Stephen Hawking (University of Cambridge Professor) – The Origin of the Universe (Mar 2018)
Chapters
00:00:00 Hong Kong Institute of Advanced Study Inaugural Lecture
Institute for Advanced Study: The Institute for Advanced Study in Hong Kong was founded on the dream of President Paul Chu, aiming to establish Hong Kong, China, and Asia as a global hub of intellectual development and innovation. The institute endeavors to foster cutting-edge research and scholarship to address pressing 21st-century challenges by bringing together the world’s most brilliant minds.
Welcoming Remarks: Angelina Yee, Executive Director of the Institute, welcomed Professor Stephen Hawking and the audience to the inaugural lecture. She stressed the significance of Hawking’s presence, marking the commencement of a new journey for Hong Kong in terms of intellectual exploration and innovation.
Lecture Guidelines: Yee reminded the audience of essential guidelines for the lecture, including a strict prohibition on photography to ensure the proper functioning of Hawking’s delicate communication system. She requested attendees to be patient and maintain silence during the lecture to avoid disruptions while Hawking used his computer synthesizer to communicate.
Professor Chu’s Introduction: President Paul Chu of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology took the stage to introduce Professor Stephen Hawking. He acknowledged that the task of introducing such a renowned figure was daunting, given Hawking’s numerous accomplishments. Chu emphasized that Hawking’s presence transcended any human institution, representing the limitless potential of the human mind and spirit.
Audience Inspiration: Hawking’s unwavering determination and remarkable achievements have inspired generations to pursue ambitious goals and strive for excellence. His presence has given rise to the term “Hawking spirit,” which encapsulates the limitless curiosity, imagination, and fascination with scientific discovery that he personifies.
00:09:23 The Beginning of the Universe: Perspectives from History and Science
Myths and Early Beliefs: Creation myths, like that of the Bishongo people, attempt to explain the origins of the universe and humanity. Early understanding placed the creation of the world at a specific time, such as Bishop Usher’s interpretation of the book of Genesis. Mountains and rivers, perceived as unchanging during a human lifetime, were thought to have existed forever or created simultaneously with humans.
Philosophical Perspectives: Aristotle believed the universe had existed eternally, arguing that something eternal is more perfect than something created. Immanuel Kant explored the contradictions of a universe with a beginning or an eternal existence.
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity: In 1915, Einstein’s general theory of relativity revolutionized the understanding of space and time. Space and time were no longer considered absolute or existing independently of the universe. They became dynamical quantities shaped by matter and energy within the universe.
Implications for the Beginning of the Universe: The concept of time became dependent on the universe itself, making it meaningless to talk about a time before the universe began. The assumption of an unchanging universe before the 1920s allowed for arbitrary extensions of time back. This raised philosophical questions about the meaning of existence in a universe that could potentially have been created recently with the appearance of age.
The Positivist Approach: Hawking adopted the positivist approach, interpreting sensory input through a model of the world. The focus shifted from whether the model represented reality to its effectiveness in explaining observations and making testable predictions. In comparing models of the universe, those that provide explanations for events, such as identical twins with a common cause, are considered better.
Conclusion: The intersection of creation myths, philosophical arguments, and the impact of relativity on our understanding of time and the universe’s origin is explored. The positivist approach emphasizes the effectiveness and predictive power of models rather than their representation of absolute reality.
00:18:48 The Expanding Universe and Theories of Its Origins
Edwin Hubble’s Discovery: Edwin Hubble used the 100-inch telescope on Mount Wilson to observe the distribution of stars in the universe. He found that stars are grouped in vast collections called galaxies and are not uniformly distributed. Hubble also discovered that most galaxies were moving away from us, with the speed of the galaxies increasing with their distance from us.
Expansion of the Universe: Hubble’s observations led to the conclusion that the universe is expanding. The distance between distant galaxies is increasing over time, and the universe is growing larger.
The Beginning of the Universe: The expansion of the universe raised the question of its beginning. Hubble’s observations suggested that if the galaxies were moving apart, they must have been closer together in the past. Extrapolating back in time, this led to the idea that the universe had a beginning approximately 15 billion years ago.
Steady State Theory: Some scientists, uncomfortable with the idea of a beginning, proposed the steady state theory. This theory suggested that the universe had always existed and had the same appearance at all times. New galaxies would form from matter continually created throughout space to replace those moving apart.
Contradiction of the Steady State Theory: Observations of weak radio sources by the Cambridge Radio Astronomy Group under Martin Ryle contradicted the steady state theory. The observed distribution of radio sources indicated that the density of sources was higher in the past. This contradicted the basic assumption of the steady state theory that everything was constant in time, leading to its abandonment.
Alternative Theories: Other theories were proposed to avoid a beginning for the universe. One idea suggested that the universe underwent a previous contracting phase, but irregularities would prevent all matter from collapsing to a single point. Instead, different parts of the matter would miss each other, causing the universe to expand again with a finite density.
00:25:26 The Origin of the Universe: From Creation to Quantum Theory
The Marxist-Leninist Interpretation: Lifshitz and Kaladnikov’s claim that the universe could bounce avoided questions about its creation, aligning with Soviet Marxist-Leninist dialectical materialism.
Hawking’s Disagreement and Penrose’s Collaboration: At age 21, Hawking doubted Lifshitz and Kaladnikov’s proof and collaborated with Roger Penrose to develop new mathematical techniques to study the question.
The Singularity Theorems: Hawking and Penrose’s theorems showed that the universe couldn’t bounce and predicted a singularity, a point of infinite density where time begins.
Observational Evidence: In 1965, the discovery of a faint background of microwaves confirmed the idea of a very dense beginning to the universe.
Interpretations of the Results: One interpretation is that God chose the beginning of the universe for reasons beyond human understanding, a view held by Pope John Paul. Another interpretation, favored by most scientists, suggests that general relativity breaks down in very strong gravitation and needs to be replaced.
Combining General Relativity and Quantum Theory: To understand the universe’s origin, one must combine general relativity with quantum theory, using Feynman’s sum over histories approach.
The Origin Question: The problem of the universe’s beginning is similar to questioning what existed at the edge of the world when it was thought to be flat. Hawking argues that combining general relativity and quantum theory allows for a solution, similar to how the Earth’s curvature solved the flat world conundrum.
Time and Space-Time: Einstein’s theory unified time and space into space-time, but time still seemed distinct, requiring a beginning. When combining general relativity with quantum theory, time can behave like another spatial direction, eliminating the need for a definite beginning.
00:36:05 Unifying Quantum Theory and General Relativity to Comprehend the Origin and Evolution of the
Universe’s Origin: The beginning of the universe can be likened to the South Pole on Earth, where time commences and expands as one moves northward, resembling the growth of the universe. This eliminates the age-old objection that the universe’s beginning was a breakdown of normal laws, as the same laws persist at the South Pole as elsewhere.
Quantum Creation: The universe’s spontaneous quantum creation is akin to the formation of steam bubbles in boiling water. Numerous small bubbles appear, but they typically collapse while still microscopic, leading to alternative universes that don’t develop stars or intelligent life.
Inflation and Expansion: A few bubbles achieve a safe size, preventing re-collapse, and undergo rapid expansion, a process known as inflation. Inflation in the early universe was more significant than any inflation in prices, occurring at a rate of a million trillion trillion within a fraction of a second. This inflation contributed to the formation of a large, uniform universe, corresponding to observations of the early universe’s expansion.
Irregularities and Structure: Slight irregularities in the early universe led to small variations in microwave background intensity. The MAP satellite observed these predicted variations, confirming the accuracy of the theory. These irregularities provide the blueprint for all structures within the universe, including galaxies and stars.
Cosmic Evolution: The universe’s expansion shattered the idea of an ever-existing, everlasting universe, predicting instead that time and existence began with the Big Bang. The discovery of the cosmic microwave background and observations of black holes supported these theories.
Combining General Relativity and Quantum Theory: Combining general relativity with quantum theory provided a framework for predicting the universe’s emergence from the Big Bang. During the inflationary period, the union of these theories predicted the formation of galaxies, stars, and other cosmic structures, matching observations.
Future Endeavors: Ongoing research aims to better understand the accelerating expansion of the universe and predict its future. Cosmology remains an active field, with discoveries and advancements contributing to our knowledge of the origin and fate of the universe.
Professor Hawking’s Influence in Hong Kong: Millions of copies of A Brief History of Time have been sold in Hong Kong, boosting the book industry. His visit has sparked a newfound interest in scientific ideas and a deep fascination with him and his work.
Impact on Intellect and Spirit: The opportunity to witness a great thinker in person and hear his ideas explained directly has had a profound impact on Hong Kong’s citizens.
The Power of Scientific Ideas: The captivating nature of scientific concepts and ideas has been revealed to the people of Hong Kong, demonstrating their ability to intrigue and engage a large audience.
Welcoming Gesture: “””The speaker expressed deep gratitude to Professor Stephen Hawking for traveling from Cambridge University to Hong Kong UST for the occasion.”””
Token of Appreciation: “””To show their appreciation, Hong Kong UST presented Professor Hawking with a special gift—an on-the-spot sketch of the renowned scientist created by one of Hong Kong’s celebrated sketch artists, Mr. Circle Lo.”””
Surprise Presentation: “””Mr. Lo, renowned for his sketches of horses at the races, showcased his talent by capturing the essence of Professor Hawking’s scientific brilliance and his metaphorical journey through the universe.”””
Unveiling the Sketch: “””The sketch, presented through Professor Hawking’s daughter, Lucy Hawking, symbolized the significance of the historic occasion and the lasting impression left by Professor Hawking’s presence.”””
00:53:08 Public Q&A with Professor Stephen Hawking
Hawking’s Response to Public Questions:
Gravity’s Influence on Light: Hawking affirmed gravity’s effect on light, as predicted by Einstein’s 1915 General Theory of Relativity. Gravity from the sun bends space, thereby deflecting light passing through it. The observation of the 1919 eclipse verified this effect, showing the bending of light from a distant star near the sun.
Hawking’s Perspective on Physical Challenges: Hawking emphasized the significance of maintaining a positive worldview despite physical challenges. He noted that there’s still much one can accomplish in life, as he demonstrated. According to Hawking, we cannot afford to be disabled in spirit as well as physically, as people may lack time for those without resilience.
The Origin and Significance of Universal Constants: Hawking explained that the constants in our universe, like the speed of light, the boiling point of water, and gravity, are determined by the parameters of the Standard Model. According to M-Theory, these parameters are determined by the geometry of six curled-up dimensions of space. There are various possible values for these parameters, but most lead to universes incompatible with life. In only a few universes will intelligent life emerge and ponder the values of these constants.
Hawking’s Response to God Question: Stephen Hawking referenced a discussion between Napoleon and the French scientist Laplace about the role of God in the universe. Laplace dismissed the need for a “God hypothesis” in explaining the universe’s evolution, a response that appealed to Napoleon.
Hawking’s Explanation on the Big Bang and Black Holes: Hawking addressed the similarity between the Big Bang and the collapse of a black hole, noting that both involve a change in the universe’s size. However, he highlighted a key difference: the Big Bang begins with a smooth and uniform universe, while a black hole collapse is highly irregular and non-uniform. He attributed this difference to the no-boundary proposal, which suggests that the universe’s history in imaginary time is a closed, smooth surface with small fluctuations due to the uncertainty principle. These fluctuations grow over time, leading to a smooth early universe and a highly irregular gravitational collapse.
Hawking’s American Accent: Hawking explained that his voice synthesizer, which dates back to 1986, generates the American accent he uses. Although he has tried to find a more preferred voice, he has not found a better alternative and identifies with the current voice. The hardware for his synthesizer is outdated, making it challenging to obtain a software version. Hawking humorously mentioned that one software version had a French accent, which he joked would cause his wife to divorce him.
Hawking’s Unfulfilled Ambitions: During a dinner conversation, Hawking expressed his desire to understand several complex phenomena, including what happens inside black holes, the origin of the universe, and the human race’s survival in the next hundred years. He also added a humorous note, saying that he would like to understand women, drawing applause from the audience.
Abstract
Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe: Insights from Hawking’s Lecture at the Institute for Advanced Study in Hong Kong with Supplemental Updates
In a landmark lecture at the Institute for Advanced Study at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Professor Stephen Hawking captivated an audience with profound insights into the origins and nature of the universe. Angelina Yee, Executive Director, and President Paul Chu’s welcoming remarks set the stage for a journey through cosmic mysteries. Hawking, overcoming physical limitations with infrared technology for communication, symbolized human resilience and intellectual curiosity. His lecture, touching on theories from Aristotle to Einstein, and exploring cutting-edge concepts like quantum creation, expanded the horizons of understanding, leaving a lasting impact on the audience and reinforcing the Institute’s vision for advancing knowledge.
Vision of the Institute and Hawking’s Legendary Status
The Institute for Advanced Study at HKUST, aiming to be a global hub for scholarship, found a perfect inaugural speaker in Stephen Hawking. President Chu highlighted Hawking’s iconic status, well beyond academic circles. The local media coined the term “Hawking spirit” to describe the event’s atmosphere, showcasing the triumph of the human mind over adversity. The Institute is dedicated to establishing Hong Kong, China, and Asia as centers of intellectual development and innovation by promoting advanced research and scholarship to address the challenges of the 21st century.
The Lecture: From Ancient Myths to Modern Science
In his lecture, Stephen Hawking traced the path from ancient creation myths to contemporary scientific theories. He discussed Aristotle’s concept of an eternal universe, Kant’s antimonies, and Einstein’s revolutionary ideas on relativity. Adopting a positivist approach, which emphasizes sensory interpretation and testable predictions, he set the foundation for understanding the universe’s origins. He described how early interpretations of the universe’s creation were tied to specific times, like Bishop Usher’s biblical interpretation, and how natural features like mountains and rivers were once thought to be eternal or created simultaneously with humans.
Hubble’s Revelations and the Expanding Universe
Edwin Hubble’s groundbreaking observations marked a significant turning point in cosmology by revealing an expanding universe, which contested the long-standing notion of a static universe. His work led to intense debates and the rise and eventual dismissal of the steady state theory due to conflicting observational evidence. Using the 100-inch telescope at Mount Wilson, Hubble observed that galaxies are grouped in vast collections and are predominantly moving away from us, with their speed increasing with distance. Some scientists, uncomfortable with the concept of a beginning, proposed the steady state theory, which suggested that the universe had always existed in a constant state, with new galaxies continuously forming to replace those moving apart.
The Singularities and Quantum Mechanics
Stephen Hawking’s theories on singularities and the universe’s beginning, building upon Einstein’s theory of relativity, introduced a perspective where time could be viewed as another dimension. This idea, combined with quantum theory, provided a new way to think about the universe’s origin, moving beyond the limitations of general relativity. The expansion of the universe suggested a beginning, inferred from Hubble’s observations that galaxies moving apart were once closer together. This led to the hypothesis that the universe began around 15 billion years ago. At age 21, Hawking questioned Lifshitz and Kaladnikov’s proof and collaborated with Roger Penrose, developing new mathematical techniques to study the universe’s inception. Their theorems indicated that the universe couldn’t bounce back from a collapse and predicted a singularity, a point of infinite density where time begins. In 1965, the discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation provided observational evidence for a dense beginning of the universe.
The Quantum Perspective and Hawking’s South Pole Analogy
Hawking’s innovative South Pole analogy, equating the start of time to the geographical South Pole, argued compellingly against the idea of a “before the universe.” He and Jim Hartle proposed a universe spontaneously created from quantum fluctuations, significantly advancing our understanding of cosmic origins. Different interpretations of these results include the theological perspective, as held by Pope John Paul, that God chose the beginning of the universe for reasons beyond human comprehension. On the other hand, most scientists favor the interpretation that general relativity breaks down under strong gravitation and must be replaced. The MAP satellite’s observations supporting the inflation theory, a concept of rapid expansion in the early universe, were instrumental in understanding galaxy and star formation.
Observations Supporting Inflation Theory
To comprehend the universe’s origin, it is necessary to merge general relativity with quantum theory, employing Feynman’s sum over histories approach. The issue of the universe’s beginning is analogous to wondering what lay beyond the world’s edge when it was believed to be flat. Hawking argued that combining general relativity and quantum theory offers a solution, akin to how the concept of Earth’s curvature resolved the flat world dilemma.
The Future of Cosmology and Gravitational Waves
Hawking emphasized the significance of detecting gravitational waves for insights into the early universe. These waves, bearing information from the universe’s infancy, hold the potential to unravel more mysteries, despite unresolved questions about the universe’s accelerating expansion and ultimate fate.
Hawking’s Impact Beyond Science
Hawking’s lecture had a profound impact that extended beyond the scientific community. The surge in sales of “A Brief History of Time” in Hong Kong, the lottery system implemented for lecture attendance, and a special sketch presented to Hawking by Circle Lo underscored his intellectual and spiritual influence.
Gravity, Light, and the Constants of Nature
Hawking discussed fundamental concepts such as the bending of light by gravity and the constants of nature, pivotal for understanding the structure of the universe. The implications of M-theory on these constants have opened new pathways in theoretical physics.
Hawking’s Philosophical Stance and Personal Reflections
Hawking’s ability to intertwine scientific inquiry with philosophical musings was evident in his discussions on topics like God’s role in the universe and the nature of black holes. His personal reflections, including his humorous take on understanding women, added a human element to the scientific discourse.
Conclusion
Stephen Hawking’s lecture at the Institute for Advanced Study in Hong Kong transcended a mere scientific presentation; it was a testament to the power of the human mind to explore, understand, and appreciate the universe’s mysteries. It reinforced the Institute’s mission of leading in intellectual and innovative discovery, while also deeply touching the hearts and minds of the audience, leaving an indelible mark on scientific thought and human curiosity.
Important Moments of Hospitality at UST Plenary Address:
The hospitality extended to Professor Stephen Hawking at the UST Plenary Address was noteworthy. The speaker expressed deep gratitude to Hawking for traveling from Cambridge University to Hong Kong UST. In appreciation, UST presented Hawking with a unique gift a sketch by the celebrated artist Mr. Circle Lo, depicting the essence of Hawking’s scientific brilliance and metaphorical journey through the universe. This sketch was unveiled by Hawking’s daughter, Lucy Hawking, symbolizing the event’s significance and Hawking’s lasting impact.
Q&A with Stephen Hawking – Answered Questions on Cosmology and M-Theory:
During the Q&A session, Hawking confirmed the influence of gravity on light as predicted by Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, illustrated by the bending of light from a distant star near the sun during the 1919 eclipse. He emphasized the
importance of maintaining a positive worldview despite physical challenges, highlighting his own accomplishments as an example. He discussed the constants of nature, explaining that in M-Theory, these are determined by the geometry of space and that only a few universes, out of many possible ones, support life. Hawking also engaged in a discussion about the role of God in the universe, drawing upon a conversation between Napoleon and Laplace, who dismissed the need for a “God hypothesis” in explaining the universe. He explained the difference between the Big Bang and black hole collapse, attributing the smoothness of the early universe to the no-boundary proposal and the uncertainty principle. He humorously commented on his American-accented voice synthesizer, noting its outdated hardware and the difficulty in finding a suitable alternative. Lastly, Hawking shared his desire to understand several complex phenomena, including black holes, the universe’s origin, and the survival of the human race, while humorously adding his wish to understand women.
Stephen Hawking discussed the universe's origin, fate, and the possibility of multiple histories, comparing it to a giant casino governed by probabilities. He proposed a unified theory of everything that would explain the universe's beginning and boundary conditions....
Stephen Hawking challenged traditional views of the universe's origin, proposing a scientific interpretation combining general relativity and quantum theory. His work on inflation suggests the universe spontaneously created itself from nothing, governed by scientific laws....
Stephen Hawking's lecture explored the existence of black holes, the possibility of radiation escaping them, and the concept of baby universes emerging from black holes, challenging our understanding of scientific predictability. His work delved into fundamental questions about our existence and the universe's mysteries, inspiring awe and wonder about the...
The universe's origin is a tapestry of ancient creation myths, philosophical ideas, and scientific theories, with the Big Bang theory as the prevailing explanation for its beginning and expansion. Physicist Stephen Hawking's work, including the South Pole analogy and quantum creation, proposes the universe's spontaneous emergence from quantum processes....
Stephen Hawking's journey from an uninspired student to a renowned theoretical physicist was marked by a life-altering diagnosis and remarkable achievements, revolutionizing our understanding of cosmology and inspiring a global interest in science. Hawking's contributions extended beyond his scientific achievements, as he emphasized the significance of space exploration and encouraged...
Stephen Hawking's White House lecture delved into the evolution of the universe, technological advancements, and the potential of genetic engineering, highlighting the interplay of quantum theory and relativity. He pondered the future of complexity and intelligence, predicting rapid advancements and the need for ethical considerations in genetic engineering....
Stephen Hawking's groundbreaking theories on black holes, including the concept of black hole radiation, have revolutionized our understanding of the universe and the interplay between gravity and quantum mechanics. His work continues to inspire research and debate, pushing the boundaries of human knowledge....