Science is superb at explaining the “how” – how the planets revolve across the sun on elliptical orbits, how evolution by pure choice produces the huge variety of life varieties that we see, and so forth. It’s far much less good at answering the “why?” – why are issues as they’re?
To rejoice New Scientist’s sixty fifth anniversary, we’ll try to fill in that hole, plunging into the twilight zone the place science meets metaphysics and philosophy as we peel again layers of understanding to seek out deeper truths about a number of the most mysterious questions surrounding life, the universe and every little thing. Or, extra possible, extra onion.
The idea of the large bang revolutionised Twentieth-century cosmology. But the concept that the universe started from this level, a case of one thing from nothing, appears more and more unlikely.
We are tiny specks of life in an enormous, detached cosmos – however to say that decreases the worth of our existence is to measure ourselves towards the flawed factor.
Dig down, and evolution by pure choice is nearly spontaneous, sustained accumulation of complexity – if life elsewhere exists, it’s more likely to develop in the identical method.
The one-way circulate of time is among the nice mysteries of physics. It is perhaps that we see causes and results simply because our details about actuality is incomplete.
The human capability for each good and evil has lengthy mystified philosophers. Evolutionary biology suggests they’re each offshoots of considered one of our oddest character traits.
Physicists have lengthy speculated why our universe appears “just right” for all times. The most advanced reply is perhaps the best – that each different universe additionally exists.
It’s simple to suppose human aware expertise is exclusive, however a greater understanding of consciousness’s mysteries comes by tracing it again within the evolutionary tree.
It’s simple to suppose human aware expertise is exclusive, however a greater understanding of consciousness’s mysteries comes by tracing it again within the evolutionary tree.
Quantum concept is peerless at explaining actuality, however assaults our intuitions of how actuality must be. It appears possible the fault lies with our intuitions.
Nothing within the cosmos can journey quicker than mild pace. By distinguishing trigger and impact and stopping every little thing occurring in a jumbled mess, our existence is determined by it.
Myths and tales trump rational reasoning on the subject of analysing distant threats like local weather change. But we have now instruments to fight that – and it’s a fantasy irrationality is on the rise.
The seek for extraterrestrial intelligence has been happening for 60 years with out success. Given the hurdles to interstellar communication, that’s only a blink of an eye fixed.
We have made large progress in understanding some bits of the cosmos, however we’ve hit a brick wall with issues like quantum concept and our personal minds. Is there a method spherical?
More on these subjects:
