After a bit of a break, the FQXi podcast returns!
CNES/D. Ducros
In the news round-up, Brendan Foster and I chat about the MICROSCOPE satellite experiment, which was launched in April to put the equivalence principle--and general relativity--to the test.
General relativity's prediction of gravitational waves was famously vindicated last February, when the LIGO team announced the discovery of gravitational waves. But could these ripples in space-time be used to look for violations of general relativity and give us clues about quantum gravity? Brendan has put together a special report, including interviews with LIGO team member Alessandra Buonanno and FQXi's own Ted Jacobson, and expert on quantum gravity, to find out.
Sticking with quantum gravity, FQXi's Sabine Hossenfelder talks about her search for signs of defects in the fabric of spacetime--which could reveal if spacetime has a discrete structure--to reporter Colin Stuart. You can also read Colin's profile of Sabine, "Wrinkles in Spacetime," too.
And we have a bit of a treat to round off the podcast. The Centre for Quantum Technologies in Singapore recently ran a short story competition, with a quantum theme. Joining us is their first prize winner, author Liam Hogan, who chats about his physics background and how he comes up with the ideas for his stories. Then you get to listen to Hogan reading out his award-winning story, "Ana," in full -- recorded by Wandsworth radio's Blackshaw Arts Hour, and reproduced here with their permission.
Ooh, and if you like short stories, you might enjoy a couple of the entries to last year's Trick of Truth essay contest, asking you to explain the mysterious connection between physics and mathematics. A compilation volume of the winning essays--which have been updated and expanded--has been published by Springer and is now available to buy in a rather nice hardcover, to keep on your coffee table. You can also download individual chapters from Springer's site.
