Short Wave Our Lives Are Ruled By The Illusion Of Time
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Jan 15, 2024 Geoff Brumfiel, NPR science correspondent known for his insightful reporting on physics, explores the perplexing nature of time. He delves into how time varies, from sea level to mountaintops, revealing it might not even be a fundamental reality. The discussion takes listeners to the National Institute of Standards and Technology to examine atomic clocks and their astonishing accuracy. Challenging societal perceptions, Geoff highlights how time may be a construct of social control, prompting a reevaluation of our understanding of the universe.
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Atomic Timekeeping
- NIST uses atomic clocks like 'Elvis' to set U.S. time, achieving trillionth-of-a-second accuracy.
- These clocks constantly count, and missing even a trillionth of a second disrupts timekeeping.
Time as a Tool
- Chanda Prescod-Weinstein argues that the government promotes the idea of absolute time for control.
- Official time structures our lives, influencing the economy and daily schedules.
Flexible Spacetime
- Einstein's relativity shows that spacetime is flexible and can bend, especially due to gravity.
- Time flows slower in stronger gravitational fields, impacting even Earth-bound events.