Episode 1: What Is Space?
In the first episode of the series, Greene tackles the daunting
task of explaining the empty space that makes up most
of our universe.
This quickly brings him right up
against the theory of general relativity developed by Albert
Einstein. Under this theory, space is intricately linked to time
in a unified property of the universe called spacetime.
Ranging from the big bang all the
way to the recently-observed phenomenon of dark energy and how
space itself might fall apart within a black hole.
He concludes this bizarre
explanation with a discussion of the holographic principle,
which may imply that our entire universe is merely an illusion
created on the boundary of some sort of massive two-dimensional
surface.
Episode 2: The Illusion of Time
In this second episode, Greene turns his attention to the other
half of spacetime...
the time aspect.
Greene explores the science that
ultimately lead us to the question: "Does time exist?" For
example, why do we experience an arrow of time - an irreversible
direction to time - when space doesn't seem to have this sort of
direction.
He goes further, discussing the
prospect of potentially scientifically-allowable theories of
time travel.
Episode 3: Quantum Leap
In the third episode of the series, Greene moves from the realm
of space and time on to the stuff that exists within it to
explore the amazing mysteries that
quantum physics tell us about
the way our world works.
In quantum physics, objects don't
like to exist in a single time and place, but seem to exist as
probabilities.
From the strange wave particle
duality exhibited by the
double-slit experiment
(demonstrated wonderfully with a digitally-enhanced bowling
alley sequence) to the bizarre science behind quantum computers,
Greene and other physicists explore the impact of quantum
physics on our understanding of the universe.
Episode 4: Universe or Multiverse?
In the concluding episode of the documentary, Brian Greene moves
beyond our own universe to explore the idea that we might
actually be part of
a vast multiverse containing
many different types of parallel universes, including some that
might even operate under different fundamental
laws of physics.
Why multiple universes? How could
anyone believe such crazy theories?
Though we haven't actually gotten
any experimental evidence to prove their existence - and we
probably won't ever be able to - there are several theoretical
reasons for believing that they may exist.
Greene explains the scientific
reasoning behind why scientists propose the various types of
parallel universes that have come out of scientific research.
