Brian Cox Explores the Quantum Foundations of Reality 🔬 | Full Interview

“We don't have enough knowledge to precisely calculate what is going to happen, and so we assign probabilities to it, which reflects our ignorance of the situation.”

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What do snowflakes, glowing street lamps, and Einstein’s “crazy” idea have in common? Physicist Brian Cox unwinds the surprising origins of quantum mechanics—the theory that shattered classical physics and redefined our understanding of reality.

From Kepler’s insight in a 17th-century snowstorm to Planck’s revolutionary leap in 1900, Cox traces how curiosity and confusion gave rise to the most baffling theory in science.

00:00:00 Part 1: The power of quantum mechanics
00:00:24 What are considered the earliest glimpses of quantum mechanics?
00:06:39 How did Einstein's work on the photoelectric effect impact science?
00:12:17 How does quantum physics conflict with classical theory?
00:17:11 What is the double-slit experiment?
00:26:25 Why is it important that we seek to solve the mysteries of quantum physics?
00:33:30 Part 2: The fundamental measurements of nature
00:45:15 What kinds of insights does the Planck scale reveal?
00:52:15 Where does our comprehension of scale break down?
01:01:30 Part 3: The frontiers of the future
01:10:21 How can humanity influence the universe?

Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/full-interview/brian-cox-full-interview/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description

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About Brian Cox:

Brian Cox obtained a first class honors degree in physics from the University of Manchester in 1995 and in 1998 a Ph.D. in High Energy Particle Physics at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. He is now Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester, The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Brian is widely recognized as the foremost communicator for all things scientific, having presented a number of highly acclaimed science programs for the BBC watched by billions internationally including ‘Adventures in Space and Time’ (2021), ‘Universe’ (2021), ‘The Planets’ (2018), ‘Forces of Nature’ (2016), ‘Human Universe’ (2014), ‘Wonders of Life’ (2012), ‘Wonders of the Universe’ (2011) and ‘Wonders of the Solar System’ (2010).

As an author, Brian has also sold over a million books worldwide including ‘Black Holes’, ‘Universal: A Guide to the Cosmos’, ‘Quantum Universe’ and ‘Why Does E=mc2?’ with co-author Professor Jeffrey Forshaw. He has set several world records for his sell-out live tours, including his most recent tour Horizons which has taken in venues across the globe.