Albert Einstein spent his last thirty years unsuccessfully searching for a ‘unified theory’ — a single master principle to describe everything in the universe, from tiny subatomic particles to immense clusters of galaxies. In the decades since, generations of researchers have continued working toward Einstein’s dream.

Renowned physicists Leonard Susskind and Jim Gates, and prominent historian Peter Galison discussed what’s been achieved and tackle pivotal questions. Would a unified theory reveal why there is a universe at all? Would it tell us why mathematics is adept at unraveling nature’s mysteries? Might it imply we are one universe of many, and what would that mean for our sense of how we fit into the cosmos? Moderated by Nobel Laureate Paul Nurse.

This program is part of The Big Idea Series, made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation.

The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.
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Original Program Date: June 1, 2008
MODERATOR: Paul Nurse
PARTICIPANTS: Janna Levin, Jim Gates, Peter Galison, Leonard Susskind

Participant Introductions 1:18

Why was Einstein interested in the unified theory? 2:39

Where are we today with the unified theory? 7:55

Who was James Maxwell? 12:18

What is string theory? 19:26

The Unified Theory of Biology. 24:28

What biology thinks about String theory. 36:20

How successful have the symmetries been in string theory? 42:40

The unanswerable questions of Physics. 52:57

Why is physics not apparent in our everyday life? 56:40

Beyond Einstein: In Search of the Ultimate Explanation

Prominent clashes — both historical and contemporary — have led to the widely held conclusion that science and religion are fundamentally incompatible. Yet, many scientists practice a traditional faith, having found a way to accommodate both scientific inquiry and religious teaching in their belief system. Other scientists are bringing science to bear on the phenomenon of religion and spiritual belief — neuroscientists are studying what happens in the brain during religious experiences, while anthropologists are investigating how religion is linked to cooperation and community. This program provided an intimate look at what scientists have to say about their religious beliefs and what might be revealed by scientific studies of spirituality.

This program is part of The Big Idea Series, made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation.

The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for all the latest from WSF.
Visit our Website: http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldsciencefestival
Follow us on twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldSciFest

Original Program Date: May 31, 2008
Moderator: Bill Blakemore
Participants: Lorenzo Albacete, Nina Azari, Paul Bloom, William Phillips

Bill Blakemore Introduction 00:29

Participant Introductions 06:36

The facts about God 12:40

What happens in the brain when we think about religion? 15:37

 Bill Phillips defines faith 26:54

The God question is an intellectual and conceptual problem 37:20

FMRI shows the experience of religion. 53:30

Atheists and theist agree 01:03:16

Faith and Science 2008

Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.

World Science Festival

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