Biggest Ideas in the Universe

Sean Carroll, Theoretical Physicist at Johns Hopkins University, has a passion to share his understanding of the workings of the universe with the public. He has produced a series of videos explicating the nature of reality as characterized by modern physicists. This past Spring we learned about relativity. This Fall we will focus on the subatomic world of quantum mechanics, the abstract nature of which will challenge your imagination and intuition. Carroll’s goal for these videos is to fill the gap between what one might experience as a college level science student, and what you can access as an interested layperson. While he exposes us to mathematical concepts, he uses them to explain the underlying physics in a way that is intended to be accessible to all who encountered high school algebra. Each week we will view Carroll’s videos together during our Zoom session. As we watch the videos, we will call on the assembled group to answer questions, explain, and discuss the ideas: it’s our version of peer learning. The lectures are structured such that the most challenging material comes later in the course, giving all a chance to come closer to the world view of modern physicists.