Superstring theory of particle physics...and stuff

[ll_Aethyr_ll]

In light of the last couple Vintersorg albums, I've been wondering what sort of physics books Mr. V usually reads. Or what sort, if any, physics books his fans like to read. There's a few books I'd love to recommend to any of you who enjoy reading into the world of physics, metaphysics, philosophy, and the like. So, that said, I strongly recommend 'Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension', 'Parallel Worlds : A journey through creation, higher dimensions, and the future of the cosmos' both by Michio Kaku and 'Equations of Eternity: Speculations on Consciousness, Meaning, and the Mathematical Rules That Orchestrate the Cosmos' by David Darling. All three of these books are written for the novice and won't weigh you down with in-depth mathematics or insane physics lingo that isn't thoroughly explained. I have always been interested in higher dimensional physics and cosmology, and think it's very refreshing for these concepts to be put into lyrics. Sooo, if any of you have read and enjoyed Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief History of Time' or Brian Greene's now classic 'The Elegant Universe', these three books hold their place next to them. Anyway, if this is a little too "geeked-out" for the UltimateMetal Forums, then I apologize and nobody will reply to this. But, I hope somebody does...if even to tell me I'm a total dork and to just listen to The Spiral Generator and Focusing Blur without thinking of the deeper meaning of it all.

 

[Gaunerin]

Hm...I don't think I can really contribute anything usefull to this thread as I don't think I read much stuff that is internationally well-known, except for Hawking's "A Brief History Of Time".

I must say that I'm scared to touch these kind of books especially when they're written in English (no matter whether they "are written for the novice" or not), the only book in that vein (sort of) I read was Bill Bryson's "A Small History Of Nearly Everything" because he's one of my favourite authors and I read all his stuff in the original version That book's more like general history of well...........everything than just physics though.

I find the whole topic of science interesting but I'm not a science geek at all, so I'm already quite happy with my German popular sciencific magazines (plenty of nice pics and illustrations too, hehe).

I just started reading a book by a guy called Alfred Gierer "Im Spiegel der Natur erkennen wir uns selbst - Wissenschaft und Menschenbild" (literally tranlates to "In the mirror of nature we recognize ourselves - science and the image of man") and I still have another one laying around by Ernst Peter Fischer - "Die andere Bildung - Was man von den Naturwissenschaften wissen sollte" (translates to "The 'other' education -What one should know about the natural sciences"). So, that's sort of related but not really interesting for the Non-Germans I'm afraid.

I remember we have some "experts" on this board though, just wait for them to enter this thread.

 

[Coyote027]

(Warning: this thread may cause thought expansion)

My take on it is thusly:
All things, at their most fundamental level, behave as both particle and waveform - the little vibrating superstrings, each with their own frequency. Matter and energy are simply wave patterns, interacting with resonance and harmonies in a cosmic song of the spheres. In a sense, word and music are the true nature of the universe...

 

[Mormagil]

Haha, nice sig about Schrödinger's cat...

Hyperspace is a great book, along with Inward Bound by Abraham Pais it inspired me to study physics in college. It's great when concepts are explained for the layman, but if you're really interested nothing should stop you from delving into the more complicated areas.

And Gaunerin, you've probably got an advantage over most of us because you can read a lot of the great physics literature from the past 200 years in its original language.

 

[Necramentia]

good on you aethyr for creating this thread, it's pretty much what should be strived for, learning from a synthesis of theories as opposed to the avid fanboyism of most here. all i can say is we should not only strive to learn from multiple sources, but to seek a source that is as objective as possible to form our opinion. understanding of the facts is the only way to form personal view, which is much more important than just listening to one person speak.

 

[amf]

I've only read A Brief History of Time and The Elegant Universe, and some other book I don't remember the name of. Think it's interesting to see where science is at the moment, and how physicists think the world works, because they are quite a lot more likely to have the right answer than for example religious profets... The superstring theory (isn't 'M-theory' the name now?) seems like the best theory so far, so for as long as it is not proven false I belive that is the truth.

 

[ll_Aethyr_ll]

Glad to see that Vintersorg fans are as intelligent as I thought they might be. I think it would be rather difficult to listen to/read the lyrics of the newer material and not think about what you're reading. Personally, I have been reading books like the ones mentioned in this thread since I first got into high school. Honestly lately, I've been reading mostly Douglas Adams stuff- still geeky enough for a girl like myself, but not as mind-bending. Heh.

 

[Mormagil]

Douglas Adams was awesome; it's a pity he's gone.

 

[Necramentia]

Glad to see that Vintersorg fans are as intelligent as I thought they might be.

having an immense amount of knowledge does not make you any more intelligent. just look at michael moore.

 

[ll_Aethyr_ll]

having an immense amount of knowledge does not make you any more intelligent. just look at michael moore.

Good point. Michael Moore is a giant waste of energy. Plus, I'm sure a lot of people who listen to Vintersorg are also the types who don't really care what he's saying and just like the way the music sounds. Nothing wrong with that, the music, of course, is outstanding. It had just been making me wonder for awhile about the sort of literature Vintersorg himself (Andreas, I suppose I should say) enjoys reading. During the past six years or so, I have listened to Vintersorg practically daily and have considered Andreas my very favorite vocalist. So, when Cosmic Genesis came out and I gave the lyric booklet a glance, and was floored. Not only is the music exceptional, the guy's into science. I think Coyote027 said it pretty well, word and music really ARE the true nature of the universe. When they come together so elequently, it doesn't get much better. I only hope the man continues to write.
Okay, here's two questions for you fellows... on another post, the necklace on the back of the Ötyg album, 'Älvefärd', the troll charm thing was mentioned... am I right in thinking they can't be purchaced, one must make their own? I haven't seen ANY online for sale.
Secondly, those two Ötyg demos, 'Bergtagen' and 'Trollskogens Drommande Morker'...they've never been released, and I should be happy to have had them on CDR?

 

[Boris T]

I accidentally found in the internet Vintersorg's lyrics from VFTSG and being amazed I bought albums. I think the symbiosis of art and science is the answer to "the meanig of life" 42 .

Some of my favorite sites:

http://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/talks/
fairy-tales

http://online.itp.ucsb.edu/online/kitp25/
about the future of physics

http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/brain04/
about the human brain

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
a bit esoteric, but nice pictures

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
eye-candy

http://www.kurzweilai.net/index.html?flash=2
about the future of humanity

 

[amf]

Okay, here's two questions for you fellows... on another post, the necklace on the back of the Ötyg album, 'Älvefärd', the troll charm thing was mentioned... am I right in thinking they can't be purchaced, one must make their own? I haven't seen ANY online for sale.

They can be purchaced in Sweden at least. From this blacksmith for example: http://www.uffes-smedja.nu/
Not sure if he ships to the states though.

Secondly, those two Ötyg demos, 'Bergtagen' and 'Trollskogens Drommande Morker'...they've never been released, and I should be happy to have had them on CDR?

Those two demos were released on tape, a third one named "Galdersång till bergfadern" was not released and only sent to record labels (afaik). But all three can be downloaded with P2P programs (and then burned on CD).

Oh, and it's Otyg. Without the dots.

 

[ll_Aethyr_ll]

Thanks for that link, I have just emailed the man to ask him about shipping to the US. This guy is great; blacksmithing is a trade that should have never been passed over by technology. It's one of the lost arts. I have a decorating idea and that pendant would really help it along. You guys may have seen tables with cut-outs in the actual table tops that have a piece of glass over the hole. Well, I'm thinking of doing a couple with different themes. One with German antiques and another with Scandinavian antiques. I have a Theodor Kittelsen book, some runic items and a few other things set aside for the Scandinavian piece already. The pendant would be a nice touch.
As for the demos, I really don't care for P2P programs and would much rather order the actual albums... but hey- if that's the only way to get it out here- screw it, I'll check out mIRC once more. Not a huge deal anyway, but it would certainly be nice to have the one I am missing, even in CDR form.

 

[AsModEe]

(Warning: this thread may cause thought expansion)

My take on it is thusly:
All things, at their most fundamental level, behave as both particle and waveform - the little vibrating superstrings, each with their own frequency. Matter and energy are simply wave patterns, interacting with resonance and harmonies in a cosmic song of the spheres. In a sense, word and music are the true nature of the universe...

All things behave as both particle and waveform? I'm not sure. I'm studying wave, optic and modern physics this session and from what I saw only electromagnetic waves behave as both particule and waveform. Light is the best example you could get. I may be wrong cause right now I'm reviewing all my stuff and not everything is clear as glass. But, a single atom won't act like a wave. Its oscillation will cause the electromagnetic wave by creating a magnetic and an electric field.

I just hope I'm not wrong or anything. I apologize if I am. Plus, I don't know what "superstring" means because you see, I'm studying physics in french, and I don't know the translation for that word nor did I hear a french word that sounds like that.

 

[Coyote027]

But, a single atom won't act like a wave. Its oscillation will cause the electromagnetic wave by creating a magnetic and an electric field.
.

Atoms can behave like waves in some ways., but I waas referring to quarks and leptons and similar oddities.
Electrons themselves behave very oddly, more like standing waves or probablility distributions than particles - they're essentially everywhere in their electron shell at once.

 

[amf]

Plus, I don't know what "superstring" means because you see, I'm studying physics in french, and I don't know the translation for that word nor did I hear a french word that sounds like that.

If I remember correctly, first the theory was called string theory. Then they added super-symmetry to that (the idea that all particles have supersymmetrical partners. Don't remember exactly how it works) and got the superstring theory. Later Edward Witten presented the idea that the 5 different superstring theories where all different parts of the same theory (which he named the M-theory).

 

[AsModEe]

I just read my chapter about Quantic physics and you were right Coyote, particles like electrons can act as both waveform and particles.

Thx Amf for clearing this up a little. I might end up on the superstring theory in my book.

I really like physics. Black holes are the things that interest me the most. If they could make us travel through the galaxy, that would be awesome.. " Sigh " I have the feeling that I'm born 1000 years too early.

 

[Mormagil]

I have the feeling that I'm born 1000 years too early.

Another way to look at it is that you have the chance to help build the foundations of a new science.

 

[Gaunerin]

Black holes are the things that interest me the most. If they could make us travel through the galaxy, that would be awesome..

Wasn't that worm holes?

 

[ll_Aethyr_ll]

Wasn't that worm holes?

From my understanding of a black hole (at least the most common variety) is that it is caused by a massive star imploding upon itself with such force that it collapses beyond the point of total compression (i.e. the atoms are crushed into one another to form an actual solid - no longer space, but an actual "something"), so that the collapsing mass passes into another state of being (dimension, whatever). At this point a singularity is created and an event horizon forms defining the edge of the transition from "here" to "there". So, by that logic, anything entering a black hole would get to go through the ever-exciting spghettification fun-house. But, seems like there's a new theory that questions if black holes actually annihilate everything. Apparently, the idea is that black holes may be doorways TO wormholes. Inside a black hole, the very fabric of the universe is collapsed into a point of infinite curvature -- known as a "space-time singularity," where the laws of physics no longer apply. It would just be a little easier to find out for sure if there wasn't that whole spghettification thing to contend with.