Quantum Theory's Most Incredible Prediction | Space Time

Let’s talk about the best evidence we have that the theories of quantum physics truly represent the underlying workings of reality.

Quantum field theory is notoriously complicated, built from mind-bendingly abstract mathematics. But are the underlying rules of reality really so far from human intuition? Or are physicists just showing off? For better or worse, the physicists are definitely on the right track. We know this because the predictions of quantum field theory stand up to experimental test time and time again.

The Great Courses Plus is currently available to watch through a web browser to almost anyone in the world and optimized for the US, UK, and Australian markets. The Great Courses Plus is currently working to both optimize the product globally and accept credit card payments globally.

Tweet at us! @pbsspacetime
Email us! pbsspacetime [at] gmail [dot] com

Help translate our videos!

Previous Episode:
How Close To The Sun Can Humanity Get?

Hosted by Matt O'Dowd
Written by Graeme Gossel and Matt O'Dowd
Graphics by Luke Maroldi
Assistant Editing and Sound Design by Mike Petrow

Special thanks to our Patreon Big Bang, Quasar and Hypernova Supporters:

Big Bang

Anton Lifshits
CoolAsCats
David Nicklas
Fabrice Eap

Quasar

Dean Fuqua
Mark Rosenthal
Mayank M. Mehrota
Roman Pinchuk
Tambe Barsbay
Vinnie Falco

Hypernova

Chuck Zegar
Donal Botkin
Edmund Fokschaner
Eugene Lawson
John Hofmann
Jordan Young
Joseph Salomone
Matthew O’Connor
Ratfeast

Thanks to our Patreon Gamma Ray Burst Supporters:

Alexey Eromenko
Asa Hood
Benoit Pagé-Guitard
Brandon Cook
Brandon Labonte
Daniel Lyons
David Crane
Deborah Whittaker
Fabian Olesen
Greg Allen
Greg Weiss
Ian Anoan
James Flowers
James Hughes
JJ Bagnell
Jon Folks
Kevin Warne
Malte Ubl
Mark Vasile
Nicholas Rose
Nick Virtue
Scott Gossett
Shannan Catalano
سلطان الخليفي

[FadeRadio]

Hey, not one to typically comment on youtube, but just wanted to say thank you for everything you do with this show. You find a wonderful balance of making some of THE most confusing concepts in existence understandable to the layperson, while also not shying away from the specific numbers and statistics that would commonly scare away the casual curious minds stumbling across these things.

Keep doing you.

[_Reasons]

I won't pretend I fully understand the math/details in this video, but I'm always impressed at how well Space Time is able to help me either understand or, at the very least, make me feel like I've gained some concept of, and an appreciation for, a given mystery of this amazing universe.

[Theneweastwood]

Excellent! So this explains why physics experts suggest that when you think you understand quantum physics, you just start to understand you really don’t, and that’s ok!

Thank you for u for this clip! Some of the best content and delivery in history! 😊

[boone]

Any time I start feeling that I’m an intelligent human being, I just watch one these videos!

[tansu]

Who came here after watching Muon g-2 results?
It's really amazing to see such a progress in science and technology.

[thirrteenthirrteen]

Even though I can claim to comprehend only a terribly small percentage of what is discussed in Space Time, I still find it breathtakingly interesting. Well done.

[yaldabaoth]

As a chemist, I've measured g factors of radicals in electron paramagnetic resonance experiments. Now I finally know what the hell that was!

[tonykaze]

It's unbelievable how well you translate these things into just the right level of simplicity for amateur physics enthusiasts (like me!). Thanks so much and please keep them coming! My favorite channel on YouTube

[ross]

I watched this with my cat on my knee I swear she understood this as well as I did. The only difference is it didn't bother her.

[guyrichardson]

"If that doesn't make your head hurt then think about it again". My favorite line.

[darioinfini]

It's astounding to me we've managed to gather this kind of insight at all. Also astounding that there are enough super intelligent people in the species to continue this work with every generation.

[IanTheTroll]

is it weird that i need to listen to these videos to fall asleep? despite being genuinely interesting there’s just something about Matt’s voice that winds me down like no other

[reazuddinkazi]

11:13 the music tricks me into thinking I've understood everything. It's like I am ascending.

[KeyserSoseRulz]

Did not understand anything, but watched it all. I deserve a hug.

[seankelly]

“And if that doesn’t make your head hurt, try thinking about it again.” How often can anyone say that?

[evaristegalois]

I tried delving deep into quantum field theory once ... my mind still hasn't recovered from the serious damage it received from that

[AndrewKimmey]

Matt, I just want you to know how much I appreciate everything you do on this channel - I understand the torturous amount of work it takes to condense and bring such detailed knowledge to such a public place. I've been watching for a bit over a year now, and I only get more and more excited every time you upload. Something that I love that you're proving here is how little we truly understand what the hell is going on here exactly, in every sense of the phrase. But I do have one question that I want to know your opinion of that I hope we can answer someday - why does any of this exist at all? Why isn't there just nothing? If there were nothing, then there would still be some quantum uncertainty at play, some tiny chance that something could theoretically exist, therefore it does because it was only a matter of time?

[vacuumdiagrams]

Hi, I'm back. I just want to point out that spin really is a rotation, just a slightly strange one: it can be tracked to a rotating energy flow in solutions of Dirac's equation, so, if you like, you can think of it as a rotating energy flow in the electron wavefunction. This makes it analogous to linear momentum, which also must be looked for in the wavefunction (it's the inverse of the wavelength!), which I personally find immensely satisfying. This picture is explained very clearly in an article by Hans Ohanian entitled "What is Spin?", but the idea itself is much older.

[JB-giph]

This is the greatest channel on the internet. Please never stop making these!!!

[xgozulx]

I needed this to understand my classes, your explanations are much much better :D