No, Einstein Didn’t Solve the Biggest Problem in Physics

Summary

The video script discusses the claim that Einstein may have unknowingly solved the biggest problem in physics—unifying quantum physics with gravity—via a quantum computer experiment. The speaker, a physicist, debunks this hype, explaining that the experiment merely simulated entanglement in a lower-dimensional, fictional universe, not actual wormholes. They critique the scientific community's focus on quantum computing for funding and the media's role in sensationalizing unverified theories. The speaker concludes by asserting that Einstein did not solve quantum gravity and promotes a course on quantum mechanics for those interested in understanding the subject.

Takeaways

• 🔬 The discussion revolves around a claim that Einstein may have unknowingly solved the biggest problem in physics, which is the unification of quantum physics and gravity.
• 🌐 String theory is highlighted as a candidate for this unification, but it lacks empirical evidence to support its correctness.
• 💻 There's been a shift in focus from particle physics to quantum computing in string theory research, partly due to funding opportunities in quantum technology.
• 📰 A paper claiming to have used a quantum computer to create a wormhole received significant media attention, but the speaker argues that this was an overhyped misinterpretation.
• 🐦 The experiment, as described, involved entanglement between qubits and was mathematically reformulated to resemble a wormhole, but this was in a fictional, lower-dimensional universe.
• 🔍 The speaker criticizes the media for sensationalizing the results without proper scientific context, suggesting that such hype detracts from genuine scientific understanding.
• 🤔 The speaker questions the motivations behind the experiment, suggesting that it was conducted to attract attention and funding rather than to advance scientific knowledge.
• 📝 The speaker shares a personal anecdote about their experience with a science magazine, which they believe illustrates the pressures and biases in scientific publishing.
• 📚 The speaker promotes their own course on quantum mechanics, suggesting that a deeper understanding of the subject can be achieved through education and critical thinking.
• 🔗 The speaker offers a link to a learning platform, Brilliant.org, which they recommend for those interested in exploring quantum mechanics and related topics further.

Q & A

What was the main topic discussed in the video?

The video discusses whether Einstein unknowingly solved the biggest problem in physics, specifically the challenge of combining quantum mechanics with gravity, and critiques recent claims about using a quantum computer to open a wormhole.

What is the 'Biggest Problem in Physics' referred to in the discussion?

The 'Biggest Problem in Physics' refers to the challenge of unifying quantum mechanics and gravity, which string theory attempts to address but has not yet provided experimental evidence for.

Why did the speaker mention quantum computers in relation to string theory?

Quantum computers were mentioned because some string theorists have shifted their focus to quantum computing as a way to explore their theories, largely due to the funding available in quantum technology.

Did the scientists actually create a wormhole using a quantum computer?

No, the scientists did not create a wormhole. They used a quantum computer to simulate a scenario based on string theory mathematics, but this simulation does not reflect our universe and is not evidence of real wormholes.

What was the speaker's criticism of the experiment and its interpretation?

The speaker criticized the experiment for using a fictional lower-dimensional string theory universe in the simulation and presenting it as if it had relevance to our reality. They argued that it was a case of overhyping theoretical work without proper evidence.

Why did the speaker reference playing 'Angry Birds' as a comparison?

The speaker used 'Angry Birds' as an analogy to illustrate that observing the result of a string theory calculation is not real evidence of string theory, just as playing 'Angry Birds' is not evidence that pigs can pop.

What is the significance of Nature magazine in this context?

Nature magazine is significant because it generally does not publish purely theoretical papers. However, by incorporating experimental components like quantum computer simulations, theorists can get their work published in prestigious journals like Nature, which is valuable for securing grants.

What are the potential limitations of using quantum computers for simulating quantum gravity?

The limitation is that these simulations, even with more qubits, do not provide any direct information about quantum gravity in our universe, as they simulate a universe we do not inhabit and are not reflective of our reality.

What happened when the speaker criticized string theorists in their Quanta magazine article?

After the speaker criticized string theorists for misleading the public by conflating mathematical dualities with real black holes, their column was watered down, and Quanta magazine stopped replying to their emails, effectively ending their writing relationship.

Why does the speaker prefer YouTube as a platform?

The speaker prefers YouTube because it allows them to speak freely and call out misleading scientific claims without editorial interference, unlike their experience with Quanta magazine.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Misinterpretations in Quantum Physics

The paragraph discusses a debate at the World Science Festival regarding the potential misuse of quantum computers to open a wormhole, which was misrepresented in the media. The speaker clarifies that the experiment did not create a wormhole but merely used a quantum computer to perform calculations based on string theory, a theoretical framework attempting to unify quantum physics with gravity. The speaker criticizes the hype surrounding the experiment, emphasizing the lack of evidence for string theory and the shift of focus from particle physics to quantum computing due to funding. The experiment's interpretation as a wormhole was criticized as misleading, as it involved a fictional, lower-dimensional universe rather than a real one.

05:06

📰 The Impact of Media on Scientific Understanding

In this paragraph, the speaker recounts their experience writing for Quanta Magazine and the controversy surrounding an article they wrote about string theorists potentially misleading the public. The speaker was eventually censored and stopped writing for the magazine, which led them to start their YouTube channel to express their views freely. The paragraph concludes with a plug for a quantum mechanics course on Brilliant.org, emphasizing the importance of understanding the subject matter and the speaker's commitment to clear and accurate scientific communication.

Keywords

💡Einstein

Albert Einstein is a pivotal figure in physics, renowned for his theory of relativity. In the video, Einstein is mentioned in the context of solving the biggest problem in physics, which is the unification of quantum mechanics and gravity. The script suggests that Einstein did not unknowingly solve this problem, emphasizing the ongoing nature of this quest.

💡Quantum Mechanics

Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that describes the behavior of matter and energy at the smallest scales. The video discusses how string theory attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics with gravity, which is a major challenge in modern physics.

💡String Theory

String theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings. It is one of the leading candidates for a theory of quantum gravity. The video critiques the hype around string theory, particularly its application in quantum computing.

💡Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is a type of computation that uses quantum bits or qubits to perform calculations. The video mentions a claim that a quantum computer was used to open a wormhole, which is a subject of skepticism in the script.

💡Wormhole

A wormhole, also known as an Einstein-Rosen bridge, is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would fundamentally be a shortcut through space and time. The video discusses the claim of creating a wormhole with a quantum computer, which is presented as an example of science hype.

💡Entanglement

Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon in which the quantum states of two or more objects have to be described with reference to each other, even though the individual objects may be spatially separated. The video uses entanglement as an example of a quantum phenomenon that was simulated in the quantum computer, but it is not evidence for string theory or quantum gravity.

💡Quantum Teleportation

Quantum teleportation is a process by which the quantum state of a particle is transferred from one location to another, without the particle itself moving through the intervening space. The video connects the concept of quantum teleportation with entanglement and the idea of a wormhole, suggesting that these are different descriptions of the same process.

💡Science Hype

Science hype refers to the exaggeration or sensationalism in the presentation of scientific findings, often leading to misunderstandings. The video criticizes the overstatement of the results of the quantum computer experiment, suggesting it was an example of science hype.

💡Negative Mass

Negative mass is a hypothetical concept in physics where the mass of an object has a negative value, leading to unusual physical behavior. The video uses the idea of negative mass as an analogy to the exaggerated claims about the wormhole experiment, indicating that both are examples of unfounded scientific claims.

💡Brilliant.org

Brilliant.org is an online platform for learning STEM subjects, including physics, computer science, and mathematics. The video ends with a promotion for Brilliant.org, suggesting that it is a resource for those interested in learning more about quantum mechanics and related topics.

💡Quantum Gravity

Quantum gravity is a field of theoretical physics that attempts to describe gravity according to the principles of quantum mechanics. The video's main theme revolves around the quest to understand quantum gravity and the challenges faced in this endeavor.

Highlights

Discussion at the World Science Festival about using a quantum computer to open a wormhole, which was overhyped.

String theory is a candidate for combining quantum physics with gravity, but lacks experimental evidence.

String theorists have shifted focus to quantum computing due to funding opportunities.

Quanta Magazine and the New York Times claimed physicists created a wormhole with a quantum computer.

The experiment was merely a computation for a theory without evidence, not a test of quantum gravity.

The quantum computer simulation was of a fictional, lower-dimensional string theory universe.

The experiment involved entanglement between qubits, not a real wormhole.

The researchers aimed for publication in Nature by adding an experimental component to their theory.

The experiment did not provide insights into quantum gravity as it was conducted in a non-realistic space.

Other researchers questioned the validity of the experiment after publication.

The speaker's previous experience with Quanta Magazine and their reluctance to publish critical views on string theory.

Einstein did not solve the problem of quantum gravity, and neither has anyone else.

Quantum mechanics is understandable and can be learned through courses like the one mentioned.

Brilliant.org offers interactive courses on various scientific topics, including quantum mechanics.

The speaker's own course on Quantum Mechanics is available on Brilliant, covering fundamental concepts.

Brilliant's courses include interactive visualizations and problem-solving exercises.

A special offer for Brilliant is provided for those interested in trying the platform.

Transcripts

“Did Einstein Crack the Biggest  Problem in Physics…and didn’t know  

it?” A lot of people asked me to comment on this.

It’s a discussion at this year’s world  science festival, moderated by Brian Greene,  

about and with the scientists who, two years  ago, supposedly used a quantum computer to  

open a wormhole. Except that, you know,  they didn’t. It’s been the worst case of  

science hype since scientists supposedly created  negative mass. Except that, you know, they didn’t.

I thought everything that could have been said  about this had been said. But after watching  

the discussion, I think I do have something to  add. Namely to answer the question of whether  

Einstein unknowingly solved the biggest problem  in physics. Einstein would really like to know. 

But first, a quick recap. String theory is one  of the candidate theories for combining quantum  

physics with gravity, that’s the Biggest Problem  in Physics which the title of the discussion is  

referring to. The problem is that there is  no evidence that string theory is correct.

In the attempt of finding some experimental  support for their ideas, string theorists  

have in the past decade shifted their focus  from particle physics to quantum computing.  

Why? Because the money is now in quantum tech. This shift has been going on for some while,  

but two years ago one of those papers made big  headlines after quanta magazine and the New York  

Times drew attention to it. They claimed that  physicists had created a wormhole with a quantum  

computer, and that the mathematics of string  theory was instrumental in making this work. 

In the discussion now, Brian Greene starts  out by raising the impression that this has  

something to do with testing quantum gravity “we want to go beyond the mathematics to  

get some kind of contact with  with observation or experiment”

But the only thing they did was using a  quantum computer to do a computation for  

a theory that has no evidence speaking for it,  and then observed the result of the calculation.  

If I observe the result of a string theory  calculation that isn’t evidence for string  

theory. It’d be like claiming that playing  Angry Birds is evidence that pigs can pop.

Okay, you could say, but we do computer  simulations all the time to understand  

what’s going on in reality. Yes, but  this quantum computer simulation,  

even in the most charitable interpretation isn’t  about reality. It’s about a universe that we  

know we do not inhabit. It’s a fictional  lower-dimensional string theory universe.

In the discussion they explain  their experiment as follows:

"Here you two physical systems that are entangled,  and that's what the the ghostly line there is,  

and we want to relate that both to quantum  teleportation with entanglement but also  

to a wormhole that you can actually move things  through. And so that's what the the bottom graphic  

is showing. To something that looks more like a  wormhole and now the idea is that the two pictures  

that I'm showing are two different descriptions  of the same thing that I can talk about this in  

the language of quantum mechanics and I can  talk about it in the language of wormholes,  

but I'm really describing the same process."

That explanation is accurate. But what does it  mean? It means that what is actually happening  

in the quantum computer is kind of what’s  going on in the upper image. Entanglement  

between qubits. And that’s all well and  good. The lower image just says you can  

mathematically reformulate that and interpret  the mathematics as some sort of wormhole,  

in a space with a negative cosmological  constant in 2 dimensions that we don’t inhabit.

And that’s the only thing they did!  They moved around a few electrons in  

superconducting qubits and then,  added a fancy interpretation. 

Why did they do that? Because Nature magazine  basically doesn’t publish theory papers. But  

if you can get some experimentalists to  wiggle a few qubits in a quantum computer,  

then Nature will publish it. And a paper in  Nature is worth a lot of money in grants.

Okay, so what did we learn from it?  Here’s what they say in the discussion: 

"Now, so what we'd like to do is let's repeat  this with say 50 cubits or 100 qubits."

You can do this with as many qubits as you wish,  it will still not tell us anything about quantum  

gravity, because we do not live in the sort of  space that this simulation can be interpreted as.

Also, they forgot to mention that  after the paper was published several  

other researchers questioned whether it  actually did what they said they did.

There’s a part of this story which I haven’t  mentioned before that you might find amusing.

Several years ago I was invited by an editor  at quanta magazine to write a regular column  

for them. I did this for some while, you  can check this one their website. Then I  

wrote an article in which I explained my  misgivings about how string theorists are  

deliberately confusing the public by conflating  those mathematical dualities of black holes  

with real black holes. It was titled  “The Dual Life of Black Holes”.

Yes, my column was warning of  exactly the shitstorm that the  

wormhole in a quantum computer later caused.

It was also the last article I ever wrote for  quanta magazine. Some anonymous editor clearly  

didn’t like it that I said this so-called research  isn’t science. My article was watered down. And  

after this they simply stopped replying  to my emails. I never got an explanation.

This incidentally is a big part of  the reason why I am on YouTube. So  

that I can say bullshit when I mean bullshit  without some editor spitting into the soup. 

In summary, no, Einstein didn’t solve the problem  of quantum gravity, and neither did anyone else.

They say that no one understands quantum  mechanics. I think it's not true, it's totally  

understandable. If you want to give it a try  yourself, check out my quantum mechanics course  

on Brilliant.org. All courses on Brilliant have  interactive visualizations and come with follow-up  

questions. I found it to be very effective  to learn something new. It really gives you  

failing for what's going on and helps you build  general problem-solving skills. They cover a large  

variety of topics in science, computer science,  and maths. From general scientific thinking  

to dedicated courses on different differential  equations or large language models. And they're  

adding new courses each month. It's a fast and  easy way to learn and you can do it whenever  

and wherever you have the time. I even have my  own course on Brilliant that's an introduction  

to Quantum Mechanics. It will help you understand  what a wave function is and what the difference is  

between superpositions and entanglement. It also  covers interference, the uncertainty principle,  

and Bell's theorem. And after that, you can  continue maybe with their course on Quantum  

Computing or differential equations. Sounds good?  I hope it does! You can try Brilliant yourself for  

free if you use my link brilliant.org/sabine. That  way you'll get to try out everything Brilliant  

has to offer for a full 30 days and you'll get  20% off the annual premium subscription. So go  

and give it a try, I'm sure you won't regret  it. Thanks for watching, see you tomorrow.