The Universe May Be Inside A Quantum Object - What Just Happened

[Music] if you wanted to uncover the secrets of the universe for yourself you'd simply need to ask the right questions until the universe responds in a way you understand imagine you could peer through everyday objects to see what they are truly made of if you looked closely at the arm of a chair you would find it's made of atoms zoom in further and you discover these atoms contain subatomic particles protons neutrons and electrons go even deeper and you'll see that protons and neutrons are made of quirks these layers represent how physicists understand the universe by

breaking everything down into smaller pieces a method called reductionism a scientific approach that breaks down complex systems or phenomena into their simpler more fundamental parts to better understand how they work the idea is that by studying these basic components and their interactions one can explain the behavior and properties of the entire system instead of focusing on the tiny details why don't we take a broader view by doing this we might realize that everything including space and time emerges from a unified ho while this may sound like philosophy or mysticism it is actually based on applying

quantum mechanics to the entire universe this reveals that the Universe isn't made up of separate parts but is a single Quantum entity this may sound a bit implausible but but hear me [Music] out most of us here already know what quantum mechanics is all about but for those who don't let me give a simple analogy for you to get it imagine you're in a room with a light switch in the everyday world that switch is either on or off just like a light bulb is either lit or not but in the quantum world it's as

if the switch can be both on and off at the same time until you actually look at it it's like the light is in a weird state of kind of on and kind of off until you flip the switch or check it out this strange behavior is what quantum mechanics is all about things can exist in multiple States at once and they only choose a state when we observe them it's like the Universe plays a game of probabilities until we make it reveal its hand now you might be thinking how does this relate to the

real world well quantum mechanics isn't just some abstract idea it's the foundation of how everything around us works from the smallest particles to the entire universe in the everyday world we don't notice these strange Quantum effects because they mostly happen at incredibly tiny scales like inside atoms but those tiny scales make up everything we see touch and interact with the phone in your hand the chair you're sitting on even the cells in your body they all operate under these Quantum rules when you look around you see solid objects in definite positions but at the quantum

level particles are constantly shifting existing in multiple places at once and only settling into a single state when measured or observed this is why quantum mechanics is so mind-bending it challenges our usual ideas about reality showing us that at the deepest level the universe is far stranger and more connected than we might think so while you might not see Quantum effects in your day-to-day life they're there shaping everything around you in ways that are both both subtle and profound and understanding these principles gives us insights into the true nature of reality where the rules aren't

as straightforward as they seem for nearly a century physicists have been trying to uncover the most basic building blocks of reality often describing systems without fully grasping what's happening within them take the 1930s for instance when in Rico fery figured out how a neutron decays into a proton and releases an electron a process known as beta Decay fy's understanding was based solely on the electrons protons and neutrons involved it wasn't until decades later with the discovery of the w and z bosons that scientists realized there was a deeper more intricate layer of interactions happening on

an even smaller scale from today's Viewpoint fery's description serves as a classic example of an effective field Theory EFT this is a mathematical framework that lets us break down reality into different size scales and study each one separately it's like a set of Russian matrioska dolls you can understand the outer doll without needing to know what's inside similarly in physics we can grasp certain phenomena without fully understanding the deeper layers that might be hidden within essentially efts allow us to understand and work with parts of the universe at different scales different sizes and energies without

needing to understand the full picture all at once as physicist Cliff Burgess puts it everything is an eft the universe operates on various scales and each scale corresponds to a different level of energy the largest scales like galaxies and the observable universe are associated with the lowest energies these Cosmic structures are governed primarily by gravity which is the weakest of the four fundamental forces the energy associated with these scales is relatively low as the interactions between objects are dominated by long range gravitational forces conversely the smallest components of reality such as subatomic particles are linked

to the highest energies at this level we see a significant increase in energy the electromagnetic force dominates here governing the interactions between electrons and atomic nuclei the energies associated with phenomena at this scale are the highest we can observe or create in particle accelerators this inverse relationship between scale and energy is a crucial aspect of our understanding of the universe for example when fmy described how a neutron decays into a proton and an electron firmy didn't have the powerful tools like the Large Hadron Collider that we have today so he couldn't detect the smaller scale

reality of particles like the W boson that mediates this interaction his description was effective for his time but wasn't approxim of a more fundamental Theory today we understand that the standard model of particle physics our best theory describing the basic building blocks of matter is itself an EFT it successfully explains many aspects of particle physics but doesn't include Gravity the mysterious dark matter or fully account for the peculiar masses of neutrinos this realization shows us that the standard model like fairy's earlier work is only part of a bigger picture as useful as efts are they

can sometimes obscure a deeper understanding of the universe for instance when physicists try to calculate the mass of particles like the higs bosan using the standard model they run into What's called the fine-tuning problem in quantum mechanics particles can briefly transform into short-lived virtual particles before returning to their original state these virtual particles contribute to a particle's mass but calculating this contribution depends depends on the energy scales we're working within the problem arises because according to the theory the higs bosan mass should be much larger than what we actually observe this discrepancy is as unlikely

as a pencil perfectly balancing on its tip something known as fine-tuning to solve these puzzles physicists have proposed various theories such as super symmetry or the existence of extra Dimensions these ideas suggest that new particles or Dimensions could be responsible for balancing out the quantum fluctuations that affect particle masses however experiments at the the large hadrin collider have yet to find evidence supporting these theories leading to what some describe as a crisis in particle physics this has prompted some physicists to explore more radical approaches instead of viewing the different scales of the universe like the

smallest particles and the largest Cosmic structures as independent they are beginning to treat them as interconnected the idea that the Universe can be understood through its smallest components with each tiny part reflecting the whole creates a sense of coherence across different levels of observation this perspective suggests that by examining the fundamental elements of the universe we can uncover patterns and connections that unify the smallest details with the larger structure this approach challenges the traditional idea of reducing everything to smaller and smaller parts to understand the universe instead it suggests that these parts might all influence

each other in ways we don't yet fully understand we'll talk about this later in the video to illustrate this think of a rainbow the visible colors represent the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we can see beyond the Violet end lies the ultraviolet UV region associated with higher energies and smaller scales like those where quantum gravity might come into play on the other end Beyond red lies the infrared IR region linked to larger scales and lower energies like those associated with the vast distances in the universe each color in the rainbow is distinct yet they

all blend seamlessly into one continuous Spectrum illustrating the unity and coherence of light similarly the different scales of the Universe from the tiniest particles to the vast Cosmic structures are interconnected parts of a unified hole just as the rainbow's colors are manifestations of the same underlying phenomenon of light the various components of the universe reflect a deeper interconnected reality suggesting a cohesive understanding of the cosmos physicists have long believed that the standard model breaks down at the plank scale but Recent research suggests that there might also be a lower limit where gravity takes over at

very large distances or low Energies hinting at a connection between these vastly different scales a phenomenon known as uvir mixing a situation where high energy ultraviolet and low energy infrared effects become unexpectedly interconnected it challenges the conventional separation between these energy scales this idea of uvir mixing suggests that the smallest and largest scales of the universe might not be independent of each other but are instead deeply connected some theorists even propose that quantum entanglement where particles are linked in such a way that the state of one immediately influences the state of another regardless of distance

could be the key to understanding this connection if true this could mean that what happens at the tiniest scales of the universe could influence the largest and vice versa this brings us back to the idea of the universe as a single Quantum object at the most fundamental level the idea that the universe is a single Quantum object challenges our conventional understanding of reality this perspective emerges from the principles of quantum mechanics where the distinctions between separate objects particles and even forces start to blur when we consider the universe in its entirety we're confronted with a

deeply interconnected holistic reality that defies classical intuitions one of the cornerstones of quantum mechanics that supports this idea is quantum entanglement when two or more particles become entangled their properties become so deeply linked that the state of one particle instantly influences the state of the other regardless of the distance between them this phenomenon suggests that the separation between objects is not as clear-cut as it appears in our everyday experience Albert Einstein famously referred to it as spooky action at a distance if quantum entanglement can connect particles across vast distances it might also link different energy

scales from the plank scale to the cosmic scale this would mean that the Universe isn't made up of independent Parts but is instead a single indivisible entity in the words of quantum Pioneer David B the universe could be seen as a single indivisible unit with everything in existence encoded in a universal wave function a mathematical description of a single entangled state this perspective challenges the way we've traditionally understood the cosmos it suggests that instead of focusing on smaller and smaller pieces to understand reality we need to consider the universe as a whole where every part

influences every other part this holistic view could revolutionize our understanding of fundamental physics and bring us closer to a more complete picture of how the universe is put together in this view the universe is not a collection of isol ated Parts but a single unified system where everything is interconnected every part of the Universe from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest galaxy is part of this interconnected hole this entangled web forms the fabric of reality binding the cosmos together in ways that are beyond our conventional understanding In classical physics we draw clear lines between

objects and forces we talk about space as a vast empty stage on which matter and energy perform their dance time is seen as a linear progression moving forward from the past to the future but when we view the universe as a single Quantum object these distinctions begin to blur space and time themselves become emergent properties not fundamental aspects of reality but results of the underlying Quantum state of the universe in this view space and time are like the surface of the ocean what we see and experience in our everyday Liv lives are just the ripples

on the surface while the deeper reality Lies Beneath imagine a wave on the ocean to an observer on the shore the wave appears as a distinct moving object with a clear beginning and end but we know that the wave is not a separate entity it's simply a manifestation of the movement of water molecules within the ocean similarly the objects and events we observe in the universe are like waves on the surface of of a deeper Quantum sea they are not isolated entities but expressions of the underlying Quantum field that connects everything now just as the

wave on the ocean is an expression of the water beneath quantum mechanics introduces us to another type of wave one that's not made of water or any physical substance but of probabilities and potential outcomes this is where the concept of the wave function comes into play in quantum mechanics the wave function is a mathematical function that describes the probabilities of a Quantum system's various possible States when we extend this concept to the universe as a whole we arrive at the idea of the wave function of the universe this wave function doesn't just describe a single

particle or system it encapsulates the totality of all possible states of the universe in this view the universe is like a blend of all possible outcomes with every potential State existing at the same time time until it's observed or measured this idea brings us to a powerful conclusion the entire universe is a single Quantum entity where all possibilities are connected and depend on each other seeing the universe as one Quantum object changes how we think about reality it suggests that the separations we see are Just an Illusion a useful one for everyday life but an

illusion nonetheless at the deepest Lev level there's no true division no separate objects or events everything is part of one continuous interconnected ho this idea is further supported by the concept of non-locality in quantum mechanics the concept of non-locality in quantum mechanics further reinforces the idea of the universe as a single Quantum object non-locality refers to the phenomenon where events occurring at one location can instantaneous L influence events at another location without any apparent connection through space this challenges our classical notion of locality where objects and events are only influenced by their immediate surroundings if

non-locality applies universally then the entire Cosmos is interconnected in a way that transcends the limits of space and time every point in the universe is potentially connected to every other point not through the familiar fabric of space but through a deeper Quantum reality this suggests that space itself might be an emergent property of this underlying quantum entanglement rather than a fundamental aspect of reality non-locality is not just a theoretical curiosity it has been experimentally verified in numerous studies the fact that particles can be entangled and influence each other instantaneously across great distances suggests that the

universe is not composed of isolated independent Parts but is instead a single interconnected Quantum system it means that the Universe does not operate according to the classical deterministic laws we once thought it did but instead follows a deeper non-local Quantum logic taking the concept even further some interpretations of quantum mechanics propose a connection between the universe and Consciousness the idea here is that the act of observation or measurement is what causes the wave function to collapse selecting a single outcome from the superos I of possibilities if the universe is a single Quantum object then Consciousness

itself might be intertwined with the quantum state of the universe but the Quantum View goes even further in this fabric every part of the universe is aware of every other part this is not Consciousness in the human sense but a kind of quantum awareness where the state of one part of the universe is intimately linked with the state of another this is the essence of entanglement on a universal scale it means that the Universe behaves as a single entity with its parts influencing each other in ways that transcend the limitations of space and time the

universe as a singular Quantum object might be as much a product of Consciousness as Consciousness is a product of the universe this idea is speculative but it opens up new avenues for understanding the relationship between mind matter and the cosmos this idea draws on the concept of pans psychism the belief that Consciousness is a fundamental aspect of all matter and that even the most basic particles possess a rudimentary form of awareness while this idea is highly speculative and remains on the fringes of scientific thought it challenges the conventional separation between mind and matter suggesting that

Consciousness is not confined to biological organisms but is a fundamental feature of the universe itself in this view the universe is not a cold lifeless machine but a dynamic self-organizing system that evolves and adapts in response to its internal Quantum interactions this perspective aligns with some interpretations of quantum mechanics which suggest that the act of observation plays a crucial role in shaping reality if the universe is a living conscious system then the distinction between Observer and observed becomes meaningless as both are part of the same Quantum process building on this perspective if future experiments confirm

the idea of uvir mixing and the role of quantum entanglement in connecting different scales it would fundamentally alter our conception of the universe we would see that the Universe in its entirety is not just a collection of separate objects and forces but is a single interconnected Quantum entity this understanding would not only help us solve some of the biggest puzzles in physics such as the nature of dark energy and the mass of neutrinos but it would also offer a new way of thinking about the Cosmos one that views the universe as a unified whole where

every part is intimately connected to every other part all we've talked about in this video may seem kind of weird but that's because we're pushing the boundaries of what we know and what we think we know about the universe it's not just about quirky quantum mechanics or abstract theories it's about challenging our most fundamental assumptions what if the separations we see between objects for es and even ourselves are just Illusions what if at the deepest level everything is connected in ways that defy our conventional understanding the universe as a single Quantum entity might sound strange

but it could hold the key to unlocking some of the greatest mysteries in science and perhaps more importantly it invites us to see reality in a new light one where everything is part of a unified whole intimately connected and constantly influencing each other in ways that are both profound and beautiful so while it might feel a bit out there this perspective might just bring us closer to the truth about our place in the cosmos thank you for watching check out this video where we also discuss about quantum mechanics and I'll see you there