In this lively and thought-provoking book, Sabine Hossenfelder addresses some of the toughest riddles in existence. She explores questions like 'Does the past still exist?', 'Do particles think?', 'Was the universe made for us?', 'Has physics ruled out free will?', and 'Will we ever have a theory of everything?' Hossenfelder lays out how far physicists are in answering these questions, the current limits, and what questions might remain unanswerable forever. The book offers a no-nonsense yet entertaining take on these complex issues, providing readers with a solid grasp of what we know and what we don’t know.
In 'Lost in Math', Sabine Hossenfelder critiques the dominance of the concept of 'beauty' in theoretical particle physics. She argues that the emphasis on mathematical elegance and symmetry has hindered progress in the field, leading to untestable theories such as string theory and supersymmetry. Through interviews with prominent physicists and detailed analysis, Hossenfelder highlights the problems with current approaches and suggests that a more pragmatic and evidence-based approach is needed. The book also explores historical examples where 'beautiful' theories were initially rejected but later proven correct, and it questions the anthropic arguments that some physicists use to justify untestable theories.
“Science is the only News” -Steward Brand
Steward Brand may have been exaggerating, but not by much. So Sabine Hossenfelder and I decided it is high time to take him at his word.
Sabine is one of the most watched science popularizers online, and a physicist I enjoy listening to and discussing science with. She is opinionated, as am I, and we don’t always agree, which makes things even more interesting. I am very happy that she has agree to collaborate on a new and exciting series for The Origins Podcast.
Once a month Sabine and I will pick 4-5 science stories that have been in the news, and discuss them. We will try and dispel hype, cut through confusion, and give a deeper context to stories that might otherwise simply end up as soundbites on major news networks. We agree on fundamentals, but we each have our own way of thinking about them.
What most people don’t realize is that science, including theoretical physics, is a social activity, with an active dialectic between scientists working at the forefront. Watch our real time discussions to get a sense of how different physicists approach outstanding problems, how we elaborate on them with each other, and how we sometimes differ on what approaches we think are likely to be fruitful.
Our first discussion both lively and illuminating, and got us off to a very good start for this new podcast segment that I high hopes for. From the recent hype about quantum computing and many worlds, to panspermia, commercial nuclear fusion, and the politics of climate change, hang on to your hats, and enjoy!
As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project YouTube.
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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss 
