I promised Ben I would post something proper; and then the CIA report was published the very next day. Instead of taking that as a sign, however, (you may of course consider my squarely on the side of not torturing), I bring your attention to the fact that physics is clearly now at a point where they have started making things up off the top of their heads after a serious bout of drinking (or more).
I can see it now: Four physicists, scattered across the floor; one under the table, the other upside-down near a potted plant.
One says: What if... what if... You know how there is no proof that time MUST go one way, scientifically, you know. What if... what if there was a mirror universe where it went the wrong way.
And the rest of them, apart from the one busy talking to the pink rabbit with the tea set in the corner, say: That's a brilliant idea.
I prefer this story to the idea that this is serious physics, because if this is serious physics, then I am not sure what side is up anymore.
This is serious theoretical physics which is more Math than anything else which means you can get things like this that have no real use but are interesting. The real question is though if this is the way time worked in that universe from the beginning would it really be backwards? Is the whole idea of forwards and backwards simply a perception of us or does it have a real outside meaning. Are we anything more than thoughts drifting through the universe making up other thoughts to keep ourselves company? hands the bong apparatus to the next in line
But yes - much of theoretical physics is like this. String theory which is one of the best theories we have mixing quantum mechanics (much of which makes this look sane and quaint - try reading scientific American articles that claim the universe is a hologram - I am not joking) with relativity and it reads like a fever dream. I mean even the orbital theory of atoms and molecules, especially molecular orbital theory (with bonding and antibonding orbitals) is crazy I know I had to try to teach it. And it has very good experimental proof to back it up. The color of many compounds for example do not make sense unless you invoke molecular orbital theory.
The universe is a really really strange place.
- 12/12/2014 05:41:35 PM
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