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ASTR 160 - Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics

Lecture 24 - The Multiverse and Theories of Everything. Professor Bailyn begins the class with a discussion of a recent New York Times article about the discovery of a new, earth-like planet. He then discusses concepts such as epicycles, dark energy and dark matter; imaginary ideas invented to explain 96% of the universe. The Anthropic Principle is introduced and the possibility of the multiverse is addressed. Finally, biological arguments are put forth for how complexity occurs on a cosmological scale. The lecture and course conclude with a discussion on the fine differences between science and philosophy. (from oyc.yale.edu)

Lecture 24 - The Multiverse and Theories of Everything

Time Lecture Chapters
[00:00:00] 1. Calculations for an Earth-Like Planet
[00:08:23] 2. Cosmology: The Game - Working with Imaginary Ideas
[00:29:39] 3. The Anthropic Principle and the Multiverse
[00:42:00] 4. The Fine Line between Science and Philosophy

References
ASTR 160: Lecture 24 - The Multiverse and Theories of Everything
Instructor: Professor Charles Bailyn. Class Notes Lecture 24 [pdf]. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov].

Go to the Course Home or watch other lectures:

Lecture 01 - Introduction
Lecture 02 - Planetary Orbits
Lecture 03 - Our Solar System and the Pluto Problem
Lecture 04 - Discovering Exoplanets: Hot Jupiters
Lecture 05 - Planetary Transits
Lecture 06 - Microlensing, Astrometry and Other Methods
Lecture 07 - Direct Imaging of Exoplanets
Lecture 08 - Introduction to Black Holes
Lecture 09 - Special and General Relativity
Lecture 10 - Tests of Relativity
Lecture 11 - Special and General Relativity (cont.)
Lecture 12 - Stellar Mass Black Holes
Lecture 13 - Stellar Mass Black Holes (cont.)
Lecture 14 - Pulsars
Lecture 15 - Supermassive Black Holes
Lecture 16 - Hubble's Law and the Big Bang
Lecture 17 - Hubble's Law and the Big Bang (cont.)
Lecture 18 - Hubble's Law and the Big Bang (cont.)
Lecture 19 - Omega and the End of the Universe
Lecture 20 - Dark Matter
Lecture 21 - Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe and the Big Rip
Lecture 22 - Supernovae
Lecture 23 - Other Constraints: The Cosmic Microwave Background
Lecture 24 - The Multiverse and Theories of Everything