Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

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Avshalom Elitzur: A New Theory of Time

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Nov 19, 2024

Guest

Avshalom Elitzur

Avshalom Elitzur, a physicist known for co-creating the bomb-testing experiment, delivers a groundbreaking vision of reality where spacetime arises from quantum interactions in nothingness. He discusses negative mass particles, challenging traditional physics, and invites listeners to rethink the concepts of time, reality, and free will. Elitzur also explores the philosophical implications of quantum mechanics, such as the continuous creation of events and the intricate connection between light, consciousness, and the universe's expansion.

02:23:43

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ANECDOTE

Elitzur's Unconventional Path

Avshalom Elitzur earned a PhD without a high school diploma, similar to Stephen Wolfram.
He co-created the bomb-testing experiment, considered by some to be more profound than the double-slit experiment.

insights

INSIGHT

Spacetime Emergence

Elitzur proposes that spacetime emerges from quantum interactions in nothingness, challenging conventional physics.
His theory suggests time and "now" are real, implying the existence of negative mass particles.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Elitzur’s Academic Journey

Elitzur pursued his PhD with Yakir Aharonov without completing prior degrees.
He co-discovered the bomb-testing experiment with Lev Vaidman.

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Rethinking Time and Quantum Mechanics

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Quantum Mechanics Unraveled

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Exploring Negative Mass in Particle Physics

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Light, Time, and the Nature of Reality

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The Creative Power of Miscommunication

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Quantum Interactions and the Nature of Reality

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Engaging with Unique Content and Community Support

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Quark and the Jaguar D

Murray Gell-Mann

In this book, Murray Gell-Mann explores the connections between the basic laws of physics and the complexity and diversity of the natural world. He discusses topics such as natural selection, archaeology, linguistics, child development, and computers, highlighting the concept of complex adaptive systems. The book reflects Gell-Mann’s broad expertise and passion for interdisciplinary topics.

The Physics of Time Asymmetry

Paul Davies

This book explores the structural distinction between past and future in physics, known as time asymmetry. It delves into whether this asymmetry can be explained by conventional physics, its nature, origin, and other less conspicuous asymmetric processes. The book encompasses a wide range of physics topics and has been praised for clarifying a subject previously marked by confusion and misconception.

The Physicist and the Philosopher

Einstein, Bergson, and the Debate That Changed Our Understanding of Time

Jimena Canales

This book tells the story of the explosive debate between Albert Einstein and Henri Bergson on April 6, 1922, in Paris, which transformed our understanding of time and drove a rift between science and the humanities. Canales explores how this debate reverberated across the twentieth century, influencing figures such as Bertrand Russell and Martin Heidegger, and impacting various philosophical and scientific movements including American pragmatism, logical positivism, phenomenology, and quantum mechanics. The book also discusses how new technologies of the period shaped people's conceptions of time and further polarized the public debate.

In this episode of Theories of Everything, Curt Jaimungal speaks with physicist Avshalom Elitzur, co-creator of the famous bomb-testing experiment, as he unveils a bold new vision of reality where spacetime emerges from quantum interactions in pure nothingness. Elitzur challenges conventional physics with ideas like negative mass particles and the continuous creation of spacetime, offering a fresh perspective on the nature of existence.

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LINKED MENTIONED:

- Avshalom’s citations: https://scholar.google.co.il/citations?user=ZivyhegAAAAJ&hl=en

- Leonard Susskind on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p_Hlm6aCok

- The Physicist and the Philosopher (book): https://www.amazon.com/Physicist-Philosopher-Einstein-Bergson-Understanding/dp/0691173176

- Roger Penrose on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGm505TFMbU&list=PLZ7ikzmc6zlN6E8KrxcYCWQIHg2tfkqvR&index=7

- Interpretations of quantum mechanics (paper): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/the-interpretations-of-quantum-mechanics

- Lee Smolin on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOKOodQXjhc

- Quantum mechanical interaction-free measurements (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/9305002

- Nonlocal Position Changes of a Photon Revealed by Quantum Routers

(paper): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-26018-y

- Manolis Kellis on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g56lxZwnaqg

- The Quark and the Jaguar (book): https://www.amazon.com/Quark-Jaguar-Adventures-Simple-Complex/dp/0805072535

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

03:04 - Unifying Quantum Mechanics and Relativity

04:42 - Prof. Elitzur’s Unconventional Path in Physics

07:02 - The Problem of Unifying Forces in Physics

10:06 - Time’s Role in Relativity and Simplicity in Physics

13:34 - The Nature of Time and the Flow of Events

19:20 - Relativity of Simultaneity Explained

24:22 - Free Will and the Block Universe Debate

28:49 - Time Asymmetry in Physics

31:06 - The Universe’s Expanding Time and Black Holes

35:39 - Einstein, Minkowski, and the Concept of Time

39:43 - Paradigm Shifts in Quantum Mechanics

43:00 - The Concept of Becoming in Physics

49:15 - Quantum Mechanics and Time Symmetry

55:43 - The Two-State Vector Formalism (TSVF)

01:06:15 - Non-Locality and Quantum Zigzag

01:12:50 - New Physics from TSVF: Negative Mass

01:23:00 - Implications of Negative Mass in Physics

01:32:00 - The Emerging New Paradigm in Physics

01:46:46 - Biology, mistakes, and innovation

01:48:01 - Spacetime emerging from nothing

01:50:03 - Wave functions creating spacetime

01:56:08 - Schrödinger's cat and spacetime

02:00:01 - Unifying quantum mechanics and gravity

02:11:05 - Advice for young physicists

02:16:29 - Support TOE