universe http://www.npr.org universe en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:46:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif universe http://www.npr.org Is Time Real? Time is special. How we see it helps determine how we see the rest of the Universe. Physicist Lee Smolin has a new book out that says we've been looking at time the wrong way. Adam Frank digs in and offers his own perspective on Smolin's argument. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:46:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/05/02/180037757/is-time-real?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/05/02/180037757/is-time-real?ft=1&f=127349199 Time is special. How we see it helps determine how we see the rest of the Universe. Physicist Lee Smolin has a new book out that says we've been looking at time the wrong way. Adam Frank digs in and offers his own perspective on Smolin's argument.

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]]> There's Trouble Brewing At The Birth Of The Universe Scientists can't just agree to disagree. It's not because we are stubborn or ornery (OK, maybe we are). It's because science faces a fundamental problem when it can't agree on numbers like the value of the Hubble Constant. The whole point of science is to establish an understanding of the cosmos on which we can all agree. Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:59:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/04/16/177463556/there-s-trouble-at-the-birth-of-the-universe?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/04/16/177463556/there-s-trouble-at-the-birth-of-the-universe?ft=1&f=127349199 Scientists can't just agree to disagree. It's not because we are stubborn or ornery (OK, maybe we are). It's because science faces a fundamental problem when it can't agree on numbers like the value of the Hubble Constant. The whole point of science is to establish an understanding of the cosmos on which we can all agree.

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]]> Our Dark Materials Science discovers one dark material after another, making reality stranger than fiction. Commentator Marcelo Gleiser says the recent observation of the Higgs field and last week's announcement of the possible detection of dark matter are just the latest data points in our long quest to know what the Universe is made of. Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:05:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/04/10/176660709/our-dark-materials?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/04/10/176660709/our-dark-materials?ft=1&f=127349199 Science discovers one dark material after another, making reality stranger than fiction. Commentator Marcelo Gleiser says the recent observation of the Higgs field and last week's announcement of the possible detection of dark matter are just the latest data points in our long quest to know what the Universe is made of.

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]]> The Origin Of The Universe: From Nothing Everything? Can science ever explain the origin of the Universe? Commentator Marcelo Gleiser suggests caution and humility as scientists face this very difficult question. Wed, 27 Mar 2013 06:47:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/03/26/175352714/the-origin-of-the-universe-from-nothing-everything?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/03/26/175352714/the-origin-of-the-universe-from-nothing-everything?ft=1&f=127349199 Can science ever explain the origin of the Universe? Commentator Marcelo Gleiser suggests caution and humility as scientists face this very difficult question.

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]]> Where Did Life Come From? The Mind? The Universe? Can We Even Know? Can science explain the origins of the universe, of life and of the mind? Not completely, it turns out. But how far can it go in answering them? Commentator Marcelo Gleiser starts digging into these questions. Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:03:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/03/20/174729853/where-did-life-come-from-the-mind-the-universe-can-we-even-know?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/03/20/174729853/where-did-life-come-from-the-mind-the-universe-can-we-even-know?ft=1&f=127349199 Can science explain the origins of the universe, of life and of the mind? Not completely, it turns out. But how far can it go in answering them? Commentator Marcelo Gleiser starts digging into these questions.

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]]> The End Of The Universe, The Higgs And All The 'Ifs' The Universe could end tomorrow, courtesy of the newly-discovered Higgs. But, as commentator Marcelo Gleiser explains, there is really no need to panic. Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:23:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/02/23/172766407/the-end-of-the-universe-the-higgs-and-all-the-ifs?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/02/23/172766407/the-end-of-the-universe-the-higgs-and-all-the-ifs?ft=1&f=127349199 The Universe could end tomorrow, courtesy of the newly-discovered Higgs. But, as commentator Marcelo Gleiser explains, there is really no need to panic.

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]]> Universe Or universe? It All Depends On The Multiverse The Universe is different from the universe in commentator Marcelo Gleiser's eyes. It's not about grammar. It's about cosmology, about what we know versus what we are able to imagine. Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:17:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/02/19/172391249/universe-or-universe-it-all-depends-on-the-multiverse?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/02/19/172391249/universe-or-universe-it-all-depends-on-the-multiverse?ft=1&f=127349199 The Universe is different from the universe in commentator Marcelo Gleiser's eyes. It's not about grammar. It's about cosmology, about what we know versus what we are able to imagine.

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]]> Is There A Place For The Mind In Physics? Part I Is your Mind real, or just an afterthought in the life of your brain? What if the Mind was something as real as Space and Time and Higgs Bosons? Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:51:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/01/29/169896128/is-there-a-place-for-the-mind-in-physics-part-i?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/01/29/169896128/is-there-a-place-for-the-mind-in-physics-part-i?ft=1&f=127349199 Is your Mind real, or just an afterthought in the life of your brain? What if the Mind was something as real as Space and Time and Higgs Bosons?

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]]> Spaceship Earth: Who Is In Control? In a breathtaking video, astronauts talk of the Overview Effect: how their vision of the Earth — and our role in its future — changed once they saw it from space. It's high time we take their views seriously and act as a species to preserve our future. Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:56:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/01/15/169334226/spaceship-earth-who-is-in-control?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/01/15/169334226/spaceship-earth-who-is-in-control?ft=1&f=127349199 In a breathtaking video, astronauts talk of the Overview Effect: how their vision of the Earth — and our role in its future — changed once they saw it from space. It's high time we take their views seriously and act as a species to preserve our future.

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]]> Good News, Bad News: The Universe Next Door Modern cosmology predicts the existence of other universes. But can such idea be tested? And should we worry about universes colliding? Yes! Welcome to the world of cosmic catastrophism. Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:25:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/01/09/168863713/good-news-bad-news-the-universe-next-door?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/01/09/168863713/good-news-bad-news-the-universe-next-door?ft=1&f=127349199 Modern cosmology predicts the existence of other universes. But can such idea be tested? And should we worry about universes colliding? Yes! Welcome to the world of cosmic catastrophism.

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]]> Wait, Maybe We Are Living In A Simulation New research takes on the question: "Are you a simulation?" It's a question some, including commentator Adam Frank, enjoy with a sense of humor. Others aren't sure they even want to now the answer. Sun, 23 Dec 2012 16:08:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/12/23/167923290/wait-maybe-we-are-living-in-a-simulation?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/12/23/167923290/wait-maybe-we-are-living-in-a-simulation?ft=1&f=127349199 New research takes on the question: "Are you a simulation?" It's a question some, including commentator Adam Frank, enjoy with a sense of humor. Others aren't sure they even want to now the answer.

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]]> Raging Against A Universe Past Its Prime Our universe is fading away, at least when it comes to how many stars are being made. Its age of splendor long gone, we take solace in knowing that we are here to witness what remains. Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:03:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/12/11/166946604/raging-against-a-universe-past-its-prime?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/12/11/166946604/raging-against-a-universe-past-its-prime?ft=1&f=127349199 Our universe is fading away, at least when it comes to how many stars are being made. Its age of splendor long gone, we take solace in knowing that we are here to witness what remains.

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]]> Recreating The Universe In The Lab Can scientists create universes in the lab? Although that may not be possible, physicists can recreate the young universe in high energy particle collisions. Recent results indicate that the young universe may be stranger than anticipated. Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:38:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/12/05/166479223/recreating-the-universe-in-the-lab?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/12/05/166479223/recreating-the-universe-in-the-lab?ft=1&f=127349199 Can scientists create universes in the lab? Although that may not be possible, physicists can recreate the young universe in high energy particle collisions. Recent results indicate that the young universe may be stranger than anticipated.

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]]> On Faith And Science: An Idealized Dialogue In this idealized dialogue between faith and science, some of the most entrenched reasons for the common split are explored. Science insists in the reality of things, faith doesn't. Science measures, faith believes. How to deal with the origin of the universe? Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:42:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/10/10/162560131/on-faith-and-science-an-idealized-dialogue?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/10/10/162560131/on-faith-and-science-an-idealized-dialogue?ft=1&f=127349199 In this idealized dialogue between faith and science, some of the most entrenched reasons for the common split are explored. Science insists in the reality of things, faith doesn't. Science measures, faith believes. How to deal with the origin of the universe?

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]]> Looking For Answers Beyond The Cosmic Horizon The notion that the Big Bang is like an exploding bomb is completely wrong. But what, then, lies beyond the edge of space? Can we ever know whether the Universe is infinite? Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:09:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/09/26/161720648/looking-for-answers-beyond-the-cosmic-horizon?ft=1&f=127349199 http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/09/26/161720648/looking-for-answers-beyond-the-cosmic-horizon?ft=1&f=127349199 The notion that the Big Bang is like an exploding bomb is completely wrong. But what, then, lies beyond the edge of space? Can we ever know whether the Universe is infinite?

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