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"The standard SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) theory of strong, electromagnetic, and weak interactions appears to correctly describe physics down to the smallest distance scales yet probed."
Leonard SusskindI typically ask the question: Do you think that you can visualize a fi — Leonard Susskind
"I typically ask the question: Do you think that you can visualize a five-dimensional space? (visualize means close your eyes and see it). Everybody says no I cant do that - well I cant do it either! Four? Not really no - I can use a trick to help me visualize it but direct visualization I cannot. Now I say close your eyes and can you visualize a cube? Yeah, I can visualize the cube. Then we go down to two dimensions. What I want you to do is to visualize an abstract two-dimensional space - can you do that? And everybody says sure. And I say what do you see? They say "oh I see a curved surface". And my response to that is: yes you see a curved surface; but the only way you can visualize it is by visualizing it as embedded in three dimensions (unless you have some brain different than mine). Right, can you even visualize a one-dimensional space? "Sure I can see a line" - No! What you see is that line embedded on a piece of paper embedded in three dimensions. Even a point you cannot visualize without seeing it suspended in three dimensions. What is it thats special about three dimensions? Is there something really mathematically special? No: its architecture your brain architecture evolved for the purpose of navigating around in three dimensions"
Leonard Susskind
Leonard Susskind
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Leonard Susskind is an American theoretical physicist, professor of theoretical physics at Stanford University and founding director of the Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics. His research interests are string theory, quantum field theory, quantum statistical mechanics and quantum cosmology. He is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Science
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"My physics has been extremely mainstream, ... Its not true that Im some sort of a [radical thinker], not at all."
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"A straight line is a special case of a curve. Its a curve which is uncurved."
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"(Jokingly) Sex in ten dimensions is impossible... topologically."
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"The problem with general relativity is that the principles are pretty simple and the computations are always ugly."
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"Dozens of other popular authors have written about black holes and string theory, but Gefter’s excitement makes even such overdone subjects seem fresh. And through the whole process, she and her father remain awed by the physicists whose work they’re studying—late in the book, her father even asks Susskind for an autograph."
Leonard Susskind