The Quanta Podcast ICYMI: Is Gravity Just Rising Entropy?
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Dec 23, 2025 
In this enlightening discussion, science journalist George Musser dives into the intriguing realm of entropic gravity, a theory suggesting gravity emerges from the universe's tendency toward disorder. He explores how this idea connects to Newton and Einstein's gravity, and tackles black holes' mysteries. Musser clarifies how quantum mechanics might explain gravitational attraction through qubits, and discusses the implications of entropic gravity for dark matter alternatives and the very nature of spacetime itself. This conversation unpacks profound questions about the fabric of our universe.
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Gravity As An Emergent Thermodynamic Effect
- Gravity might be emergent, not a fundamental force, and could relate to heat and entropy.
- George Musser frames entropic gravity as gravity arising from disorder in deeper degrees of freedom.
Einstein Gave Gravity A Geometric Why
- Einstein explained gravity as spacetime curvature, replacing Newton's action-at-a-distance description.
- George Musser emphasizes general relativity gives a deeper geometric account of gravitational attraction.
Black Holes Behave Like Thermodynamic Systems
- Black holes show heat-like properties such as irreversibility tied to horizon area.
- Musser highlights Bekenstein and Hawking linking black-hole area growth to entropy increase.