What Is The Universe?

Minutephysics takes a mind-bogglingly fun look at what “everything” is.

Do unknown knowns and known unknowns still count? Does something that’s unobservable or hasn’t happened yet still exist in the universe? And what if there’s many universes? How does that change your definition of what “everything” even means?

Thinking about awesome questions is really the best exercise you can get.

Source: youtube.com

Common Physics Misconceptions

Isn’t it time that we stop teaching our kids that the Earth is flat? Sure, we can’t exactly jump into special relativity in 8th grade science classes, but surely we can bring physics education into the 20th, or maybe 21st century?

A fine message by Henry from minutephysics, to go along with his open letter to the President on physics education.

Source: youtube.com

Neil deGrasse Tyson Answers the Big Enchilada Question, “Does the Universe Have a Purpose?”

To say that the universe has a purpose implies that there is a destination or a goal. If that purpose exists, it certainly doesn’t have anything to do with us, the Johnny-come-latelys of the human race. Does the universe have a purpose? There’s a heck of a case to be made that it doesn’t. 

But don’t despair in that view. Purpose or not, we are here, and we can discover our place in the larger extent of the cosmos even if we can’t fully describe why it’s all here.

Narrated by the great Neil deGrasse Tyson for the Templeton Foundation, and animated by Henry from MinutePhysics, this is one of the greatest things you’ll watch all week.

(via Open Culture)

Source: openculture.com

Open Letter to the President: Physics Education

This call to arms by minutephysics starts with the shocking revelation that current physics standards don’t require students to learn anything beyond 1865.

1865, folks.

We can do better. Look at all the amazing stuff our students are missing out on! Or else the next Albert Einstein won’t be carrying a U.S. diploma.

Spread this far and wide!

Source: youtube.com

2012 Nobel Prize: How Do We See Light?

No, not “how do we see things giving off or hit by light?” … we are talking here about “seeing” photons themselves.

Henry from minutephysics put this video together to show how this year’s Nobel winners created dark, cold photon measurement devices and engaged in a little Schrödinger’s Catception to “illuminate” the photon itself.

Source: youtube.com