The Invisible Reality: The Wonderful Weirdness of the Quantum World

Proposed a century ago to better explain the mind-bending behavior of the smallest constituents of the universe, quantum theory has implications far beyond the atom. This rich set of laws has applications both practical and extraordinary — from the technology that has revolutionized modern life to the possibility of parallel worlds.

Our audience joined Alan Alda as he accompanied Brian Greene, Nobel Laureate William Phillips and other leading thinkers at the vanguard of quantum research on an accessible multimedia exploration of the astounding weirdness of the quantum world.

This program is part of the Big Ideas Series, made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation.

The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.
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Original Program date: May 30, 2008
MODERATOR: Alan Alda
PARTICIPANTS: David Z. Albert, Brian Greene, Max Tegmark, William Phillips

Brian Greene Introduces quantum physics 00:00

A throw of the dice dance performance. 21:15

Participant Introductions. 22:54

Are probability waves real? 25:55

Brian Greene on the accuracy of quantum mechanics 37:30

Einstein says that nothing is random. 47:56

Quantum entanglement 51:10

Not enough information in the universe for a 400 bit quantum computer 01:09:41

Is there something missing from Quantum Physics? 01:22:15

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The World Science Festival strives to cultivate a general public that's informed and awed by science. Thanks to your contributions, we can continue to share the wonder of scientific discoveries with the world.

[slingenfelter]

I love that the panel is so polite and accepting of each other's views. They're very passionate about their own theories and open to debate without needing to disprove the others. I'm looking forward to experiencing the reality where this approach is common place in politics, government, religion and any discussion with varying perspectives.

[glenn-younger]

If you're new to quantum mechanics, this is a GREAT video. I just listened to this for the second, maybe third, time. Not so much for new information, although I love how Brian Greene can bring it down to concrete examples for the lay person. Rather, I listened this time for the sheer pleasure of watching people with radically differing points of view handle a conversation with RESPECT and intelligence., without a single mean name-calling moment. What a breath of fresh air, eh?

[MrVikingsandra]

At this point I'm so hooked, I'm watching the videos from the Science Festival every evening. Absolutely wonderful, entertaining and endlessly fascinating 👏 Thank you Brian for starting this amazing festival and for sharing this with us!
Now my question is, why can't you entangle ANY atom? Why is he experimenting with specific ones which have specific properties? 🤔

[quetzalcoatlz]

Brian Greene is simply the best. Such a great orator, and an excellent host for discussions. Any WSF with Brian as the host is top notch. I love falling asleep to these

[michaeladair]

Just binge-watching World Science Festival and almost burst my drink out of my nose in surprise when the "Throw of the Dice Dance Performance" came on. When did you y'all ever have interpretive dance performances? I'm flabbergasted and impressed and sad that I missed this point in history. I gotta binge watch more older episodes for more gems like these...

[scotty]

Brian Greene is great.
 He doesn't get in the way of the science the focus is where it should be on the material on the ideas not on himself.
This is one of the best discussions of its kind I've listened to. It touched on many of the most fascinating aspects of QM.

[fishstick]

Robin Williams Lol ... I miss that guy. Always trying to lift everyone's spirits.

[jacquin]

40:28 "But you know, even more satisfying is if something comes out different from the way everybody predicts, because it's so much more exciting, because you learn something new." Imagine if we all thought about "being wrong" this way!

[pgottsha]

I wish we were able to openly discuss everything with this amount of DIVERSITY and discussion

[jefferylocke]

I love learning so really enjoyed the video. Never acquired enough wealth for college but read every book I could get in hand and watch every lecture I can. Thank you.

[dgareandro]

I think we can all agreed this was one of the most interesting and profound discussions about quantum mechanics😌👏👏👌👌

[QuillC]

After months of watching PBS spacetime videos, the algorithm sent me here. Does this mean I've leveled up or something?

[charlesc]

I was very impressed with Alan Alda's hosting of this program! There were several times when the discussion could have gone downhill where his interjections really kept things moving forward.
I enjoyed Mr. Alda's hosting of Nova Science Now, but I think that his involvement in this panel better shows what he's capable of as an engaged presenter and interested observer of the scientific community.
Truly an example of an informed host participating and facilitating a discussion rather than just introducing the next speaker.
Kudos, sir!!!

[spivvo]

I used to carry my national lottery tickets for a long time before checking the numbers, from a quantum perspective there was always the possibility of being a winner until I checked the ticket.

[donnahaynes]

I love how Alan Alda leans in toward the panelists because he's focusing so hard! I just adore Alan Alda!

[gypsipunk]

the solution ~ change yourself: Picture a child you love very much at the age of 2 years old. Imagine this child before you and focus on the feelings of love you have for this child. Focus on your love for the child until it has expanded so much that you are smiling and feeling joy. After you have maintained this feeling for a few minutes, move this child to the side and place in front of you ~ yourself at the age of 2. Picture yourself now at the age of 2 and keep focusing on the feelings you built up for the first child ~ is not the second child as precious as the first? You are now loving yourself ~ stay with the feeling and expand it further ~ open your heart. Now that you know how to get into a feeling of love for yourself, you can change your age to focus on areas that may be more difficult for you to love yourself. Do this exercise daily and loving yourself will be become your natural response to yourself

[doodlepadhi]

Brian Sir
You are my hero. Bringing Science to a level which every one can understand.

[johng.cramer]

Brian Greene is an excellent speaker, and most of his points and analogies were very good.  However, he said two things that were simply incorrect:
(1) Greene said that de Broglie introduced the concept of probability into quantum mechanics.  Wrong!  The probability business came from Max Born.  What de Broglie did was reason that since light, known to be a wave, was displaying particle  properties, that perhaps particles like electrons could be made to display wave properties.  The clincher was that a precisely integer number of his electron wavelengths fitted into each electron orbit of the Bohr model.  He never said that his particle-waves were probability waves.
    (2) Greene said that Einstein made arguments about spin correlations in the famous EPR paper.  Wrong!  The second part of the EPR paper dealt with position-momentum complementarity in a two particle system, in which one could arrange for both particles to have large momentum uncertainties, and yet the overall momentum of the system might be required to have a specific value.  The business of introducing  electron spin and photon polarization into EPR experiments came more than 40 years later from David Bohm and John Bell.
     I'm not sure how these mistakes crept in, but to me as a physicist they sullied an otherwise very good presentation.

[brucefulcher]

I've done some elaborate research on this double slit experiment.

I have never heard ANYONE talk about WHY they use 2 slits and what those slits represent.

The 2 slits are your eyes.
You are viewing light waves.

We each manufacture our own personal reality in our minds