Latest news with #Hawking
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
‘Powerful' biopic featuring ‘moving' performance from Harry Potter star will have fans in tears
A Harry Potter star has fans sobbing at his 'brilliant' performance in a film that is now ready to watch for free. A 'moving' Oscar Award-winning biopic can now be enjoyed at the click of a button, 11 years after its initial release. The Theory of Everything takes a deep dive into the life and work of modern-day genius Stephen Hawking who, from a very young age, had unprecedented success in the fields of physics. Despite suffering from Motor Neurone Disease at the age of 21, Hawking continued to defeat the odds with the 2014 film not only focussing on his career but his turbulent relationship with his wife Jane. Actor Eddie Redmayne, who is renowned for starring in Les Miserables, Harry Potter 's Fantastic Beasts franchise and The Danish Girl, stars as Hawking himself and won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2015. He stars opposite actress Felicity Jones as Hawking's wife Jane, with the 41-year-old also remembered for her roles in The Brutalist, On The Basis of Sex, Inferno and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Eleven years after it made its global debut, The Theory of Everything can now be watched for free. Redmayne and Jones' The Theory of Everything has been dropped on BBC iPlayer today, Monday, August 18, and is entirely free to watch. The only thing needed to get access to the streamer is a registered email address and fans are good to go. The award-winning biopic scored an impressive 81% on Rotten Tomatoes when it first came out with fans singing the stars' praises. Posting on the review aggregator, someone commented: 'Redmayne's physical performance astounds, and Jones makes a wonderfully empathetic female lead.' Another agreed: 'Jones and Redmayne give this study of a scientific mind something special - heart.' A third remarked: 'It seems that The Theory of Everything doesn't have to theorize as much to prove that Eddie Redmayne is staging, perhaps, one of the best performances of the year.' While another added: 'The Theory of Everything is an interesting story about a genius, but it will be the performances by Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones that will stay with you.' The Theory of Everything is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
A Dark Mirror Universe May Be Hiding Right Next Door, Scientists Say
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: We have not been able to detect dark matter yet, even though there are many aspects of the universe that suggest the existence of invisible matter. In one new theory, it is possible that dark matter exists in a mirror universe where there are only dark versions of forces that hold the universe together. Another new theory suggests that dark matter may have been created at the edge of the universe right after the Big Bang, then radiated into space as the universe expanded. Hypothetically, dark matter is supposed to exist, even though it has managed to elude every single detection attempt so far. It neither absorbs nor reflects light. Still, something has to be generating enough gravity to hold together immense galaxies that rotate so fast, they would otherwise end up annihilating themselves. We keep searching for it—but we might be searching in the wrong universe. There might be more exotic explanations for invisible matter that is supposedly right in front of us. Physicist Stefano Profumo of the University of California, Santa Cruz, suggests it could have come from one of two origins. It might be lurking in a dark mirror universe contained within the visible universe. The merging of dark matter black holes in that realm may cause gravitational waves which can be detected. If this is starting to sound like one of the multiple mirrorverses in Stephen King's The Dark Tower, think of it as a shadow version of the same rogue chasing the same man in black through space and time. 'The nature of dark matter remains one of the most pressing mysteries in modern cosmology and particle physics,' Profumo said in a study recently published in Physical Review D. 'While numerous candidates have been proposed, from weakly interacting massive particles to axions, the search for the fundamental nature of the dark matter and of the 'dark sector' it resides in continues.' Alternately, dark matter particles might have formed at the edge of the observable universe, or the cosmic horizon, as it expanded at breakneck speed right after the Big Bang. Profumo thinks these particles might still be radiated into space similarly to how Hawking radiation describes particles evaporating from right outside the event horizon of a black hole. The cosmic horizon is something like the universe's equivalent to a black hole's event horizon. Though Profumo admits both of his theories are highly speculative, they are not impossible. He was inspired by quantum chromodynamics (QCD), which explains how the strong force of gravity binds together the quarks and gluons which make up protons and neutrons. The dark mirror universe he envisions has its own versions of particles and forces that operate just like those in the universe we exist in. Dark quarks (which create protons) and gluons (which glue quarks together into protons) should be able to bind and create baryons such as protons and neutrons, which are the dark reflection of the baryons we can detect. Black holes (or at least objects that behave much like them) could have formed from dark baryons in the nascent universe. While there have been theories about primordial black holes forming as dark matter, researchers have seen them as the product of density fluctuations rather than emerging from a mirror universe. If clouds of dark baryons became dense and massive enough, they would have collapsed into themselves and formed nano-black hole. Enough of these black holes can contain all the dark matter in existence. With such a behemoth amount of gravity, they would also have a profound effect on the shape of the universe. Another possibility that Profumo explores is dark matter particles radiating from the cosmic horizon. The universe is already thought to have fast-forwarded through a period of inflation after its birth, and he argues that in the beginning, because it expanded faster than the speed of light, dark matter particles were released from its edges. While inflation has slowed down dramatically since then, the universe and the very fabric of spacetime are still expanding, which can be seen by the increasing distance between objects that are not gravitationally bound. That means dark matter should keep radiating for as long as expansion continues. 'The underlying mechanism leading to the production of the cosmological dark matter (DM) is at present an open question and a matter of ongoing, intense scrutiny,' Profumo said in a second study also published in Physical Review D. If a mirror universe controlled by the dark side of physics really does exist, is there a portal into it? Maybe the answer to that question will see the light someday. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life? Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mirror
04-08-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
Stephen Hawking's chilling warning about aliens and UFOs that resurfaces amid US UFO probe
Famed physicist Stephen Hawking repeatedly warned against attempting to contact extraterrestrial civilizations, arguing that it could put humanity in grave danger Whilst worldwide intrigue surrounding UFOs and extraterrestrial life continues to escalate, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking consistently advocated for restraint, contending that mankind's enthusiasm to establish contact with alien civilisations could prove catastrophic. During the period before his passing in 2018, Hawking persistently cautioned that any intentional effort to communicate with extraterrestrial beings, particularly those potentially far superior to our own species, might jeopardise humanity's survival. His concern centred on the possibility that rather than approaching us with inquisitiveness or goodwill, a supremely intelligent alien race might view Earth as a world ready for plunder. "If aliens ever visit us," Hawking said in a 2010 episode of Into the Universe, "the outcome might be similar to when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans." Hawking argued it would be foolish to presume that sophisticated civilisations would inherently embrace peace, reports the Express US. If anything, humanity's historical patterns, particularly when dominant societies encounter less developed cultures, indicate that domination, settlement, or disregard for suffering are equally probable as negotiation. Hawking theorised that alien societies with interstellar travel capabilities would probably have depleted their homeworld's natural resources, driving them to traverse the cosmos seeking fresh planets to colonise or mine for raw materials. Under these circumstances, Earth might be perceived as a viable conquest rather than an ally. Despite championing the hunt for intelligent life beyond our planet, Hawking drew a firm distinction between listening and making contact. Whilst initiatives like Breakthrough Listen, which earned Hawking's backing, focus on picking up alien transmissions, other programmes including Breakthrough Message and METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) advocate actively broadcasting messages into the cosmos to announce our existence to other civilisations. Hawking staunchly rejected these approaches. From his perspective, passive monitoring was scientifically sound, but broadcasting our whereabouts to mysterious galactic neighbours was recklessly foolish. "We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet," he cautioned. This warning has resurfaced lately following heightened public and governmental focus on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs, the military designation for UFOs). American authorities have released classified military footage of mysterious airborne objects, whilst parliamentary sessions have spotlighted whistleblower allegations regarding possible non-human intelligence. Although numerous researchers continue to doubt these encounters involve extraterrestrial visitors, public fascination has been rekindled, alongside fresh interest in Hawking's viewpoint. Detractors of active messaging contend that we simply can't predict the ethics, objectives, or behaviours of extraterrestrial beings. Even if intelligent aliens are aware of our planet, making ourselves known could provoke a response, positive or negative, that we're ill-equipped to manage. Stephen Hawking wasn't alone in his apprehension. Notable figures such as physicist Michio Kaku and SETI pioneer Frank Drake have voiced their ambivalence towards interstellar communication. The late Carl Sagan, though generally more hopeful, also underscored the need for caution, pointing out the unpredictability of alien psychology. Despite these cautionary words, some scientists argue that maintaining silence is neither practical nor beneficial. Given that Earth has been emitting radio waves into space for over a century, technologically advanced civilisations may already be aware of our existence. From this perspective, intentional messaging might not make much of a difference.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A Scientist Says the Universe May Have a Memory of Its Own
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: A new hypothesis known as the Quantum Memory Matrix (QMM) could help explain some of the biggest mysteries of the universe, including the Black Hole Information Paradox. The idea is that space-time itself holds a history of quantum information in 'memory cells.' This is just one of many hypotheses that aim to explain the paradoxes that form when general relativity and quantum field theory collide. Paradoxes can be scary things in science, as they almost always represent some fundamental misunderstanding of reality and the universe. However, paradoxes can also present opportunities—chances to re-examine what we know and forge previously unimaginable paths toward new understanding. For example, the Fermi Paradox—which questions why there are so many extraterrestrial worlds, yet absolutely no signs of intelligent life—has pushed scientists to explore various reasons why the universe is so silent. Various temporal paradoxes, such as the Grandfather paradox, have allowed us to probe mind-bending concepts like the multiverse theory. And the same can be said for the Black Hole Information Paradox. First formulated in the 1970s by physicist Stephen Hawking, the paradox boils down to the idea that black holes appear to destroy information (via Hawking radiation) over incredibly long timescales. However, quantum field theory suggests that quantum information cannot be destroyed, and instead must be conserved. This has led to several theories, including that information is somehow encoded onto the event horizon of the black hole itself and released within the Hawking radiation in a way we simply can't detect, or that it even travels to a completely different universe. But for years, Florian Neukart—an assistant professor at Leiden University and the chief product officer at the quantum computing outfit Terra Quantum—has promoted another fascinating idea known as 'Quantum Memory Matrix,' or QMM. In a new article published in New Scientist, Neukart details how space-time itself could retain a 'memory' that recorded the history of the universe. In a sense, according to Neukart, space-time is a blanket of 'memory cells' that could not only solve the Black Hole Information Paradox, but could clarify other major space-time conundrums like dark matter. 'How can empty space hold information when there is nothing 'inside it' to change? The key is to realize that modern physics describes all particles and forces as excitations in quantum fields—mathematical structures that span space and time,' Neukart wrote in New Scientist. 'Space-time itself is, in principle, no different, and each of my cells of space-time would have a quantum state that can change. Imagine it as like a tiny dial or switch. There is also a more emergent kind of quantum information at play that describes the relationship of each cell to the others—this isn't held in any one cell, but in the sprawling network of relationships between them.' In the Black Hole Information Paradox, for example, as an object moves through space, it interacts with these 'dials' of space-time that imprint information. When a black hole evaporates—a process that takes around 1068 to 10103 years—the surrounding space-time will remain. 'Information doesn't vanish after all,' Neukart said. 'It has been written somewhere we hadn't thought to look.' Working with quantum computers to test this idea, Neukart said that they've extended the framework beyond gravity, insisting that QMM extends to all four fundamental forces of nature. Additionally, Neukart posited that the 'weight of information woven into space-time' could be an alternative explanation for dark matter—a weakly interacting form of matter that is one of the big missing puzzle pieces of the Standard Model. For now, QMM is just another radical-yet-fascinating potential solution to a long-standing paradox. It could be be far from the truth, or closer to reality than we might expect, but it undoubtedly stands as evidence of paradoxes being roiling cauldrons of scientific creativity. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Vancouver Sun
24-06-2025
- Science
- Vancouver Sun
Raymond Laflamme, Canadian pioneer in quantum computing, has died
Raymond Laflamme, a Canadian pioneer in the field of quantum information processing who once worked with Stephen Hawking, has died after a lengthy bout with cancer. The University of Waterloo announced his death in a press release this week. He died June 19 on what would have been his 65th birthday. Born in Québec City, the third of five siblings, Laflamme studied physics as an undergraduate at the Université Laval before moving to England to continue his education there. At Cambridge University, he earned his PhD under the supervision of Stephen Hawking, at one point convincing the eminent scientist (over the course of six months' spirited discussion) that Hawking was wrong in his belief that time would run backwards during the contraction of the universe. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Hawking gave credit to Laflamme for this contribution in his best-selling book A Brief History of Time. When Laflamme left Cambridge a few years later, Hawking personalized his copy of the book with a note reading: 'To Raymond, who showed me that the arrow of time is not a boomerang. Thank you for all your help. Stephen.' Years later, Hawking visited Laflamme at his workplace in Waterloo, Ont., during which his former student gave him a tour of labs, introduced him to faculty, students and staff — and presented him with a boomerang, engraved with the words: 'Come back soon!' After Cambridge, Laflamme worked for a number of years at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, where his interests shifted from cosmology to quantum computing. In 2001, he returned to Canada and joined the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Waterloo and the university's newly created Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. There, he became founding director of the Institute for Quantum Computing, a position he held for 15 years. 'Through his leadership, IQC became a world-class research hub, positioning Canada at the forefront of the quantum revolution,' the university said in its release. 'In his scientific research, Laflamme pioneered theoretical and experimental approaches to quantum information processing and quantum error correction.' It added: 'Laflamme and colleagues developed an innovative approach to quantum information processing using linear optics, the results of which became one of the most referenced works in quantum computing.' On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the IQC, Hawking was among the luminaries to pay tribute to Laflamme's achievements. 'The incredible growth and success of IQC are a testament to professor Raymond Laflamme's leadership,' he said. 'Under Raymond's guidance, IQC has established Waterloo and Canada as the world-leading hub for research in quantum technologies and their applications.' Laflamme's many accolades included being named an Officer of the Order of Canada, the Canadian Association of Physicists CAP-CRM Prize in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics, and a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a Fellow of the American Physical Society, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He held the inaugural Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis 'John von Neumann' Chair in Quantum Information. He coauthored two textbooks on quantum computing: Building Quantum Computers: A Practical Introduction and An Introduction to Quantum Computing. In 2020, he and his wife, Janice Gregson, established the Raymond Laflamme and Janice Gregson Graduate Scholarship for Women in Quantum Information Science, awarded annually to recognize top women entering Waterloo's quantum graduate programs. 'Throughout his career, he found ways to bring people together,' the university said in its release. 'This was accomplished on an international scale by leading networks and organizing conferences, and within the local community through pick-up hockey games and sharing his insights generously with students and colleagues.' The university noted that, when he was diagnosed with lung cancer, Laflamme started a project with researchers at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener, Ont., to investigate quantum technologies for cancer research and treatment. Laflamme is survived by Gregson and his children, Patrick and Jocelyne. Cremation has taken place, and a celebration of life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family says donations may be made to Lung Cancer Canada, Princess Margaret Foundation or the Waterloo Regional Health Network Foundation – Cancer Centre. The family is also working towards setting up a scholarship fund in Laflamme's memory. An obituary at Erb & Good Family Funeral Home noted Laflamme's love for the outdoors. 'In recent years, he and Janice went on bike tours through France, and Ray embarked on two canoe trips to the Arctic — one with Patrick, one with Jocelyne,' it said, adding: 'He had a knack for turning any project into something special, from building a log cabin sauna by hand to restoring his cherished 1979 VW bus.' The obituary also includes a tribute wall. One person posted: 'Although I only met Ray Laflamme once, I'll never forget his patience in explaining, in lay terms, quantum computing to me.' They added: 'I first learned about his lung cancer diagnosis in an interview with him in the (Waterloo Region) Record. He was speaking out about the importance of early screening for a cancer that is the leading cause of death. The courage he displayed by going public in that article only increased my respect for him. My condolences to his family.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
