If life feels out of balance, don’t worry – there’s always symmetry below the surface
In 1915, the German mathematician Emmy Noether dramatically transformed how scientists think about the physical world when she revealed her theorem that wherever there is a symmetry in nature there is a corresponding conservation law. In essence, Noether proved that systems are not changed by shifting their location in time or space, which supports the idea that the total amount of energy in the Universe always remains the same, and explains why we live in a world that is not fully chaotic and unpredictable. The theorem has stood the test of time; even in the seemingly strange world of particle physics, where symmetry appears to break down, scientists continue to find ‘local symmetries’ lurking beneath the surface. This lively animated explainer from the the Royal Institution breaks down symmetry into its most basic parts, including how symmetries fit into the Standard Model – the leading theory of three of the Universe’s four fundamental forces.
Animator: Rosanna Wan
This theorem is extremely important in physics and yet so little known! thanks for sharing it. Here is an article/answer I really liked, explaining why this theorem is so significant: https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/21572/whats-the-importance-of-noethers-theorem-in-physics
Ah.. the brilliant insight that symmetries in mathematics might correspond to conserved quantities in the physical world .. leading to the formulation of the Special theory of Relativity. Still remember the first time I read and understood this, felt a bit like an epiphany :D
If all videos about science would be pleasant like this video i would probably be a scientist by now XD
Lol scientific communication is a thing that needs to be improved, and i guess it is on its way :)
By the way, check out accounts like @steemstem and @justtryme90 if you're into science. I think theyre doing good stuff on the platform.
Great informative animated video man!
Will check those accounts now, thanks for sharing @kevinwong
nature is way too complex to recognize all symmetries, and this is the nice part about being alive!
thanks for the share!
regards,
caspar
Very interesting explanation of how symmetry at deeper layers exists. I would also think that the the concept of 'Balance' explains in simple terms that symmetry exists, since something in balance means when some force is applied, some counter force is applied as well, ie symmetrical forces to keep eg an object at the point it is (when static in our human eyes for instance).
Interestingly, many things and processes in the world are in balance as well. Sometimes this balance is shifted a bit, but in fact everything is in balance. Research shows that this balances is however quite fragile, meaning most of what we can experience is in a Tipping Point balance, from weather, to stock markets, to 'stable' community and societies. That makes symmetry and balance even more interesting in my opinion. The balance is there, but it is fragile.
The symmetry may also be the cause of the Golden Ratio, the ratio that we can find in many natural items like the human, the leaves of trees etc. Something quite strange when we would believe in coincidence and no planning. Somehow the golden ratio also points to some higher laws that combine many things that we see around us and are seemingly not connected.
Not very well versed in this. But if the universe really came from nothing, then existence itself atm is a result of imbalance. Insert some stuff about entropy here :D
I think stuff like Golden Ratio and such are just as is. Just like if we're trying to explain consciousness, we just happen to be in one of the many universes that supports such a thing, being part of the structure.
Don't even know what I'm talking about here, just some brain fart ;)
Big Bang: Well there was this infinite heavy and super small black hole type of thing that exploded. This was apparently not infinite small; Everything was in there; It is now just expanded over a long distance. Balance is in the everything, ie on Universe level :)
Beginning/End, or not: Before the Big Bang there maybe was another big bang and universe implossion. There you could see balance again.
Matter: There is this theory that matter cannot exists without anti-matter. Although we have difficulties to create anti-matter and store it, doesnt mean it is not somewhere in the universe. We need the dark matter in the universe anyway, that large percentage of matter we cannot see/detect, for the big bang theory to work.
I like a theory called "the holographic universe". That theory basically tells us that matter does not exist, that we are all one, that anything that is different (eg earth, human, table, chair) is a glitch, an impurity, in a homogenous 'fabric' of energy.
LOL, on this side it is not much better :)
I always enjoy these topics ! Makes your brain work a little bit more :D
Any good videos on interesting topics to share? :)
I sometimes watch: through the wormhole with morgan freeman
It's very interesting and I recommend watching it if you never saw it :)
Morgan freeman's voice makes every feel smart and enlightened xD
Oh yeaa his voice is golden ! :D
It's amazing that laws of physics are universal!
A wonderful topic to discuss. Because life needs balance, if one can not keep that balance, one may fall into an imbalance.
Only a fool who does not want to think, who think life does not need balance. When life is very necessary balance. There are rich there are poor. There is a clever no dumb. There is noon at night.
I'm near to zero on the subject! But i do great recipe! LOL!!!
One doesn't need to know how the car works to be a racer ;)
Yeah you are absolutely right here! Infact in my cooking too i do bring some bits of science in, with 'dry ice', liquid nitrogen and experiencing cooking at low temperatures! A little of mollecullar cuisine from time to time!
I am interested in discussing this topic, because in this state of affairs, for example, the human being in the growth phase starts from the baby and begins to crawl, the important room balance in the process of baby mobilization, then start walking.
In another perspective, in the life of the environment also has a role in the balance of the earth, disasters occur everywhere that part of the consequences of loss of balance.
Thank you @kevinwong already shared
I think everything progresses incrementally, rarely a leap :)
This is an interesting definition of symmetry, "symmetry across time" being one way I never thought about it.
But if something is symmetrical in space, it's a mirror image, right? Like, most human faces are roughly symmetrical. But in time, I'm not sure if the "mirror" effect happens? That part goes over my head. Very cool video though, the visuals are really fun to watch.
Space and time.. hmm, have u watched this before? Doesn't help with anything, but just interesting food for thought lol.