Recap

Dimensions & Cosmology

Prof. Lawrence Krauss discussed dimensions cosmology, and science. Currently there is no empirical evidence for dimensions beyond our own, yet he speculated there could be hidden dimensions where the laws of physics are completely different. Gravity might leak off into another dimension, which could explain why its effect is so weak, he added.

Upcoming experiments with new particle accelerators might yield definitive signs for such extra dimensions, said Krauss. However, String Theory, which posits an 11-dimensional universe, while highly touted, has yet to yield any measurable explanations about the universe, he stated. Intriguingly, Krauss pondered a potential interaction between universes—that could be like two brains coming together.

Likely scientific advancements in the decades ahead, include creating life in the lab from scratch, AI & computers becoming self-aware, and the merging of biology & computers. Such developments, Krauss noted, will change the very conceptions of what we mean by life.

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Sculpture Reveals 4th Dimension

The concept of a 4th dimension is difficult for creatures who live in three dimensions to visualize. Enter Adrian Ocneanu, a math professor at Penn State who has created an "octacube" that depicts a three-dimensional "shadow" of a four-dimensional solid object.

The sculpture, described as "a giant puzzle" of 96 triangular faces cut from stainless steel, has windows cut within its faces that allow the viewer to see inside the object. Read more at Physorg.com or watch an animation of the sculpture (requires Flash).