Science fiction is a direct confirmation of how far physics has come. Not only scientists but pretty much anyone interested in this field can find new and exciting stories about science and be entertained while doing it. Physics may not be the theme of every book or film, but it’s still fascinating to see them all play out anyway.
Dozens of physics mysteries that scientists have yet to explain.
Ultra-high energy beams
Unsolved problem: where do ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays come from?
It’s no secret that the Earths atmosphere is constantly bombarded by high-energy particles from space, called “cosmic rays.” These particles do not harm humans in any way, but rather has physicists highly intrigued. Studying cosmic rays has taught scientists a lot about astronomy and the universe. But there’s still some mystery to these cosmic rays. In 1962, during the Volcano Ranch experiment, John D. Linsley and Livio Scarsi saw something incredible: an ultra-high energy cosmic ray with an energy of more than 16 joules.
To give an estimate – a single joule of energy can lift a 200g apple 80cm high. In contrast, the magnitude of energy produced by an explosive device is measured in megajoules. Physicists do not know how particles get so much energy.
Inflationary model of the universe
Unsolved problem: Does the universe have an inflationary model?
The universe is remarkably uniform, meaning that the same general conditions will apply no matter where you go. This principle states that there will be roughly equal levels of material in every place you explore. However, the Big Bang theory suggests large differences in density at the time of the birth of the universe. This means that there was a huge difference in density between where we are today and where we were then. The universe was also much less homogeneous then, as it’s quite similar today.
The inflationary model for the universe assumes that we all see what exists today from a tiny and rapidly expanding volume and not from an area where the universe is expanding slower. It’s interesting that the universe was once more homogeneous than it is today. It can be explained by this theory that states that the universe, in its beginning, looked like a balloon which has been inflated with air. Our physicist still do not understand why our infant universe became more and less homogeneous compared to what it looks like nowadays.
Dark energy and dark matter
Unsolved problem: can dark energy and dark matter be found?
I never knew this, but it turns out that only 5% of the universe is made up of what humans can see. Previously, scientists noticed that stars at the outer edges of galaxies were orbiting faster than predicted. To explain this, scientists suggested there might be some kind of invisible “dark” matter in these galaxies that caused the stars to rotate faster.
There is a theory that suggests that dark matter exists, and physicists believe there must be five time more of it than normal matter. When the theory was first proposed, observations of exploding stars led to this conclusion. Along with this, scientists know that the expansion of the Universe is indeed accelerating. This is strange, because one would expect that the gravitational attraction of matter (normal and dark) would slow down the expansion of the Universe.
To explain why some areas of the universe are not gravitationally attracted towards one another, scientists hypothesize an energy called “dark energy.” After observing how it contributes to the expansion of the universe, physicists come up with estimates for how much of our universe is made up. However, to this day, the particles that make up dark matter and the field that make up dark energy has never been directly observed in a laboratory. Basically, scientists know nothing about 95% of the universe.
Black hole heart
Unsolved problem: what is in the heart of a black hole?
Black holes as some of the intriguing cosmic objects. They are mind-blowing cosmic phenomena, so we understand why they’re one of the most famous things in astrophysics. This might sound too complicated for you, but it’s actually very easy: black holes are regions with such strong gravitational fields, no light can escape them and therefore you can never see what’s inside. Einstein’s general theory of relativity has shown that space & time are shaped by gravity, which means light is also influenced by gravitational forces.
It’s true that Einstein’s theory was proven during a solar eclipse. It seemed to confirm the hypothesis that gravity from the sun would deflect light coming from stars in the Milky Way, otherwise known as ‘Einstein’s Cross.’ Furthermore, there are many black holes- including one huge at the center of our galaxy. But the mystery of what is happening at the center of the black hole has not yet been resolved.
Some scientists believe that information can get lost when it crosses inside black holes, but there is still debate about the opinion. Even though Hawking radiation is emitted by black holes, it does not contain any information about what’s happening inside the hole.
Sentient life outside of Earth
Unsolved problem: is there intelligent life outside the Earth?
From time immemorial, people have dreamed of aliens because they look at the night sky and wonder if anyone could be living there. However, in recent decades there has been an abundance of evidence that this is more than just a dream. For one, there is a lot more exoplanets than was once thought. Secondly, it’s known that life appeared on Earth soon after it was possible for life to have developed. Does this mean that there are many places where life should have formed.
If so, then you need to answer the famous “Fermi paradox”: why people have not yet come into contact with aliens. Life may be common, but intelligent life is rare. Maybe after some time all civilizations decide not to communicate with other life forms. Maybe they just don’t want to talk to people. Or, oddly enough, perhaps it shows that many alien civilizations destroy themselves shortly after becoming technologically advanced enough to communicate.
Traveling faster than the speed of light
Unsolved problem: can anything travel faster than the speed of light?
Since Einstein changed all of physics with his special theory of relativity, physicists have been convinced that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. In fact, the theory of relativity says that when any mass moves at a speed close to the speed of light, then it takes a huge amount of energy. This has been observed in wider cosmic rays, such as the ultra-high energy ones mentioned earlier. They have more kinetic energy than other types of cosmic ray, but they still travel at the same speed.
Some scientists have hypothesized that a planetary civilization will be vulnerable to a ‘contact void’ with the rest of the galaxy – where they could potentially miss out on messages from other civilisations that arrive from outside of their own star system. One theory for this is that messages from aliens will be limited by the speed of light. If they’re also subject to this constraint, then signals. In 2011, during the OPERA experiment, preliminary results were obtained that suggested that neutrinos move faster than the speed of light.
Later, the researchers realized that there was an error in their experimental setting. Though it seemed unlikely at the time, if you’re able to transmit information faster than the speed of light, it can change everything.
Superconductor at room temperature
Unsolved problem: can you create a room temperature superconductor?
Superconductors are some of the most important devices and technologies humans have ever discovered. They’re a special type of material. It has been observed that when the temperature falls, the resistance of materials falls to zero. This makes it possible for a large current to flow even after you apply a small voltage.
If electric current flows, it should eventually dissipate because there is opposition to the flow of the current. Superconductivity is an amazing phenomenon which allows electric currents to flow freely without resistance for billions of years, but only under specific circumstances. Superconductors in modern wires and cables would help to provide power that is not sacrificed to resistance.
While they can work at room temperature, you won’t see the benefits of high-temperature superconductors until they are cooled to -140°C. There are many heating & cooling products on the market currently, but they all come with a hefty price tag. A physicist is attempting to create a superconductor that can work without using any type of coolants or liquids.
Unified theory
Unsolved problem: can a unified theory be developed?
Two major discoveries were made in the 20th century that helped people understand how physics work. One of them was quantum mechanics, which is behind how small & subatomic particles behave. A new study has revealed that three of the four forces in nature have been explained by Quantum Mechanics & the Standard Model of Particle Physics. Namely, electromagnetism and strong and weak nuclear forces have all been satisfactorily described.
Another big theory was Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which explains gravity. In general relativity, gravity occurs when the presence of mass bends space and time, causing particles to follow certain curved paths. This could explain things that happen on the grandest scale – the formation of galaxies and stars. There’s just one problem: these two theories are incompatible.
There has been a long-standing problem in trying to reconcile the two theories of physics within quantum mechanics. It is still unknown how both theories can ever work together. But there are other advancements in science to study besides this issue. Physicists have been looking for some kind of solution that would reconcile the two competing theories. It is called the Great Unified Theory or simply the Theory of Everything. The search continues.
