No, Einstein Didn’t Solve the Biggest Problem in Physics

A lot of people have asked me to talk about the video “Did Einstein Crack the Biggest Problem in Physics…and didn’t know it?” It’s a discussion between Brian Greene and the scientists who supposedly used a quantum computer to open a wormhole. But what does this have to do with Einstein?

🔗 Join this channel to get access to perks ➜

#science #sciencenews #physics #quantumphysics

[polytropos.]

5:35 Sabine predicted this would happen. This is one prediction more than string theory ever managed to get right.

[neilcollins]

In Brazil we have a saying: "If my grandmother had two wheels, she would be a bicycle."
Meaning that rearranging things for your argument's sake doesn't change what those things are. I believe it applies here. Great video! ❤️

[hoogmonster]

"Everyone has a wormhole in a quantum computer until they take a Hossenfelder to the Face." - Mike Tyson

[rfyl]

I watched the interview before seeing this Hossenfelder critique ... and my memory of it was that Greene was extremely skeptical of the claim that they had actually created a wormhole and asked questions very similar to Hossenfelder's critique.

But it had been a while, so I couldn't remember for sure ... so I watched the video again.

One of the experimenters (the one sitting next to Greene) does actually claim (surprisingly!) that a wormhole was created -- although later his language is much less assertive. Greene seems to have the same skepticism towards that claim that Hossenfelder does ... and the other experimenters definitely pull far back from the claim. The experimenter sitting farthest from Greene explicitly says that the interpretation as a wormhole is "highly speculative". The experimenter in the middle mostly talks about the difficulties of making sure that the TELEPORTATION actually happened, and the methods they used to test that it did.

Then they say that IF we accept the mathematical equivalence between teleportation and wormholes (and Greene stresses the IF as much as they do), THEN the things learned from the teleportation provide a "new tool for looking at the difficult problem of gravity" and POSSIBLY new insights about wormholes. One particular such theoretical or mathematical insight would be that the exchange of CLASSICAL information (the "phone call") that is necessary to make the teleportation actually work would be analogous to something (also a "phone call"? they don't actually say) which would create the negative energy (or its mathematical equivalent?) which would keep the wormhole open.

So NO ONE actually makes the claim which Hossenfelder is lambasting them for supposedly making, except for the one guy ... and he very quickly (although admittedly not very forcibly) pulls back from it. Certainly Greene does not make that claim. The hype about "Wormholes Created in a Quantum Computer" seems to be on the part of the popular press, not the actual scientists -- as usual.

And don't forget that Greene often interviews people he very explicitly disagrees with, just because they are "in the news" as part of the current discussions. He never hides his own views ... but he doesn't seem to censor anyone for having opposing views

Disclaimer: I didn't watch the entire 43 minutes. I just skipped to the parts near the end where they talk about the wormhole representation. So I invite everyone to watch the entire video and see if you agree with my interpretation

[jayeff]

I watched that talk as well, but I didn't get the impression this was presented as facts, but rather as a hypothetical possibility. But once they are in the middle of the talk it often sounds as if this is already confirmed, when the are really continueing based on the previous assumptions. Otherwise they would have to constantly repeat things like "based on those assumptions" or "if the reality really is like that then ...". But that wouldn't help the listener.

[arctic_haze]

They proved the following theorem of Einstein: "90%ofl all Internet content is crap".

[andrewpodolio]

Please do the whole world a favour and debunk all these hyped up b.s panels/lectures before they get millions of views.

[jasonpowell]

"I can say bullshit when I mean bullshit." - love this.

[Whippets]

I don't believe Greene promoted "this" nonsense, if anything he was highly skeptical of it.

[edwardlee]

A science enthusiast, attracted to particle physics, cosmology of all subjects, watched quite a few lectures and videos. Thinking I'm sort of science liberate and I find your work is like pointing out spelling mistakes and incoherence and outright errors. Thanks for the effort and keep up the goodwork, raising the literacy level of the public.

[UnMoored_]

Years of working in publicly funded research taught me that the endless challenge of seeking funding often leads to less than honest claims which are not always exposed later after the money has been approved and yes, getting published is absolutely critical for most science careers.

[williamlloyd]

Ability to call bullshit when I mean bullshit. Epic!

[BeautifulModelBarbaraHutch-ve]

Science isn't a system of strong opinions, it's a system of "show your work which can survive criticism and replication by others". There is no place for confirmation bias in science. The world is the way it is if we like it or not -- it's not obligated to conform to our beliefs.

[jaywages]

I really love you and the journey that you are on. I am a black man, and my daughter just earned her PhD. I constantly send her articles that you do because of your journey, and the issues you've had with academia. I'm so happy that you're journey brought you to YouTube and made you accessible to more people, mainly Me. Continue your work girl, and enjoy your journey. And please continue to educate as many people as possible, that are searching for knowledge.👍🏿👍🏿

[PierreRJLarsson]

Was seriously hoping to see more intellectual comments in here.
Why not just shut up unless you have something interesting to say or ask?

[JohnCena]

5:58 Getting ghosted by a magazine is crazy.

[myfriendscat]

Quantum Mag's loss is our gain. Freedo to call-out these scientist must feel liberating. However, I am very disappointed with these gentlemen.

[mitabpraga]

In response to a previous video of Sabine's about string theory someone posted an excellent joke which bears repeating.
I got home from work early the other day. I found my wife in bed, and a naked string theorist hiding in the wardrobe. I knew he was a string theorist because he said he could explain everything.

[andersjjensen]

Einstein DID solve the biggest problem in physics. The biggest problem in physics in 1915 that is. Quantum phenomena was first discovered in 1900, but it wasn't until Schrödinger ideas about wave mechanics were published in 1925 that anyone started thinking that perhaps there was a gravity wave (later dubbed gravitron) somewhere to be found.

[terrenusvitae]

Ok, as a classicist, it was very confusing at first to understand why they were measuring in obsolete cubits.