor Wonders Why. Those of you with curious 109 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: children will know what that's like. So we're happy to 110 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 1: answer Eleanor's questions today, and we hope that you and 111 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: or your kids have similar questions. Yeah, and if your 112 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: kid has questions about the universe, about planets, about Adams, 113 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: or anything related to science, please send them to us. 114 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: We'd be happy to try to answer them and maybe 115 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: even possibly answering them on the podcast. That's right, We 116 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: answer all of our listener questions, So write to us 117 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: with your questions. Two questions at Daniel and Jorge dot com. Alright, 118 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: Eleanor has two questions about nothing short of the entire universe, Daniel, 119 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: she has big thoughts. She's a little seven year old girl, 120 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: but somehow she had these questions about the universe, And honestly, 121 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: as a parent, I don't know where they where they 122 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 1: came from, Like I don't know what books she's reading, 123 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: what what videos are showing to her at school? But 124 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: she had these amazing questions about the universe. Clearly, you 125 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: have interacted with physicists too much, or she's thinking about 126 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 1: this maybe probably is there such a thing as too 127 00:06:54,120 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: much interaction with the obviously I think not. Alright, here's 128 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 1: Leonora's first question. Yes, E has two questions, one about 129 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: the multiverse and the other one about the shape of space. 130 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: How can I how can there be more than one 131 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: universe if the universe is probably infinite because I thought 132 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: the universe was everything that existed. That's a big question, though, 133 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: such as my brain, such a big question. I don't 134 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: even know how she knows about the multiverse, Like we 135 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: don't talk about it over dinner. Yeah. Well, and she 136 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: has the idea of the infinite universe, which is hard 137 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: enough for me to hold in my head. What do 138 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: you think she thinks of when she talks about infinity? Well, 139 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: that's a big question. I think I think she has 140 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 1: an understanding of like things that go on forever, like 141 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: they don't stop, you know, definitely they used in infinity 142 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: a lot, like you know, when they're When she's arguing 143 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: with her brother or something, you know, I want infinity 144 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: of these? Or how many cookies do want? For desert? Infinity? Infinity? 145 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: Yet it's definitely a concept she's familiar with. But what 146 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: do you think about her question? I think she's asking, 147 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: you know, how can there be more than one universe? 148 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: If the universe might be infinite? Like how, like where 149 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: are they? I think maybe she's sort of asking, like 150 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: where are these other universes if the universe is infinite? Yeah? 151 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: Or do you think she's gonna be just asking it 152 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: like a semantics question, like why how can you have 153 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: a universe and a multiverse? Wouldn't it it all just 154 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: be the universe? Yeah? Well, I think the answer there's 155 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: a scientific answer and a semantic answer there, because you know, originally, 156 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: I think the universe is designed to mean everything that 157 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: there is. It's just like, instead of saying the phrase 158 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 1: all the stuff and all of the space and all 159 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: the matter and everything, you want a more compact phrase, 160 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: and so we have universe. But then that sort of 161 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: came to define a set of ideas, and when you 162 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: want to expand on those ideas, then you need to 163 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: add a new word for a new meaning. So like 164 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: if universe is sort of semantically flexible and means like 165 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: our current understanding of everything that could possibly be. Then, yeah, 166 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: there's just one universe by definition. I guess you sort 167 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: of downgraded the definition of universe like youas mean everything. 168 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: But then because this were like maybe there's more to everything, 169 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: or where there's more everything everywhere else, and specifically we 170 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: had new ideas for how to get more everything or 171 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: where more everything could be, or in in other ways 172 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 1: you could have stuff, and so the sort of categorically 173 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: different kinds of stuff and places, and so that I 174 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: think is why we came up with a new word 175 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: for it. But maybe we should talk a little bit 176 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: about what it means to have more than one universe 177 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 1: or where that other stuff could be. Yeah, yeah, because 178 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: I think what's was sort of blowing her mind is 179 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: just this idea that there's everything and then there's other 180 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,079 Speaker 1: Everything's like where are they? Are they next to the 181 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,199 Speaker 1: other everything or are they on top? Or how does 182 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: that work? Yeah? And it's especially hard to understand if 183 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: the universe is infinite, because then how do you squeeze 184 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:00,319 Speaker 1: all that stuff together? Right? And when people we'll talk 185 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: about universe, they often mean different things and so sometimes 186 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: it's just semantics. And sometimes when people say the universe, 187 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: they really mean the observable universe, like the part of 188 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:13,439 Speaker 1: the universe that we can see, which goes out several 189 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: billions and billions of light years, right, And sometimes people 190 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: think of other universes as just like other observable universes. 191 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: If you're somewhere really, really far away, you would have 192 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: a different observable universe because you would see a different 193 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: like patch of the infinite universe. I think that's kind 194 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: of lame, because we already have a phrase for that 195 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 1: observable universe, sub universe. Yeah, exactly. It makes our observable 196 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: universe is like a sub universe of the whole universe. 197 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: So technically that's in the category of multiverse. Some people 198 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 1: call it multiverse, but I think it's sort of silly. 199 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 1: I think more interesting is this concept like that our 200 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: universe could be infinite and yet there could also be 201 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:57,839 Speaker 1: other universes, right yeah, because like, well, how do you 202 00:10:57,880 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: fit it all in? How do you fit it all 203 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: in exactly? And to fit it all in you have 204 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: to have like other kinds of space. Because remember that 205 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: what we think about is our universe is the space 206 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: we live in the space and all the matter and 207 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: and all that stuff, and that could go on forever, right, 208 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 1: But then also there could be variations on it. And 209 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: really the only way to reconcile having an infinite universe 210 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: and having multi verses is to go for the quantum multiverse, 211 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:28,439 Speaker 1: the one where our universe is splitting into different possibilities 212 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: at every moment. So this is the idea that every time, 213 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 1: like a particle makes a decision, another universe pops out. Yeah, 214 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: exactly is to try to answer the question like when 215 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 1: the universe makes a seemingly random decision for quantum mechanics, 216 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 1: why is it that one and not another one? When 217 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: the electron has to decide do I go left or 218 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: do I go right? Then you know, why is it 219 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 1: go left? It seems weird, It seems arbitrary. And as 220 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: you know, physicis don't like beings the same art jury. 221 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,439 Speaker 1: We want an explanation, kind of like chilled in right, 222 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: They always want to know why why can't I have 223 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: cookies at nine pm at night? What's what's going on? 224 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 1: The show is really called Physicists Wonder Why, But we 225 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: wanted to make a kid's ship. It seems arbitrary, then 226 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: it seems arbitrary. So we invent this other universe to say, well, 227 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: maybe it's balanced. You know, we're in the left direction, 228 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: but there's another universe where the electron went to the 229 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: right direction, and that somehow satisfies your need for symmetry, 230 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: for balance, to say that it's not just arbitrary that 231 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 1: it went left, because it went in every direction and 232 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: we just ended up in one of those right. And 233 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: the idea is that there weren't two universes before, but 234 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: once that particle makes a decision, whether it's been right 235 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: or it's been left, then now there are two universes. 236 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: So before there was one, now there are two. And 237 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: that happens every time a particle in all of existence 238 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: makes a decision. Yeah, and it's crazy, right, It's hard 239 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:54,559 Speaker 1: to imagine because there's ten to the eight particles and 240 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 1: they're doing stuff every you know, nanosecond or whatever, and 241 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:02,079 Speaker 1: so the number of universe it just becomes absurd very 242 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: very quickly. Plus the universe is billions of years old, 243 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: so like, how do you even fathom the number of 244 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: different universes in this scenario, It's like infinity to the 245 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:15,079 Speaker 1: infinity to the head explosion power. You know, it's just 246 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 1: it's just the number. We can't even really think about. 247 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: It's more cookies than even your kids could eat, even 248 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: at nine pm. Even at nine pm, they'll happily take 249 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:25,599 Speaker 1: the challenge. I'm sure you gotta take data right. You 250 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: can't just make assumptions. You've got to do the experiment. 251 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: Can put limits. Doesn't really answer her question right, like 252 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: say that that's true, say that's actually happening, that that's 253 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:39,440 Speaker 1: our reality. Then where are those other universes? You know, 254 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,079 Speaker 1: where are they in space? Right? And that's not easy 255 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 1: to answer. They're not really like anywhere. You know, we 256 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: have branched. We are in the left universe and not 257 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: in the right universe. It's not like the right universe 258 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: is one we can ever interact with. We can't like 259 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: send a message to that universe. We're not causally connected. 260 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: We're separated from that universe, so we can never interact 261 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 1: with it in any way. It can't influence us, we 262 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 1: can't send messages, it can't change us. So from our 263 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: point of view, it doesn't exist in our space at all. Well, 264 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: how do you know that, Daniel, I guess how do 265 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 1: you know there that there's no way that there we 266 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: can make a connection to them, because in sciences fection 267 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 1: you see it all the time, like spreaking the walls 268 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: between the different universes, and you can travel to a 269 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: different universe. Are you saying I saw this in a movie, 270 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: So how do you know it's not possible? Basically, I 271 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: also saw flying saucers and jet packs Daniel episode. We'll 272 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 1: get to those later. Well, it comes from the very 273 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 1: construction of the multiverse. Rights the multiverse. The other universe 274 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: is created when the universe splits, when you make a 275 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: different decision. So then our universe is inconsistent with that universe. 276 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: It's like a copy of our universe, but with a 277 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: different decisions. So the two have like the same history, 278 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: but now a different future. And so how did the 279 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: two even talk to each other? They have like an 280 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: inconsistent history for what has happened. It's like an alternative. 281 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: It's not like, you know, a different fork in the 282 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: path while I'll go left and you'll go right, and 283 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: maybe the paths will meet again. It's like you know, 284 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: once you decided to press the button, you can't unpressed 285 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: the button. All right? I think now I have a 286 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: lot of questions about this Daniel, and so let's get 287 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: into where these other universes might be. But first let's 288 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: take a quick break. All right, Today we're asking questions 289 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: from Eleanor, my daughter, who is also the inspiration for 290 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: our new kids television show called Eleanor Wonders Why, which 291 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: is all about getting kids interested and curious about nature 292 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: and all the amazing things in it, like animals and 293 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: bugs and lizards. Maybe mosquitoes actually came over from the 294 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: multiverse because I hate them so much, but I love nature. 295 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: Think they come from a dark, dark universe. I imagine, like, 296 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: who would suffer if we just deleted mosquitoes from the universe? Really, 297 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: nobody would be harm Can't we just all vote to 298 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: do that? You know, I think bads eat mosquitoes, Daniel, 299 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: so that would be bad news for bad, which, by 300 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: the way, is also a character in our show. So 301 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: Eleanor in the show is a bunny rabbit, and she 302 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: has two best friends, are a funny and very active 303 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: bad and also Olive, who who's an elephant. And all 304 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 1: of it's sort of based on your daughter, right, Daniel 305 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: Alive is partially inspired by my daughter, That's right, All 306 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: of the character in the show is a real reader 307 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 1: and likes words, and my daughter Hazel is like that. Yeah, 308 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: so she helped inspire us. And the curiosity of all 309 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: of our children and of all the children we've met 310 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: out there helped inspire us. I give sometimes lectures to 311 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: elementary schools about science, and my favorite bit is the 312 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: question period afterwards, when they ask any question they have 313 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: in their mind, and they're always like surprising, mind blowing, 314 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: and sometimes it's difficult to answer questions. Yeah, So if 315 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: you have young kids, or if you have friends with 316 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:04,640 Speaker 1: young kids or nieces or nephews or grandkids, we would 317 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: really encourage you to tell them about the show. It's 318 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:08,879 Speaker 1: called Eleanor Wonders Why, and it's available right now in 319 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 1: the US at PBS Kids dot org, slash Eleanor E 320 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: l I n O R and also the PBS Kids app, 321 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:18,120 Speaker 1: which you can download for free and watch all these 322 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: episodes for free. They're also available on the PBS Kids 323 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: YouTube channel and also on the Amazon Prime PBS Kids subscription. 324 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: Those you can put on repeat, which we hear a 325 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:34,840 Speaker 1: lot of parents are appreciative of. So today to celebrate that, 326 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: we are answering questions from Eleanor, the real Eleanor, and 327 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,439 Speaker 1: she had a question about the multiverse. So, Daniel, we 328 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: were talking about the multiverse. If the multiverse is real, 329 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:47,160 Speaker 1: where where are all these other universes at? So you're 330 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 1: saying we can't access them, we're not connected to them, 331 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: because it's more like we're different possibilities. Is that kind 332 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 1: of what what do you mean? It sounds very abstract, 333 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 1: like are you saying we're an abstraction in that theory 334 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: the multiverse where there's a different universe created every time 335 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: a quantum mechanical particle has to roll the dice, Then yes, 336 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,199 Speaker 1: we are just one of those many many many many 337 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: many many many to the many power universes. And so 338 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: two people in or creatures in one of those other multiverses, 339 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: we are that abstraction. And that's the part of this 340 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: theory that I don't really like because it tries to 341 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: answer this question of why are we in this universe 342 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: and not in another universe where other random decisions were made. 343 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 1: Doesn't like randomness and tries to answer that by saying 344 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: every random decision is made. But to me, it doesn't 345 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: really answer it, because you know, I'm in this universe 346 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: and not in any other one, and so it's it 347 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: goes back again to that question of consciousness, like why 348 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,919 Speaker 1: am I experiencing this universe and not those universes? So 349 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: to me philosophically, it's pretty unsatisfying. Plus, it's just hard 350 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,679 Speaker 1: to think about, like where are all those other universes? 351 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: Eleanois question is a great one. You know, how do 352 00:18:56,359 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: you have multiple infinite universes? Where are they? And you know, 353 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: the best way to think about it is that we 354 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 1: have an infinite pocket of space to play in here, 355 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: our universe, our quantum slice of the universe, and those 356 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 1: other ones they have their own inefinite pockets of space 357 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 1: to play with, but they're not connected to ours. The 358 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: only way to answer the question where is something is 359 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: to think about their physical relationships, you know, like where 360 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,239 Speaker 1: is your neighbor's house? It's next to yours, Because our 361 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:28,879 Speaker 1: brains are sort of hard wired to think about space 362 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: like that, right, like spatially, Well, that's what space is. Remember, 363 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:36,360 Speaker 1: there's no absolute locations anywhere. It's all relative. And so 364 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:40,439 Speaker 1: if there is no relative position between this universe and 365 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 1: the other universe, then you can't put them in any 366 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 1: space together. So they really have their own spaces. So 367 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: I think what you're saying is that I should tell 368 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: eleanor that Daniel doesn't know. Daniel definitely doesn't know if 369 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: those universes exist and if they do, where they are. 370 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 1: But I'm pretty sure that if they exist, we can 371 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: never talk to them or interact with them, or even 372 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: prove that they exist. And a lot of people say 373 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:07,879 Speaker 1: that makes this not a very scientific idea because if 374 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 1: you can't test it, how could you prove it's true. 375 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: And if you can't prove it's true, then it's really 376 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 1: just speculation and not even really science, right. Yeah, you 377 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: need to be able to formulate it, right, like as 378 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 1: a hypothesis, and be able to prove it or disproven 379 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 1: or a design a test to prove it or disprove it. Yeah, 380 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:26,400 Speaker 1: a lot of people like Carl Popper's theory of falsifiability, 381 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: that is an idea is not scientific if it's not falsifiable, 382 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: And then some people think that's garbage. But I just 383 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 1: feel like, how are you going to pick an idea, Like, sure, 384 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:37,160 Speaker 1: you have this idea of quantum ultiverse, somebody else has 385 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 1: another idea. If you have competing ideas, to me, the 386 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 1: way to pick between them is to do the experiment. 387 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:45,239 Speaker 1: That's what experimental science is about, is a way of 388 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: cornering nature into revealing what's happening by constructing a situation 389 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,159 Speaker 1: where different things happen based on the reality. You know, 390 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,400 Speaker 1: the experiment, that particle goes left if it's this way, 391 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:57,400 Speaker 1: or it goes right if it's that way and that way. 392 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: The universe gives you a clue. But if there's no 393 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,360 Speaker 1: way to interact with the rest of the multiverse, there's 394 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,360 Speaker 1: no way to prove it's there, then is it really there? 395 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,439 Speaker 1: And if it is, doesn't really matter all right, Well, 396 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: it sounds like the answer is we don't know, but 397 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: we may never get to these other universes. And also 398 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,440 Speaker 1: maybe the answer is a little bit like don't think 399 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: about it as these other universes being anywhere like on 400 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: top of us or next to us or below us, 401 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,479 Speaker 1: But think about it more like there's just sort of 402 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 1: like there as well as us, right, Like it's it's 403 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: just there. They're just they're just like we are here. 404 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: But even the word there implies a space. You're like, 405 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 1: they're over there. Well, I would say they are what 406 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,919 Speaker 1: they are and we are. Yeah, I would stop it 407 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: are not they are there? Just they are? They are? 408 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: We are they are? Where are there? We don't know? 409 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: All right, well, awesome question. We also have another question 410 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 1: from Eleanor here we're going to try to answer, and 411 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: it's about the shape of space that's hard to shape 412 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: and event like, oh, a giant wall that is like 413 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: curves and you can't come out of it. Alright, awesome questions. 414 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 1: She's asking about what the shape of space is, and 415 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: if it has the shape, what's at the edges of it? Like, 416 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: if if it has the shape, it must have an end, 417 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:20,440 Speaker 1: and so what's at the end. Is it a curved wall, 418 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: is it a flat wall? Is it a stuckle wall? 419 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 1: Who knows? I think she's been stuck inside too long. 420 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: She's thinking about edges and boundaries. Oh boy, you know 421 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: another I think about it. I do kind of see 422 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: the inclings of these questions, where these questions that have 423 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 1: came from. Like I'm thinking back over like the last 424 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:43,919 Speaker 1: couple of months or years, I've seen her sort of 425 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: formulate this question a little by little, Like she asked 426 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 1: a little bit about the universe, a little bit about space, 427 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 1: a little bit about this, and I think it all 428 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 1: just been sort of marinating inside of her head. Well, 429 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: it's awesome. As kids grow up, they understand more and 430 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: more about the world around them, and then they're sort 431 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: of mental context rose and they can imagine this city, 432 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:05,679 Speaker 1: other cities, the country, the whole world, the solar system, 433 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: and eventually, you know, inside their minds, they're creating this 434 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: model of the whole universe. And that's when this awesome 435 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: thing happens that they have questions about it. They're like, 436 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: wait a second, this model in my head doesn't really 437 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: make sense or what do I put here? And that's 438 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: where these questions come from. And that's you know, that's 439 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: science in action, right, And it's pretty cool that she 440 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 1: just blurted out this question, like we're just folding laundry 441 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: and she just suddenly pops out this question like it's 442 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:31,919 Speaker 1: been building up inside of her and she just had 443 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 1: to let it out. Like isn't that cool that? I 444 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: feel like as adults, we would just a lot of 445 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 1: us just keep it to ourselves, Like if you're a 446 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 1: dinner with the date, you wouldn't be like, you know, 447 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: talk about one thing and then suddenly be like, hey, 448 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: have you ever thought about the shape of the universe. 449 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,239 Speaker 1: But then again, maybe I'm not a physicist because I've 450 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: done that. It depends on the kind of person you 451 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: want to date, that's for sure, But it also depends 452 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:55,680 Speaker 1: on the kind of person you are. If you encourage 453 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:57,919 Speaker 1: these kind of questions and your children, if you enjoy 454 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,479 Speaker 1: exploring them with your kids, if having kids helps you 455 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 1: renew this like naive curiosity, which still is driving basic 456 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 1: questions in science. So I think it's wonderful to tap into. 457 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: And you know, that's what we try to tap into 458 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 1: for our show. A lot of the episodes for our 459 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: show come from real questions asked by real kids about 460 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 1: their universe. Yeah, and every episode in our show, Eleanor 461 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 1: Wonders Why. We try to think about a question that 462 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: kids would have and we try to answer it, like 463 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,159 Speaker 1: why do birds have feathers? And why do lizards like 464 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 1: to sit out in the sun, and all kinds of 465 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:32,840 Speaker 1: fun kids questions, And why does my dad not know 466 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:36,679 Speaker 1: the answer to my physics questions? Why does he have 467 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: to ask his friend? Why does he have to ask 468 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,879 Speaker 1: you know, hundreds of thousands of people out on the internet. Well, 469 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: let's try to give Eleanor an answer. Yeah, so she's 470 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 1: asking what is the shape of space, like the space 471 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: does the universe have a shape? Like, if you keep 472 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: going long enough, what happens? Do you run into a wall? 473 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:56,199 Speaker 1: And what does that wall look like? Is it like 474 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: a physical barrier? Is it curved? Does have a texture? 475 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: The has it heard if you slam into it? What's 476 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 1: going on? Well, it's fascinating that she asked this question 477 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,120 Speaker 1: just after she asked the other question where she's assuming 478 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: an infinite universe. Now she's wondering like could the universe 479 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 1: not be infinite? Right? How do you understand anything other 480 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: than infinity for a universe? Right? Well, this one was 481 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 1: kind of a follow up question, Like she asked the 482 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:23,159 Speaker 1: first question and then she sort of thought about it 483 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 1: for a second, and then she has this one. So 484 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: I think maybe she's also grappling with this idea of infinity. 485 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 1: Like you said, like infinite doesn't make sense to her, 486 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:32,159 Speaker 1: There has to be an end to it. Actually, I 487 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 1: think the opposite. I think infinity is much more natural 488 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,880 Speaker 1: than an edge, right, Like, as weird as infinity is, 489 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:41,440 Speaker 1: it's hard to grapple with, but it seems sort of 490 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 1: natural because then you get to avoid edges and then 491 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: we don't have to explain the edge or the weird 492 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: shape of the universe because it just goes on forever. 493 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: But then you have to explain forever, Daniel, see how 494 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: this helps you. We'll have a very long answer for 495 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 1: why forever makes sense. It goes on forever. It just 496 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:00,360 Speaker 1: goes on and on. This bit on, and then there's 497 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:03,199 Speaker 1: that bit, and there's other bit and then yeah, this 498 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: is the longest podcast every but usually falsely before they 499 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: ask you for a follow up. And so to answer 500 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: her question, like one possibility, one very real possibility is 501 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,439 Speaker 1: that the universe is infinite, that space is infinite, and 502 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:19,439 Speaker 1: that it's always been infinite. The thing that's hardest for 503 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 1: people often to understand about the universe being infinite is 504 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:25,120 Speaker 1: that they imagine the Big Bang having started the universe 505 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: from a point, so then how would stuff get that 506 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,639 Speaker 1: far away? But instead, all you have to do is 507 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,679 Speaker 1: imagine not just that our universe is currently infinite, but 508 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: that it always has been infinite. That the Big Bang 509 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:39,439 Speaker 1: was just a period where the universe was denser and hotter, 510 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: and since then it's been expanding and becoming more dilute. 511 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: But it went from an infinite, hot universe to an 512 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: infinite cold universe. So that's one very real possibility, and 513 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 1: that's my sort of personal philosophical preference for which I 514 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 1: have no evidence. That's the Daniel interpretation of total guessing 515 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:01,959 Speaker 1: about the universe. Total guessing is step one in science though, right, 516 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: all right, so that's one possibly. But I think she's asking, like, 517 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: what if instead of having an infinite universe, we have 518 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,639 Speaker 1: a finite universe? And so if it's finite, what's the 519 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 1: shape of it? Like is it a big sphere? Is 520 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: in the shape of a duck? Is in the shape 521 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:23,119 Speaker 1: of a giant squirrel? Is it a cube? You know? 522 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 1: And also like what's at the end? Like if you 523 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: keep going in one direction of the universe, what happens 524 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:32,440 Speaker 1: when you hit the end of it? Do you stop existing? 525 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 1: Do you bounce back? What happens? Well, the basic idea 526 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: to get in your head before we get into the details, 527 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 1: is that space is not as simple as you thought 528 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 1: it was. Space is not just a place for matter 529 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:47,720 Speaker 1: to be, like an emptiness you know, on which stuff happens. 530 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 1: Space itself can have shapes. And this is something we 531 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: already know because we see that space bends. Right. Our 532 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: understanding of gravity now is not a force between objects, 533 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 1: but the interaction of matter with space. Matter bends space, 534 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 1: and then space changes how matter moves. What that means 535 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:08,639 Speaker 1: is that space can have a weird shape. It doesn't 536 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: just have to go on forever. It can curve, it 537 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: can bend. It has weird pockets in it. These things 538 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:16,640 Speaker 1: space traps, which most of the rest of the community 539 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 1: calls black holes, are weird pockets of space where space 540 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: sort of has like a discontinuity and edge and like 541 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: a loop, right, Like in a black hole, you can't 542 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:28,679 Speaker 1: you can't leave it because it's it's pulling on you. 543 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: You can't it's it's a you can't leave it because 544 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:34,359 Speaker 1: space around a black hole is like loop right, Like 545 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 1: it's a doughnut kind of like a circle. Yeah, space 546 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: is one directional inside and black hole. So space can 547 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 1: do all sorts of really weird things. So first get 548 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: your sort of like mental idea of space be a 549 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 1: little bit you know, squishy and flexible, and so we 550 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,200 Speaker 1: can fold and do weird stuff, and then we can 551 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: insert into your mind other ideas for the shape of 552 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: the universe and sort of The simplest is that the 553 00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: universe is finite but it has no edge because it's 554 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 1: sort of constructed in a loop. Like if you just 555 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 1: keep going in one direction, eventually you'll come back to 556 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 1: where you were, right, kind of like a satellite in 557 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 1: orbit around the Earth. Or even if you just travel 558 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: on the Earth in one direction, you'll come back to 559 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: the same spot. Yeah. If you build a road around 560 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 1: the equator and you just keep driving on it, you'll 561 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: come back to where you started. And that's because of 562 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: the geometry of the Earth. Right on the surface of 563 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: a sphere, you can just keep going, you'll come back 564 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 1: to where you are. And you wonder where, Well, how 565 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: do you do that for three dimensions? Well, if space 566 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 1: is complicated, if space is a thing which can bend 567 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 1: and twist and be connected in weird ways, right like 568 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 1: around a black hole, then it can be connected in 569 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: this way so that one bit of space is now 570 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: connected to another bit of space on what would be 571 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 1: the other side of the universe. You can arrange space 572 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: in sort of a three dimensional equivalent of the surface 573 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:53,320 Speaker 1: of a sphere, Like you can take a universe and 574 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: kind of wrap it around and connected to itself. Yeah, 575 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 1: and and then so you would have a shape. Yeah, 576 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: and the key thing to avoid is trying to understand 577 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 1: this by putting the universe into a higher dimension. Don't 578 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 1: think about the three D universe on some four dimensional sphere, 579 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: because I would create another dimension of space, which we 580 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: don't have any evidence to believe exists. Just think about 581 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 1: the relative connections between things in space. If this point 582 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: in space is connected to the next pointed space is 583 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 1: connected to the next point in space, and then just 584 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 1: imagine a ring of these points. Each one is connected 585 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 1: to one to the left and one to the right, 586 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: and together they construct a ring. And then imagine the 587 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: three D analog of that ring. Again, it's not like 588 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 1: on the surface of a three D sphere. It's just 589 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:41,040 Speaker 1: about the ordering of the points relative to each other. 590 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: All right, well, let's I have questions about that, and also, Daniel, 591 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:47,840 Speaker 1: let's get into maybe a little bit more of the 592 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 1: specifics and also maybe think about the alternative that maybe 593 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 1: space space is flat. What are the possibilities there? So 594 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:56,760 Speaker 1: let's do that, But first let's take a quick break. 595 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: All right, we're answering questions from Eleanor, my daughter, who 596 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 1: is the inspiration for like one of the characters in 597 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 1: the show Eleanor Wonders why, which is our new kids 598 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 1: showing that is out right now and we're celebrating its 599 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,959 Speaker 1: release this week. And so Eleanor had a question about 600 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 1: the shape of space, and Danna you were saying that 601 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: maybe space is bendable, and well, it is bendable, but 602 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 1: maybe the shape of spaces that it loops around onto 603 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:38,960 Speaker 1: itself like it's wrapped around itself. Yeah, And that's more 604 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 1: like the topology of space than the shape of it. 605 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 1: It's like about how the points are connected to each 606 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 1: other rather than like, you know, how it's bent by 607 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 1: mass in any sort of local configuration. It's sort of like, 608 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: you know, how you put the whole thing together, And 609 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 1: that I think is sort of the easiest one to 610 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 1: understand because it lets you have finite space, like it 611 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 1: doesn't go on forever without having any sort of edges, 612 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 1: because people feel weird about the edge, Like, you know, 613 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:06,480 Speaker 1: you can't imagine that coming to a brick wall with 614 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: a sign on it. This is like the universe ends here, 615 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 1: because then you wonder like, well, what's on the other 616 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: side of the brick? Right? Yeah, Well, yeah, I think 617 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 1: you know, that's a little bit of where her mind 618 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,680 Speaker 1: is coming from, and that you know, she's probably not 619 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:23,440 Speaker 1: aware of these ideas about bending of space, So to her, 620 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 1: space is just sort of like this infinite emptiness. And 621 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:30,480 Speaker 1: so is that a possibility? Could it be that maybe 622 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 1: space is not curved but it does have an edge, right, 623 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: because I think we know that space is not generally curved. 624 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 1: We think it's flat. Our local part of space at 625 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: least is flat, and we think there's enough stuff in 626 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 1: the universe to make space generally flat. But yeah, space 627 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: could be flat, and it could be finite, and it 628 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 1: could have an edge. And we don't like the idea 629 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 1: of an edge because it's a discontinuity. We have to 630 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: explain it. What would it be like? But it's not impossible, right, 631 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,920 Speaker 1: Space can do really weird things and and have edges, 632 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:04,600 Speaker 1: Like you know, the event horizon of a black hole 633 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:08,479 Speaker 1: is basically like a boundary of space, and so you 634 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:11,320 Speaker 1: could come to some boundary and you know, it wouldn't 635 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:14,360 Speaker 1: be some like weird thing with like flashing lights and 636 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: blue stripes or whatever is they would put it in 637 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 1: a movie. It would just be like, you know, space 638 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 1: does something weird here, so like there just isn't any 639 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:24,120 Speaker 1: more space to go into, like you know, the way 640 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,240 Speaker 1: in a black hole, you can't just move in any 641 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,640 Speaker 1: direction you want, because space has a single direction you 642 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 1: can go in. It could be you come to a 643 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 1: point in space where there just is no more space 644 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: in that direction. It's like coming to the north pole. 645 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: There is no more northiness to go to. So that 646 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 1: is the possibility, is that space could be kind of 647 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: flat and its curving nows meanings has kind of a volume, 648 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: and that it does have an edge to it like 649 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: it does it does end like a blob. It's a possibility. 650 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 1: It's not a frequently discuss possibility or a popular possibility 651 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: among like current cost oologists. There's no like reason for 652 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:05,000 Speaker 1: space to have an edge, and so it's not something 653 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,000 Speaker 1: you need to add to your theory. It's much more 654 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:10,080 Speaker 1: natural to just say every point in space is the same, 655 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: and therefore the universe should be infinite. But it's not 656 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:15,520 Speaker 1: against the laws of physics as far as I'm aware, 657 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:18,760 Speaker 1: and you know, we imagine the universe having an origin 658 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:21,920 Speaker 1: in time. There was a moment in time when things 659 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: were created and then inflation dot dot dot dot, and 660 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 1: so it's not that outlandish to imagine a discontinuity or 661 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:32,799 Speaker 1: an edge. Also in space well, and and then her 662 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:35,239 Speaker 1: question was sort of like, what's the shape of it? Like, 663 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 1: if it is like this and it does have borders, 664 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:40,840 Speaker 1: do you think it'd be like a sphere like a potato? 665 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,399 Speaker 1: Like I think it'd be like a huge question mark, 666 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,919 Speaker 1: question mark? What would be in the dot? I'll read 667 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:52,280 Speaker 1: the dot, Daniel. We're in the dot. We're the dot. 668 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:56,240 Speaker 1: That's right, that's my philosophy. No, we have no idea, 669 00:34:56,360 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: we have no idea of space as an edge, and 670 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:00,759 Speaker 1: if it had an edge with that shape would be 671 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 1: I mean, your intuition would say it should be a sphere, 672 00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 1: because that's the simplest thing, right, But we were just 673 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: really we're just really don't know how awesome would that 674 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:12,200 Speaker 1: be though, to discover the universe had an edge and 675 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 1: to map it out and to understand it. You know, 676 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: if it's not a sphere, then probably it would be 677 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:20,480 Speaker 1: like a randomly shaped blob controlled by some like early 678 00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:23,720 Speaker 1: quantum fluctuations or something crazy. I'm gonna go with banana. 679 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: I bet it's shape like a banana, and then I'll 680 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 1: be justified in all of these discussions about bananas, Daniel, 681 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 1: because you knew it the whole time, it wasn't just 682 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:35,280 Speaker 1: a random guess that was later proven out to be true. 683 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:37,840 Speaker 1: You knew because the universe was speaking to me. It 684 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 1: was crying out for, you know, some sort of recognition 685 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,320 Speaker 1: of its banana. Yeah, and you know, there is another 686 00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 1: sense in which the universe kind of does have an edge, 687 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:49,520 Speaker 1: and that's again just back to like our observable universe. 688 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:52,480 Speaker 1: There's only a portion of the universe that we can see. 689 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 1: And so if you think about the universe is like 690 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:57,239 Speaker 1: the stuff that we can see, everything that's around us 691 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 1: that really does have an edge because there's parts of 692 00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:02,520 Speaker 1: the universe that are so far away that light hasn't 693 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:05,239 Speaker 1: had chance to reach us from them, and so we 694 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:09,239 Speaker 1: haven't seen them. And because the universe is expanding and 695 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:12,919 Speaker 1: that expansion is accelerating faster than the speed of light, 696 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:15,759 Speaker 1: we may never see them. And so this sort of 697 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:19,920 Speaker 1: like a spherical wall past which we cannot see and 698 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:23,399 Speaker 1: past which we may never be able to see or go. Right, Yeah, 699 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:26,960 Speaker 1: but that's part of a philosophical wall, isn't it. Or 700 00:36:27,160 --> 00:36:29,359 Speaker 1: do you think maybe it's the same thing, And let's 701 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 1: not get philosophical on the podcast, right, Gosh forbid, we're 702 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:36,960 Speaker 1: talking about the universal questions. No, I mean it's not fundamental, right, 703 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,960 Speaker 1: Like you can imagine that there's a point out there 704 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,640 Speaker 1: in space beyond which we cannot see, and if we 705 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 1: look at that point, we're seeing like the early universe 706 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:48,760 Speaker 1: because light is taken forever to get here from there. 707 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:52,800 Speaker 1: But it's sort of unsatisfying because there's something recent happening 708 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:55,840 Speaker 1: at that point right now. You know, we see old 709 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:58,800 Speaker 1: light coming from that point, but you know, stuff's been happening. 710 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:02,239 Speaker 1: There's things going on. Alex Scenes are forming alien civilizations, 711 00:37:02,239 --> 00:37:06,359 Speaker 1: hopefully are inventing cool podcasts. So what we're seeing in 712 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 1: that direction, it's always happening now, so we think the 713 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:12,560 Speaker 1: universe continues on even though we can only see this aging, 714 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:15,560 Speaker 1: observable shell that surrounds us. So in that sense, it's 715 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: it's observation more than philosophical. All right, Well it sounds 716 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:21,279 Speaker 1: like that again. The answer for Eleanor is Daniel doesn't know. 717 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:26,719 Speaker 1: Nobody knows, Daniel doesn't know, the new name for our podcast, 718 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:30,520 Speaker 1: Daniel doesn't know things. Daniel doesn't know. Basically, nobody knows, right, 719 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:32,640 Speaker 1: I feel like we don't know at a very fundamental level, 720 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: Like it could be infinite or it could not be infinite, 721 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:37,760 Speaker 1: and there's a big difference between infinity and non infinity. 722 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:40,880 Speaker 1: And that's the joy of these questions. That the questions 723 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:44,280 Speaker 1: that children ask, the very basic questions, the first questions 724 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,200 Speaker 1: that come into your mind when you hear about these ideas, 725 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 1: those are questions scientists are still asking. So if you're 726 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:53,879 Speaker 1: six years old or you're sixty years old and you're 727 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:57,640 Speaker 1: on the forefront of cosmology, you're asking the same questions. 728 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 1: And that's what makes physics shockingly accessible. I would say 729 00:38:01,239 --> 00:38:05,120 Speaker 1: that our cluelessness, our lack of progress, makes us accessible. 730 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 1: Or if you're six years old and an alien and 731 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:10,680 Speaker 1: do have the answers to these questions, please let us 732 00:38:10,719 --> 00:38:14,200 Speaker 1: know so I can tell eleanor what the answer is. 733 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:16,239 Speaker 1: But that's one of the reasons why we wanted to 734 00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 1: make this show is that we felt like this kind 735 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:22,360 Speaker 1: of curiosity is wonderful and it powers scientists in their career, 736 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:25,480 Speaker 1: and also it powers children. And we see it in 737 00:38:25,520 --> 00:38:27,880 Speaker 1: the very youngest children, and we want to nurture it, 738 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:30,479 Speaker 1: we want to protect it. Sometimes it feels a little 739 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:33,120 Speaker 1: bit fragile, and so in our show, we wanted to 740 00:38:33,239 --> 00:38:36,600 Speaker 1: encourage this kind of curiosity by showing kids on screen 741 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,440 Speaker 1: how curious kids can ask questions and how they can 742 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:42,279 Speaker 1: find the answers for themselves. And that's why we love 743 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:43,920 Speaker 1: the show. That's why we love the show. And if 744 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:47,000 Speaker 1: you like a mix of science and kind of corny 745 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:50,960 Speaker 1: dad jokes, then hopefully you'll also like the show. Yeah, 746 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:53,640 Speaker 1: so help us celebrate the release and the premiere, at 747 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:56,279 Speaker 1: least the US premiere, and we're still trying to get 748 00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:58,640 Speaker 1: the show in other countries. But help us celebrate the 749 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:01,600 Speaker 1: US premiere of Eleanor. There's why the show that Daniel 750 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:04,640 Speaker 1: and I co created. It's for kids. It's about a 751 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:08,760 Speaker 1: cute bunny rabbit and her friends about and an elephant 752 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:13,000 Speaker 1: and this really beautiful and gentle but also curious and 753 00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 1: funny world. And it's out now on PBS Kids dot org, 754 00:39:17,239 --> 00:39:20,680 Speaker 1: slash Eleanor, E l I and o R and also 755 00:39:20,719 --> 00:39:24,600 Speaker 1: the PBS Kids app, and also on Amazon Prime ppious 756 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:28,000 Speaker 1: Kids subscription, and also I think they're posting episodes on 757 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:31,000 Speaker 1: the ppous Kids YouTube channel, So there are plenty of 758 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:33,879 Speaker 1: ways for you to watch the show, and it's all free, 759 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:37,359 Speaker 1: and please help us celebrate and tell your friends, your 760 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:40,200 Speaker 1: nieces and nephews and grandkids about the show. We think 761 00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:42,200 Speaker 1: they'll really enjoy it. That's right. It's a world we 762 00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:46,040 Speaker 1: created filled with people who are curious, who ask questions, 763 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:49,560 Speaker 1: and who find answers to those questions. So if you 764 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:52,080 Speaker 1: want to spend half an hour in a gentle world 765 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:55,000 Speaker 1: filled with curiosity, please go check it out. Yeah, and 766 00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:58,440 Speaker 1: we hope you enjoyed Eleanor's questions today about the multiverse 767 00:39:58,480 --> 00:40:00,440 Speaker 1: and about this shape of space at really kind of 768 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:03,719 Speaker 1: stretches your mind, right, Daniel, it definitely does. And you know, 769 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:06,240 Speaker 1: just because the question comes from a young kid doesn't 770 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 1: mean it's easy to answer. As we ran today, those 771 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,360 Speaker 1: are my favorite questions. We invite Eleanor to a seminar 772 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:17,279 Speaker 1: at you see your vines physics department, she'll stump. They're 773 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:20,040 Speaker 1: open to the public, so come on in. All right, Well, 774 00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:30,880 Speaker 1: thanks for joining us, see you next time. Thanks for listening, 775 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:33,680 Speaker 1: and remember that Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe is 776 00:40:33,719 --> 00:40:37,200 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio or more podcast from 777 00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:40,920 Speaker 1: my Heart Radio visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 778 00:40:41,120 --> 00:40:43,440 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.