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Scientists Discover a Jewel at the Heart of Quantum Physics

JasonJason God EmperorArrakis Moderator
edited December 2013 in General Banter
An intriguing article about an intriguing discovery:

Scientists Discover a Jewel at the Heart of Quantum Physics

The description of the newly discovered geometric object, the amplituhedron, its ability to simplify complex mathematical formulas, and its existence's suggestive consequences re: a possible new geometric approach to both particle interactions and the structure and evolution of the universe itself brings to mind some old Pythagorean ideas about math, nature, and harmony (kind of like Buddhism with math).

In particular, the description of a "'master amplituhedron' with an infinite number of facets" whose volume theoretically "represents the total amplitude of all physical processes" and its relationship to 'lower-dimensional amplituhedra' that "live on the faces of this master structure" and which "correspond to interactions between finite numbers of particles" is reminiscent of Pythagorean ideas re: the 'infinite' (apeiron) and its relationship to the 'limited' (peiron).

The former suggests that the laws of the universe are the way that they are because of the way the master geometry of the universe is shaped, while the latter suggests a harmonic and mathematical order to the way the limited takes shape or unfolds from the unlimited, emphasizing the role of numbers in understanding the universe, which in my opinion makes quantum physics sound almost like a type of neo-Pythagoreanism.

All they need to do now is to incorporate vegetarianism and a theory of rebirth into the mix and we'll have Pythagoreanism 2.0. :p
anatamanZeroJeffreyTheswingisyellow

Comments

  • anatamananataman Who needs a title? Where am I? Veteran
    Just read about it… oh It just gets better!
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    Really interesting development, I also like following this stuff. This potentially is a game changer in our understanding of the universe. Stay tuned...
  • DandelionDandelion London Veteran
    I really wish I had a more academic brain :eek:
    anataman
  • Am I the only one pretending to understand what this is about ... just to feel smarter?
    Jeffrey
  • As soon I start reading about "geometrics" and quantum physics, my eyes glaze over and I lose focus within a few minutes.
    I just don't have a numbers/math kinda mind.
    I'm a visual thinker, but I can follow very complex ideas and maze-like explanations that way. But just reading it, myself, without visual aids, just leaves me feeling..... kinda dumb. :o

    Color me Lost.
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    Yeah, it's pretty abstract stuff and I don't full understand it all myself, either. :p
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    I don't get any of the mechanics behind it but it sounds like a revolutionary new way of viewing things akin to Einstein's relativity.
  • An interesting but technical talk by Arkani-Hamed on the amplituhedron:



    I heard a talk by gerard t'hoof (a nobel laureate theoretical physicist) in 2011 I think where he proposed during a discourse with professor susskind (theoretial physicist at stanford) on the holographic principle that he suspected there may be an underlying fundamental structure behind QFT - a sort of a precursor that both QM and ST would adhere to - I wonder if this is what they were chuckling about.
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