Questions That Plague Physics: A Conversation with Lawrence M. Krauss [Cosmology & Creationism]

Scientific American ^ | August 2004 issue | Staff

[PatrickHenry]

I've added the underlining and I've bolded some names.

This is interesting because he's part of the evolution-creationism debates. And it's news to me that Bill Gates is funding the Discovery Institute.

[PatrickHenry]

Evolution Ping! This list is for the evolution side of evolution threads, and maybe other science topics like cosmology.
See the list's description in my freeper homepage. Then FReepmail me to be added or dropped.

[Joe Brower]

Watching SciAm slowly slide downhill into left-wing political demagoguery since the early 80s, I'd say that the biggest question being asked by many scientists is, "With global warming becoming more and more exposed for the junk-science it is, how can I maintain my tenure and support my submission for next year's psuedo-research grant?"...

[babyface00]

Neither string theory nor loop quantum gravity has told us much about the key unsolved physical problems -- most important, why does the universe have dark energy? That's the biggest question right now

I don't follow these subjects all that well, but I was of the understanding that "dark energy" is simply a theory that has not been proven, nor disproven.

He speaks of it as if it were a proven fact.

[razoroccam]

You may want to read about the incarnations of Vishnu (the Hindu God of creation). The incarnations are fish, tortoise, boar, lion-man, dwarf, Parashuram, and then man. The dwarf as a small arboreal monkey. Parashuram is an upright primate. See the evolution? Fish -> amphibian -> mammal -> monkey -> man.

Unfortunately, Hindus tend to read this literally, worship Vishnu, and forget that the incarnations are telling us about evolution.

[muawiyah]

It's not the case that Global Warming has been demonstrated to be "junk science" ~ rather, that the idea that mankind is responsible for Global Warming has been demonstrated to be the mother of all junk science!

Even Mars is heating up, and the Germans now say "zee Sun isht brighter" (in their quaint broken-English fashion).

The problem for the professional grantsmanship researchers is they have to switch off from the Earth sciences to Astronomy ~ that's no small leap.

[Physicist]

I don't follow these subjects all that well, but I was of the understanding that "dark energy" is simply a theory that has not been proven, nor disproven.

Actually, it's almost the opposite. It's something that almost nobody expected or wanted, but the effect of which became unmistakable in cosmological observations. It really upset a lot of applecarts a couple of years ago. It's a stub-your-toe physical fact that left the theorists scrambling to see where it fit in.

[Physicist]

But I think these extra dimensions smell wrong.

For the record, I expect that there really are extra dimensions.

[Odyssey-x]

Flame:
I think basic physics is in a rut. We haven't figured out any better way then chemical rockets to get ourselves around the universe and they were invented in the 20s. String theory is just a bunch of math without experimental proof or disproof. There are plenty of interesting physicial phenomenon to look at on the micro level that are ignored, e.g Casimir Effect, Zero Point Quantum Energy, Collapsing bubble fusion, etc. Everybody wants to stay out of the lab and just do math. That or they want multi-billion dollar toys to just do research.

[longshadow]

Excellent interview.

[spetznaz]

You may want to read about the incarnations of Vishnu (the Hindu God of creation). The incarnations are fish, tortoise, boar, lion-man, dwarf, Parashuram, and then man. The dwarf as a small arboreal monkey. Parashuram is an upright primate. See the evolution? Fish -> amphibian -> mammal -> monkey -> man. Unfortunately, Hindus tend to read this literally, worship Vishnu, and forget that the incarnations are telling us about evolution.

In my opinion the Ramayana and the Mahabarata (the seminal books of Hinduism) are some of the best writings that have stemmed from human civilization. Some of the topics in them, even though they are wrapped in mythology, can easily compare with anything you could read from 'The Republic' or even the Bible (for example the Golden Rule was in the Hindu books thousands of years before Christ said it).

The funny thing is that even when it comes to gods, the conventional thinking is wrong. Most think Hinduism has a million gods, but in reality it is 3 in one. The Trimurti is the Hindu Trinity: Brahma the creator, Visnu (Vishnu) the Sustainer, and Siva (Shiva) the destroyer. That is the Trimurti. And, the Trimurti becomes one God .....Brahman (not Brahma, but Brahman) who is the three made one. Basically the same thing as the Trinity .....3 as one (God the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit). Infact one could say Visnu is a 'Christ figure' who comes to 'redeem' the Earth. And I believe his last incarnation was as Krishna, and that the next one (his last, which will be during the end of the world) will be as 'Kalki,' who shall come as a 'king on a white horse when the heavens open.' (Sound familiar?)

Hinduism has always been quite fascinating. It has so many layers and intricacies that what one at first finds silly starts to show its myriad convolutions that can really make one wonder. It seems like a simple faith at first, but it has very very very many facets. There is more to Hinduism than Hare Krishna devotees and many-armed deities. It can be quite deep (there are some articles i've read that, in my opinion, some of the weapons wielded by the deities seem like nuclear weapons, and some of their crafts seem remarkably like machines. Almost similar to the description of the 'spinning wheel' given in the Book of Ezekiel in the Bible. I believe the Hindu word for them is Vashista or something like that ....starts with a V I know. LOL).

Now, if i could only get a kiss from a deva!

Freegards, Spetz Shakti.

[nightdriver]

When the testing of the proposed missile defense system showed it didn't work, the Pentagon's answer, more or less, went, "No more tests before we build it."

Unless I'm mistaken, the last two tests of the missle defense system have been rather spectacularly successful.

What am I missing?

[cyborg]

I need go back to Starbucks to comprehend the deepness of you post.

[Gorjus]

It's [dark energy] something that almost nobody expected or wanted, but the effect of which became unmistakable in cosmological observations.

Unmistakable? Well, the effect has a lot of substantial observational evidence, but whether the cause is dark energy is still quite theoretical.

In other words, right now it's like string theory. It offers an explanation for something not well explained by current theories. That's a good thing - but it's not proof. Until we understand where the dark energy comes from, it's not really different from a 'fudge factor.'

Which actually supports Krauss' contention that we need to understand it better, for all that his political bias (for example, on anti-missile testing) fatally undermines his overall credibility.

[Joe Brower]

You are correct, of course. Pointing the blaming finger at mankind's industry as the source of all human woes is what I was referring to.

Perhaps these "scientists" should have spent more time pursuing the truth, instead of money.

[AdmSmith]

For the record, I expect that there really are extra dimensions.

Agree, and we had a thread on one idea:

the ekpyrotic model with the Big Splat due to the collision of two flat, three-dimensional membranes (branes) floating in five-dimensional space (six other dimensions being folded up), producing the energy and matter that comprise our present cosmos http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ad34a4206ed.htm in 2001!

[razoroccam]

Your knowledge amazes me. You know more about Hinduism than 99.9% of Hindus (actually, there is no such religion, but that is the subject of another rant and rave). The Rg Veda, the oldest book known to humanity and fountain head of Hinduism, categorically states that there is only one God.

The paths (and not path) to salvation to reach that God were enounced as
1. Right actions (Karam Yoga)
2. Fulfillment of responsibilities (Dharam Yoga)
3. Love of God (Prem Yoga)
4. Devotion (Bhakti Yoga).

Initially, Karam and Dharam Yoga were dominant. In the 8th century, when India was Buddhist, a Hindu reformer named Shankracharya reconverted the country to Hinduism. At the same time, another reformer named Madhava proposed Bhakti Yoga as the fastest and best way to achieve salvation. This is very similar to Christianity and even Islam where devotion supersedes acts or responsibilities.

Since sitting in front of an idol is so much easier than working in the fields, fighting off invaders, or learning science, India and Hinduism quickly went downhill. A thousand years of domination by Islam and England followed.

Unfortunately, even today, most Hindus are completely ignorant of their real religion. And till they do, salvation will be but a pipe dream.

[Old Professer]

Besides my own research, I see part of my mission as trying to close the disconnect between science and the rest of the culture.

I found this an interesting choice of words.

[swarthyguy]

http://www.atributetohinduism.com/Vimanas.htm

Vimanas.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Strangely like one of the religions on Delmak-O; among the main religious figures:

The Mentufacturer
The Form Destroyer
The Intercessor
The Walker-on-Earth