Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Nothing
StarTalk・2 minutes read
The text explores the concept of "nothing" by discussing the composition of air, comparing different levels of vacuum, and delving into the idea of completely empty space devoid of matter, particles, and even the laws of physics. In summary, the text delves into various levels of nothingness, from air molecules to interstellar space, and even contemplates a theoretical state devoid of any substance or laws.
Insights
- Air is often perceived as "nothing" due to its transparency, but it contains oxygen and nitrogen molecules, with a cubic meter having a vast number of air molecules, known as a septillion.
- Delving into the depths of nothingness, the text explores the creation of a vacuum in the Large Hadron Collider, highlighting interstellar and intergalactic spaces with significantly lower particle densities, ultimately contemplating a realm devoid of all matter, virtual particles, and physical laws.
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Recent questions
What is air composed of?
Oxygen and nitrogen molecules.
How is a laboratory vacuum created?
By eliminating air molecules.
What is the density of interplanetary space?
About 10 million molecules per cubic meter.
What is the density of interstellar space?
Half a million particles per cubic meter.
What is the concept of a completely empty box?
A region devoid of all matter and laws.
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Summary
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"Exploring the Depths of Nothingness"
- Discussing the concept of "nothing" in a show, focusing on the idea that air is often considered nothing because it is transparent and cannot be seen.
- Explaining the composition of air, mentioning oxygen and nitrogen molecules, and highlighting the vast number of air molecules in a cubic meter, referred to as a septillion.
- Describing the creation of a laboratory vacuum to eliminate air molecules, resulting in a significant reduction to about 10 billion molecules per cubic meter.
- Comparing the laboratory vacuum to interplanetary space, which has about 10 million molecules per cubic meter, and highlighting the vacuum in the Large Hadron Collider as the best ever made.
- Moving on to interstellar space, where the density decreases to half a million particles per cubic meter, and then to intergalactic space, where the density is even lower.
- Discussing the concept of a completely empty box devoid of all matter and the presence of virtual particles in empty space according to quantum physics.
- Exploring the idea of a greater form of nothing by removing not only matter and virtual particles but also the laws of physics and nature, resulting in a region devoid of any substance or laws.
