Theoretical Limits and the Future of Physics

15min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

This chapter investigates the fundamental limits of physics, including the speed of light and entropy, and their implications for our understanding of time and causality. It discusses theoretical concepts such as wormholes and tachyons while confronting the complexities and paradoxes they present. Additionally, the conversation emphasizes the importance of grounding predictions in rigorous thought to navigate the speculative nature of future scenarios in cosmology.

Read the full transcript here.

How much energy is needed for GDP growth? Would our civilization have developed at the same rate without fossil fuels? Could we potentially do the same things we're currently doing but with significantly less energy? How different would the world look if we'd developed nuclear energy much earlier? Why can't anything go faster than light? Will the heat death of the universe really be "the end" for everything? How can difficult concepts be communicated in simple ways that nevertheless avoid being misleading or confusing? Is energy conservation an unbreakable law? How likely is it that advanced alien civilizations exist? What are S-risks? Can global civilizations be virtuous? What is panspermia? How can we make better backups of our knowledge and culture?

Anders Sandberg is a researcher at the Institute for Futures Studies in Sweden. He was formerly senior research fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at University of Oxford. His research deals with emerging technologies, the ethics of human enhancement, global and existential risks, and very long-range futures. Follow him on Twitter / X at @anderssandberg, find him via his various links here.

Staff