What is reality ?

[MEZZANINE]

Did anyone see the Horizon show on BBC2 last night titled 'What is Reality' ?

WOW Quantum Physics is mindblowing, everything in multiple place at once, the multiple universe theory, holographic reality theory based blackhole dynamics, whole area's of real day to day science based on theoretical particles we cant yet prove exist. This sh...... err stuff could drive you nuts.


A 'simple' quantum physics experiment was shown that appeared to prove that photons either

1) Split in half, but both halves had the same properties as the original ( duplication )

or

2) Were able to be in two places at once

or

3) The the universe split in two so the same photon was in different places in 2 universes but the effects of both also happened in both universes.


BUT

While the effects were measurable, when observed or interacted with, the duality ceased, it only happens if your dont watch ?????????



The most powerful quantum computer was also shown, at absolute zero using superconductors, a processor using electrons moving in opposite directions can allow a single bit to be 0 and 1 at the same time, real freaky stuff.



Did anyone see this, or is anyone studying it, and want to discuss ?

[Baxter]

we 'touched lightly' on quantum physics in my final year of high school, though it was more to do with the history of it, up to about ~1950
there are currently 136 (possibly more, they like to 'think up' new ones all the time) of which i know of about 20

what gets confusing is when you start to differentiate between two particles of the same type, like an electron. there's a law (can't remember whose) that states that no two particles may have the same quantum numbers (there are 4 for electrons) - electron 'shell' (which is actually an energy state, not a physical orbit around a nucleus), subshell number, some magnetic field effect, and spin.
this doesnt work for sub-atomic particles like quarks, which have the same 4 quantum numbers, so they thought that a new number should be created to differentiate quarks - "colour" - which isnt physical colour, but an aspect of quantum thermodynamics (dont even ask me what that is, i just know the name ). quarks also come in flavours, just to make it more confusing.

gotta love physicists for deciding on the names of these things

[xDaku]

I haven't seen this episode but there's another episode of Horizon titled "Parallel Universes" I'm pretty sure. It deals with the multi verse and M theory and loads of other stuff and by the end of it I guarantee you'll have the best head ache of your life.

I had to do a research paper and chose that as my topic. Physics at its current state is nothing like what we tend to study at high school. Infact most of our high school studies is seriously outdated. Physics is completely different. Some of the stuff is just plain scary yet jaw-dropping at the same time.