Gravitational Wave Astronomy
Jim and Randy talk about gravitational waves.
Jun 10, 2020•38 min
Physics Frontiers
Jim Rantschler and Randy Morrison discuss physics from elementary particles to cosmological effects at the limits of our theoretical knowledge or have recently emerged.
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Episodes
X17
Jim and Randy discuss a possible "fifth force," the hypothetical X17 particle that has been seen in several experiments. Erratum: The g-2 of the muon was shown to be off by 1 part in 500,000 in 2001 at Brookhaven. It may not be in there, I'm not sure how much of that I cut out. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/50
May 03, 2020•38 min
The Unruh Effect
Jim and Randy discuss the apparent creation of quanta seen by comparing the viewpoints of relatively accelerating observers -- the Unruh Effect. (There is a little noise that shows up on Randy's track half way through - I did my best) Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/49 (links to papers, podcasts, and more!)
Apr 04, 2020•40 min
The Gertsenshtein Effect
Randy introduces Jim to the Gertsenshtein effect, the conversion of gravitational waves to electromagnetic waves through resonances. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/48
Jan 19, 2020•40 min
Bimetric Gravity
Randy introduces Jim to Sabine Hossenfelder's bimetric theory of gravity. In this gravitational theory, there are two types of matter whose only interaction is through gravitation. However, each one reacts to space-time differently, resulting in different metric tensors for each. In low-curvature situations, this creates a kind of anti-gravitation. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/47
Nov 24, 2019•47 min
Wigner's Friend
Randy and Jim discuss experiments that purport to show that there is no such thing as objective reality. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/46
Sep 22, 2019•45 min
Loop Quantum Gravity
Jim and Randy discuss loop quantum gravity, and integration of quantum mechanics and gravity that quantizes space-time itself through the use of uncertain quanta of volumes and the random connections between them.
Aug 16, 2019•44 min
Spooky Action at a Distance
Jim and Randy discuss experiments that put a minimum superluminal speed of communication between parts of a wavefunction. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/44
Jul 16, 2019•48 min
The Positive Energy Theorem
Randy introduces Jim to a refutation of the positive energy theorem in a universe with a cosmological constant. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/43
Jun 06, 2019•34 min
Entropic Gravity
Jim and Randy discuss Eric Verlinde's theory thermodynamic theory of gravity. This theory purports to explain gravitational attraction and inertia through statistical mechanics. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/42
May 04, 2019•36 min
The Chameleon Field
Randy and Jim discuss the chameleon field -- a way to model dark energy with a scalar boson of varying strength. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/41
Feb 24, 2019•33 min
The Octonions
Randy tells Jim about a way to use an extension of an extension of the complex numbers to reveal the nature of elementary particles. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/40
Dec 23, 2018•53 min
Negative Effective Mass
Randy tells Jim about experiments with Neutrons and Photons in materials that exhibit negative effective mass. Not only do these effects show that the inertial mass of quasiparticles in a material can become negative, they show that these negative mass quasiparticles act like they have negative gravitational mass, as well. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/39
Dec 09, 2018•36 min
The Dimensionality of Space-Time
Jim discusses why the world we observe is 4-dimensional with Randy. We discuss anthropic and fundamental reasons why we need 3 dimensions and no more than one time dimension for reasons of complexity, predictability and stability. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/38
Nov 25, 2018•44 min
The Einstein-Cartan Torsion Field Theory
Randy explains to Jim theories on how to incorporate a native angular momentum into general relativity. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/37
Oct 30, 2018•35 min
The Metamaterial Stress Tensor
Randy tells Jim about recent results in the description of the electromagnetic stress tensor in metamaterials. In particular, we discuss the efforts to computationally model the stress tensor in amorphous metamaterials. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/36
Oct 15, 2018•42 min
The String Theory Landscape
Jim and Randy explore the landscape of string theory in the anthropic manner put forward by Leonard Susskind. Show Notes: http:frontiers.physicsfm.com/35
Sep 22, 2018•42 min
CPT Symmetry and Gravitation
CPT Symmetry is a fundamental symmetry in the standard model. Jim and Randy discuss what happens when it is applied to general relativity. Show Notes: frontiers.physicsfm.com/34 [Really sorry for the muted tracks on the first upload. The problem has been fixed. - J]
Aug 10, 2018•32 min
Retrocausality
Jim and Randy look at how quantum mechanics is affected by time. Most importantly, what happens when temporal boundary conditions are used to create standing waves in the wave function of a particle? Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/33
Jul 25, 2018•35 min
Tunneling Time
Jim talks to Randy about the amount of time it takes for an electron to tunnel through a forbidden region of space. Astoundingly, how quickly this happens has been a subject of debate for eighty years and is still unresolved. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/32
Jul 07, 2018•47 min
Post-Newtonian Gravitation
Jim discusses the Parameterized Post-Newtonian formalism with Randy. The PPN framework is a general, linearized metric theory of gravity that can simulate all metric theories of gravity and compare them to solar system sized experiments. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/31
Jun 08, 2018•42 min
The Consistent Histories Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics
Jim and Randy discuss the consistent histories interpretation of quantum mechanics. The brainchild of Robert Griffiths and with a surprisingly strong set of supporters, Consistent Histories seems to be a strong, logical description of what happens in the quantum world. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/30
May 24, 2018•46 min
Gravitational Alternatives to Dark Energy
Jim and Randy discuss how modifications to general relativity can be used to mimic the effects of dark energy. They discuss various forms of gravitational theory that can do the job, as well as the field particles that mediate their "fifth force." Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/29
May 16, 2018•47 min
The Quantum Vacuum and the Casimir Effect
Jim and Randy review two very convincing papers that make the claim that the Casimir effect is due to materials fluctuations and not the zero point energy. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/28
Apr 25, 2018•41 min
The Gravitational Equivalence Principles
Jim talks to Randy about the different ways in which the equivalence principle of general relativity can be formulated. More than just the equivalence of accelerations, the different possible meanings of the equivalence principle mean different things about how gravity works. From weak to strong, from Einstein's equivalence principle to Schiff's conjecture, the implications of these theories are explored. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/27
Apr 15, 2018•46 min
Antimatter Production at a Potential Boundary
Randy shows Jim an idea for generating antimatter using the Casimir effect that doesn't require a collider. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/26
Mar 25, 2018•40 min
Gravitational Field Propulsion
Randy introduces Jim to several ways in which people have theorized that gravity can be used to propel an object through space. The slingshot effect is the only proven method here, but people have found many ways that theoretically could induce propulsion taking advantage of non-commutative motions in space-time, negative inertia, artificially-induced gravitational dipoles, and creating bubbles in space-time. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/25
Mar 16, 2018•58 min
The Island of Stability
Randy tells Jim about the island of stability: a theoretically predicted oasis of stable nuclear isotopes that researchers keep getting nearer and nearer to discovering. Randy and Jim talk about what they are, how researchers are trying to produce the isotopes, and the theoretical methods that predict their existence. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/24
Feb 24, 2018•25 min
Dark Energy
Randy helps Jim get a handle on Dark Energy. Why do we need it? What could it be? What does it have to do with you? How close are we to knowing anything about it? Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/23
Feb 09, 2018•1 hr 13 min
Weyl and Quasiparticles
Jim and Randy discuss quasiparticles recently found in condensed matter systems that mirror particles theorized nearly a hundred years ago, but never found in the vacuum. Weyl particles are massless fermions, and once it was hoped that neutrinos would turn out to be this kind of particle, and Majorana fermions have real-valued wave functions and therefore many strange and possibly useful properties. Show Notes: http://frontiers.physicsfm.com/22
Jan 22, 2018•37 min
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