This forum was closed on October 1st, 2010. However, the archives are open to the public and filled with vast amounts of good reading and information for you to enjoy. If you wish to meet some Wardrobians, please visit the Into the Wardrobe Facebook group.

String theory and The Magician's Nephew

Please don't close the door behind you.

String theory and The Magician's Nephew

Postby nomad » March 23rd, 2009, 9:12 pm

So, I am uncharacteristically reading a science book. It's called "The Elegant Universe" and it's written to explain to layfolk like myself from Einstein's theories of relativity to string and superstring theory. I've only just gotten through the explanation of relativity and my brain's already spinning. However, in the intro overview, the author explains that, according to string theory, electrons and quarks consist of a tiny, one-dimensional loop (I'm not sure how a loop can be one-dimensional) each kind vibrating in a different way. And, of course, he likens this to music, with each string creating a resonant pattern like a violin string vibrates to create a note, and these tiny vibrating strings orchestrating the universe. (You see where I'm going with this?)

Obviously, this immediately reminded me of Aslan creating Narnia with a song. I've always loved that scene for it's lovely poetic elegance. But could Lewis, without knowing it, have struck on the fundamental nature of the universe?
member of the 2456317 club
"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best -- " and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.
User avatar
nomad
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: I wish I knew

Re: String theory and The Magician's Nephew

Postby Leslie » March 24th, 2009, 12:58 am

I think Tolkien had the idea first; the Ainur bring the world into existence with music.

But, yeah -- music is a form of mathematics, and mathematics underpins all physics. So the connection between music and the creation of the physical universe is not so far-fetched.
"What are you laughing at?"
"At myself. My little puny self," said Phillipa.
--Rumer Godden, In This House of Brede
User avatar
Leslie
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 1814
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: String theory and The Magician's Nephew

Postby archenland_knight » March 24th, 2009, 3:12 pm

I think Aslan creating the world by singing was more a reflection of God's creating the world by the power of his word. "Let there be ... ". In our world, He did it by speaking. In Narnia, it was by singing.
Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
User avatar
archenland_knight
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 774
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Obviously at a computer keyboard

Re: String theory and The Magician's Nephew

Postby Tuke » March 25th, 2009, 2:18 am

"The 'great golden chain of Concord' has united the whole of Edmund Spenser's world.... Nothing is repressed; nothing is insubordinate. To read him is to grow in mental health." The Allegory Of Love (Faerie Queene)

2 Corinthians IV.17 The Weight of Glory
User avatar
Tuke
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 971
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Florida

Re: String theory and The Magician's Nephew

Postby nomad » March 25th, 2009, 11:54 pm

I vaguely remember hearing something about the Music of the Spheres before. But mostly Pythagoras makes me think of triangles. Anyway, after 25 centuries, it'd be pretty cool if it turned out his musical hunch (and everyone who picked up on the idea) was actually close, albeit on a very different size scale.

I've started into the explanation of quantum mechanics now, and that's even weirder than relativity.
member of the 2456317 club
"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best -- " and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.
User avatar
nomad
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: I wish I knew

Re: String theory and The Magician's Nephew

Postby carol » March 27th, 2009, 10:05 am

Image
carol
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 3673
Joined: Apr 1999
Location: New Zealand

Re: String theory and The Magician's Nephew

Postby Bluegoat » April 8th, 2009, 11:45 am

Remember though when talking about loops and vibrations and so forth, physicists are really using a model. The best models for that kind of things are the mathematical ones, but they are almost inaccessible to laypeople so a visual model can help in explaining these ideas to the masses (of which I am one.) It's hard to say what a one dimensional loop is at all, and there is probably quite a gap between that and what they are really talking about.
User avatar
Bluegoat
 
Posts: 206
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: String theory and The Magician's Nephew

Postby nomad » April 10th, 2009, 3:30 am

Well, yes, the music is a metaphor. But it is very similar from what I've read so far, only the vibrations create different sorts of quarks (i.e. different sorts of basic elements of matter) instead of notes.
member of the 2456317 club
"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best -- " and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.
User avatar
nomad
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: I wish I knew


Return to The Chronicles of Narnia

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered members and 32 guests

cron