This astrophysicist explains the surprisingly complex concept of ‘nothing’

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Philosophers have debated the nature of “nothing” for thousands of years, but what has modern science got to say about it?

In an interview with The Conversation, Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal and Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, explains that when physicists talk about nothing, they mean empty space (vacuum).

This may sound straightforward, but experiments show that empty space isn’t really empty – there’s a mysterious energy latent in it which can tell us something about the fate of the universe.

Rees was interviewed for The Conversation’s Anthill podcast on Nothing. This Q&A is based on an edited transcript of that interview.

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First Evidence Found That Many Universes Exist

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A collision (top left) induces a temperature modulation in the CMB temperature map (top right). The “blob” associated with the collision is identified by a large needlet response (bottom left), and the presence of an edge is determined by a large response from the edge detection algorithm (bottom right).

By looking far out into space and observing what’s going on there, scientists have been led to theorize that it all started with a Big Bang, immediately followed by a brief period of super-accelerated expansion called inflation. Perhaps this was the beginning of everything, but lately a few scientists have been wondering if something could have come before that, setting up the initial conditions for the birth of our universe.

Laws of Physics Vary Throughout the Universe, New Study Suggests

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Illustration of the dipolar variation in the fine-structure constant, alpha, across the sky

A team of astrophysicists based in Australia and England has uncovered evidence that the laws of physics are different in different parts of the universe.

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After Growth Spurt, Supermassive Black Holes Spend Half Their Lives Veiled in Dust

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Supermassive black holes found at the centers of distant galaxies undergo huge growth spurts as a result of galactic collisions, according to a new study by astronomers at Yale University and the University of Hawaii.

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Cosmic Tapestry: Giant Filaments of Cold Dust Stretch Through Milky Way

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The image spans about 50° of the sky. It is a three-colour combination constructed from Planck’s two highest frequency channels.

Giant filaments of cold dust stretching through our Galaxy are revealed in a new image from ESA’s Planck satellite. Analysing these structures could help to determine the forces that shape our Galaxy and trigger star formation.

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Red Dwarf-Red Giant Binary Pair of Stars Found

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Eta Cancri: Researchers in the UK and China recently discovered a binary pair of red stars — one giant, one dwarf.

A binary pair of red stars, one giant one dwarf, has been discovered by a collaboration of astrophysicists from the University of Hertfordshire and The Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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How Galaxies Came to Be: Astronomers Explain Hubble Sequence

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A figure illustrating the Hubble sequence.

For the first time, two astronomers have explained the diversity of galaxy shapes seen in the universe. The scientists, Dr Andrew Benson of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Dr Nick Devereux of Embry-Riddle University in Arizona, tracked the evolution of galaxies over thirteen billion years from the early Universe to the present day.

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Milky Way’s Tiny But Tough Galactic Neighbor

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Astronomers obtained this portrait of Barnard’s Galaxy using the Wide Field Imager attached to the 2.2-m MPG/ESO telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in northern Chile.

A stunning new image reveals one of our nearest galactic neighbors, Barnard’s Galaxy, also known as NGC 6822. The galaxy contains regions of rich star formation and curious nebulae, such as the bubble clearly visible in the upper left of this remarkable vista. The strange shapes of these cosmic misfits help researchers understand how galaxies interact, evolve and occasionally “cannibalize” each other, leaving behind radiant, star-filled scraps.

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New Tidal Debris Discovered From Colliding Galaxies

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Deep optical image of the Antennae galaxies

Astronomers have discovered new tidal debris stripped away from colliding galaxies. New debris images are of special interest since they show the full history of galaxy collisions and resultant starburst activities, which are important in ‘growing’ galaxies in the early Universe.

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Robots Designed To Save Lives Of Construction Workers

Robots Designed To Save Lives Of Construction Workers 

Modern robots are designed to ensure that most tasks are made easy, comfortable and safe for us. The most important aspect of using robotics lies in fields which present extreme danger to human life or in cases where our organic body can no longer withstand the crushing forces of the elements around. It for this reason that fields like marine biology and cosmology working in extreme environments depend heavily on modern robotics. With the construction industry literally reaching whole new heights, robotics is entering the new field to save lives of construction workers who indulge in dangerous tasks at precariously high altitudes.

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Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.