Strogatz: All electrons in the universe are identical and never age
Steven Strogatz · #73 Steven Strogatz: Exploring Curiosities · Jan 7, 2020 · at 59:44
Mathematician Steven Strogatz explains that physics is simpler than biology because subatomic particles lack individual diversity or degradation.
0:00 / 0:21exact quote · 21.0s
720p mp4 · rendered on demand · StarZero watermark
“Any two electrons anywhere in the universe are absolutely indistinguishable. There is no diversity of subatomic particles. I mean, they're different particles. Electrons are different from protons, but every electron is completely the same in every respect as every other electron, same charge, same mass. They never break. They never age. They never chip.”
quote is from the automated transcript, cleaned for reading: filler sounds and stutters are removed, nothing is rephrased. names can be misheard (the analysis reads context, assessments check outside sources). how →
More from Steven Strogatz
Strogatz: Weeding out STEM students ignores their true potential
“You know, you hear this idea of weeding out the people who have the right stuff from those that don't. I really don't accept that idea. People have a lot of potential, more than That kind of superficial analysis would lead you to think.”
Strogatz: Biology is purely material and will ultimately be explained by physics
“It is ultimately chemistry and physics. I mean, there's no, I don't believe in any vital spirit Or soul, or anything like that. I'm sure some people do, but I don't, I mean, to me, it's all material. It's gonna ultimately be understood in purely materialistic,…”
Strogatz: Strict tit-for-tat strategies trap players in endless vendettas after mistakes
“Here's the weakness of tit-for-tat. Sometimes people make mistakes. And not because they're mean, or, I mean, just, Mistakes happen. Sometimes you are trying to be nice, and a person interprets it as an insult. Now, if that person is following a tit-for-tat mo…”
Strogatz: Bright math freshmen achieve astonishing results under mercilessly unreasonable challenges
“You can really, you know, by the time they're seasoned, if they've been in college a few years, they start to know the game, but freshmen don't really know what college is going to be like, and so you can do mercilessly unreasonable things to the bright freshm…”
Strogatz: Math is an interconnected web rather than a linear tower
“The reality is that math is a web, not a tower. That you can jump in at different points in the network of ideas, And then find your way around from there.”
Strogatz: Parents should admit mathematical ignorance rather than passing on anxieties
“We have to try not to pass on our own anxieties to our kids. What I try to do and what I would recommend other people do is to not be afraid to admit that you don't know something. That's a big, strong reaction to say, I don't know. Let's figure it out.”