Black hole Firewalls - with Sean Carroll and Jennifer Ouellette

What would you experience if you jumped into a black hole?

Conventionally, physicists have assumed that if the black hole is large enough, the gravitational forces won't become extreme until you approach the singularity. There, the gravitational pull will be so much stronger on your feet than your head, that you will be 'spaghettified'. Now, a new theory proposes that instead of spaghettification, you will encounter a massive wall of fire that will incinerate you on the spot, before you get close to turning into vermicelli.

In this special Ri event, science writer Jennifer Ouellette and physicist Sean Carroll explore the black hole firewall paradox, the exotic physics that underlies the new theory and what the paradox tells us about how new scientific theories are proposed, tested and accepted.

[Ucbmiller]

My biggest dream at the age of 33 and just beginning to start my physics education is to contribute beyond the giants shoulders I've stood on for a year now. I have ADHD and the only thing I can keep focus on is absolutely everything to do with physics, mathematics, general relativity, quantum mechanics, and etc. It is a privilege to be able to learn so much for free these days. Godspeed.

[JoyoSnooze]

I could listen to Sean Carroll all day, every day.
He seems to perfectly blend the mind-boggling complexity of his subject matter, with an ease and flow of delivery that makes it come across as comprehensively understandable at an engaging and relatable level.

[tusharmishra]

This means so much to me.. I am a student from India with just no resources at all.. This empowers me.. Thank you everyone who is involved in this channel and video

[ryhk]

I traveled for nearly a week from an MSF mission in the Congo to attend these two's wedding in LA in the 2007 (ish?). Unique, beautiful ceremony. Took another nearly a week to travel back.

[ferkinskin]

I'm very often, if not always, impressed with the RI audiences (especially the "kids") and their level of curiosity and general knowledge.

[spidalack]

First, I would like to say that having these kinds of lectures available on the internet is something that fills me with such a sense of pride in the human race that is refreshing. Thank you so much for this gift. 

Second, I would like to point out a small correction. In the talk, Sean Carrol states the unfortunate link between the term "firewall" in this context and in computer science. Well, actually, the analogy is EXACTLY what happens in a computer firewall, except with a twist. The way a firewall works is it's a "membrane" any information wanting to pass from one network to another as to go through.

The default behavior is that any information is stopped. How is information stopped? It is "destroyed". This is the membrane acting "as nature intended". Destroying information is something we do all the time in computer science. How do we do it? We make heat. That's one of the reasons why your computer gets warm. 

The twist is the trick to computer science. We get to cheat and decide what information is allowed to pass, basically by deciding to look at it instead of dissipating it. That's what makes it a very useful thing to protect "my precious universe" from the big bad things on the other side of the firewall. 

[RayWalker-pythonic]

I could watch Sean Carroll lectures all day. In fact, I think I will.

[hamzakhanrajput]

It happened first time in my Life that I watched a YouTube video of one and a half an hour without skipping even a single second. Sean is a great explainer.

[CaptianKeyz]

I could listen to you all day, Sean. Thank you for all your talks. I get them off youtube. I watch many academic lectures in physics to better grasp these concepts of the nature of black holes & the reality of space-time. I only have a BA in music, but I do understand acoustic physics. So, I do have some foundation; just not a very strong one. I can't help but be excited about this stuff. It's what I do for entertainment, instead of TV & that nonsense. Thank you for your contribution to humanity, Mr Carroll

[CAPUTO]

not sure that i've ever heard this topic presented as clearly, articulately and enjoyably as it was by ouellette in the above vid, just outstanding.

[charleshartlen]

Sean is likely my favorite of his peers in terms of public communication; I enjoy his zeal and humor. Thanks for your time and thanks for uploading this!

[mgenthbjpafa]

Congrats to the couple.Learned so much with Prof. Sean Carrol from 2007 to 2019. Excellent Podcast and lectures.

[geoden]

I well remember this joint lecture taking place in London, Sean and his wife were excellent and engrossing.

[SmegInThePants]

Nice talk but I also really enjoyed the question and answer period, could have enjoyed an entire vid of just that, he's good at answering questions cold off the cuff, and people in the audience are good at trying to narrow down ambiguities in language from the main talk to pierce the veil of the analogies a little bit while simultaneously sean immediately understands what they are getting at and resolves the ambiguity to clarify what is really being said.

[deeliciousplum]

Exceptional talk! Thank you to Ri for sharing this. A huge thank you to Jennifer Ouellette and Sean Carroll for sharing their thoughts and research with us.

[mierpaul]

i just watched all the sean carroll videos so I'm ready for my PhD in theoretical quantum physics.

[BeCurieUs]

Came to understand more about black holes, only to now understand we know seemingly less about black holes than we assumed in the past...I LOVE SCIENCE :D

[BryanOSheaComedy]

Sean and Jennifer are my two new favorite people. Bravo.

[DrJeeps]

Wonderful lecture by both Sean and Jennifer. I've been a professor of psychology for 43 years and during the last 6 years I have become fascinated with quantum mechanics and cosmology. I would like a do over in life as a theoretical physicist. Unfortunately, that can't happen.

[MarcoMeerman]

When listening to Sean's lectures, I deel like I listen to the world's best teacher. And you are a great couple.