How to Detect Quantum Bullshit

Quantum physics could revolutionize everything… at least that’s what some news headlines would have you believing. For those with a few billion dollars to spare to invest in the next big quantum technology, there are a few things you should look out for.

This video comes with a quiz which you can take here:

Seven Candidates for Dyson Spheres

Dyson Spheres are hypothetical megastructures built by highly advanced civilizations around their stars to harness energy. A group of astrophysicists says they have identified several possible candidates… and I think it's not as crazy as it sounds! Let’s have a look.

This Huge Cosmology Problem Might Just Have Disappeared

The rate at which the universe is currently expanding is known as the Hubble Rate. In recent years, different measurements have given different results for the Hubble rate, a discrepancy between theory and observation that's been called the “Hubble tension”. Now, a team of astrophysicists claims the Hubble tension is gone and it's the fault of supernovae data. Let’s have a look.

Unapproved Trial for Discredited COVID Cure: Scandal In France

In 2020, French physician Didier Raoult claimed that hydroxychloroquine was a cure for Covid-19. The results could later not be reproduced, but tens of thousands of people died because they did not receive or not seek treatment that might actually have helped them. Unbelievable as it sounds, the story of his unethical practices continues to this day. I have the summary.

The real problem with AI is us

Major developments have popped up for AI over the past few weeks. From Google’s new text to video tool to Open AI releasing a new GPT to studies finding that AI is really good at understanding humans, more changes to our daily lives are sure to come soon. And yes, this is a crazy fast development that worries me.

The physics of portals (made with love)

I've spent too much time thinking about how portals could work in the real world and, yes, I guess that is somewhat weird, but well. From energy conservation to momentum conservation to moving portals, I have it all sorted out for you. And the cake is not a lie.

Climate Change Violates Human Rights, Court Finds

An increasing number of people and organizations have sued their governments into acting on climate change, a emerging field of law known as "climate litigation". Are their cases successful? What are the potential consequences? Let’s have a look.

Space-Based Solar Power is Dead

Space-based solar power was an idea to use solar power arrays orbiting Earth to beam down energy 24/7. It would have been a way to have clean, abundant, renewable energy. Some recent reports have basically killed the idea. Let’s have a look.

Universe Was Once Divided into Cells, New Study Says

The idea that the universe is not the same everywhere has been flying under the radar for the last fifty years or so, and a new paper details a fresh perspective on this idea. According to the new paper, the decay of axion domain walls could explain dark matter and some unusual gravitational waves. Let’s have a look.

Einstein's Other Theory of Everything

Einstein completed his theory of general relativity in 1915 when he was 37 years old. What did he do for the remaining 40 years of his life? He continued developing his masterwork of course! Feeling that his theory was incomplete, Einstein pursued a unified field theory. Though he ultimately failed, the ideas he came up with were quite interesting. I have read a lot of old Einstein papers in the past weeks and here is my summary of what I believe he tried to do.

This video comes with a quiz which you can take here:

A new test for quantum gravity

I suspect that one of Einstein’s nightmares was that his theory of gravity would be turned into a quantum theory. I also suspect that we’re inching closer to that nightmare situation every day -- but not how Einstein might have expected. After countless attempts to develop a theory of quantum gravity, physicists are now trying their hand at measuring it through various experiments. Let’s have a look.

Time to get real about climate change

'm tired of both overly optimistic messages from climate activists and scare stories of the impending apocalypse. It's about time we get realistic. "Net zero” by 2050 is not a realistic goal and it's about time we admit it. I am afraid that many plans that are eating up money are fuelled by wishful thinking rather than by rational thought. Let’s have a look.

Rapid Advances in Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is everywhere, just right under our feet. So could it be the solution to climate change? Curiously, the idea is attracting little attention, unlike, say, nuclear fusion, where every small experiment has major headlines blaring. What are some recent advancements in geothermal energy technology? Is it the dark horse in the race to clean energy? Let’s have a look.

Does "Quark" Rhyme to "Dark"?

Brain Really Uses Quantum Effects, New Study Finds

When Roger Penrose originally came out with the idea that the human brain uses quantum effects in microtubules and that was the origin of consciousness, many thought the idea was a little crazy. According to a new study, it turns out that Penrose was actually right… about the microtubules anyways. Let’s have a look.

CERN Looks for Origins of Quantum Randomness

Particle physics have conducted a test using data from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN to see if the particles in their collisions play by the rules of quantum physics - whether they have quantum entanglement. Why was this test conducted when previous tests already found that entanglement is real? Is it just nonsense or is it not nonsense? Let’s have a look.

Scientific Progress is Slowing Down. But Why?

We see constant progress in the world every day, from better cars to faster phones to virtual reality and the internet of things. However, despite all the technological and engineering advances, science seems to be slowing down? Let’s have a look.

The era of nuclear precision has begun

Scientists finally succeeded in exiting an atomic resonance with a laser in the near ultraviolet. This sounds pretty lame but it's a remarkable feat that they've been working on since the 1970s. It could usher in the era of nuclear precision. Let’s have a look.

NASA named an asteroid after me

It's not a joke, they did indeed name an asteroid after me. You can look it up here.

How does gravity escape a black hole?

If nothing gets out of a black hole, how does gravity do it? Something with virtual gravitons? Is this really necessary? It's tricky question, but this is what I can say without resorting to equations.

Why Flat Earthers Scare Me

The flat earther community seems to be growing, and it's beginning to worry me. It's not just a question of lacking science education, there is more going on here.

Bird Flu Spreads to Dairy Cattle, Farm Worker Infected, Virus Fragments in Milk

The bird flu has spread to cattle in the United States. Inactive fragments of the virus have been found in milk. The World Health Organization rates the current risk for humans as low but epidemiologists all over the world are on high alert. I have the summary.

Many Worlds Theory Gets Even More Worlds

The idea of parallel universes is both crazy and not. In physics, it's prominently represented by the “Many Worlds” interpretation of quantum mechanics. A group of physicists now says that the many worlds interpretation contains many more worlds than we thought so far, meaning the infinite number of multiverses could be infinitely larger. Let’s have a look.

Fusion in Space: New Plasma Thruster Tested Successfully

Last week I saw a lot of headlines about a space propulsion system that uses nuclear fusion. The news comes from a company by name RocketStar Inc. which announced in a press release that they have “reinvented” spacecraft by releasing the “world’s first fusion-enhanced space thruster, the FireStar™ Fusion Drive. They claim that the FireStar TM Fusion Drive improves their water powered pulsed plasma thruster by harnessing aneutronic nuclear fusion by 50%. In this video I explain what this all means.