BBC HD: How Long is a Piece of String?

[boom_box]

---

BBC - How Long is a Piece of String?



How Long is a Piece of String? (1/4)
How Long is a Piece of String? (2/4)
How Long is a Piece of String? (3/4)
How Long is a Piece of String? (4/4)

Alan Davies attempts to answer the proverbial question: how long is a piece of string? But what appears to be a simple task soon turns into a mind-bending voyage of discovery where nothing is as it seems.

An encounter with leading mathematician Marcus du Sautoy reveals that Alan's short length of string may in fact be infinitely long. When Alan attempts to measure his string at the atomic scale, events take an even stranger turn. Not only do objects appear in many places at once, but reality itself seems to be an illusion.

Ultimately, Alan finds that measuring his piece of string could - in theory at least - create a black hole, bringing about the end of the world.

One note: Try to read Quantum Mechanics before watching this episode.

[yanong_banikanhon]

Nindot ni siya nga documentary. It reveals that the quantum world is a lot stranger than scientists can imagine.

Ato pud makita nga layo pa gyud kaayo ang science in terms of understanding the natural laws that govern the universe.

[rodsky]

Ato pud makita nga layo pa gyud kaayo ang science in terms of understanding the natural laws that govern the universe.

Let's imagine I invented a meter stick. With the new invention, I can measure the length of plants, the size of houses, and the distance from my house to the grocery store.

I have invented a useful tool, that allows me to measure things, for practical purposes. I am content to use this tool within the boundaries of my needs.

Now if someone asks me to measure the circumference of the world with it, it would be a truly tiring and backbreaking effort I even attempted to measure a only kilometer's worth.

While indeed, people who use science have expressed to the world that it wants to understand everything about it (i.e. search for Grand Unified Theory) they have not said they are already equipped with the necessary tools to do so. The road is long, the world is big, but we will get there eventually But certainly, there are other things that can be measured and checked in the meantime (i.e. within the capacity of its tools).

Same thing with the meter stick, people would use it not to measure the entire world but to measure the things they practically can with the stick, but we're not saying we wouldn't want to measure the world with with a stick--it remains to be an exciting and noble goal.

Science is the meter stick--it may be short, but our understanding of our world around us is helped by its existence, and thus helps improve our lives.

-RODION

[Elyu]

Thanks for sharing this. The fractals part was interesting, I'd have to watch it a few more times to understand it though To infinity and beyond!

[jofer]

i couldn't agree more sir rod.i like your analogy a lot.makasabot jud intawn ko na yano ra ug pangutok.