Do you know what this is?
Rogue physicist A. Garrett Lisi has written a paper entitled “An Exceptionally Simple Theory of Everything” and according to him, this pattern, known as E8, is everything.
Essentially, what I’ve done is associate each E8 symmetry with an elementary particle field of physics, including the entire zoo of standard model particles and gravity. Other physicists have previously matched the standard model particles to gauge groups, including E8 — these are called Grand Unified Theories — but I’m including gravity as well, which is something new, and technically this makes it a Theory of Everything.
I’ve never taken a physics class so I’m sort of at a loss. Here is Lisi talking in “layman’s terms”.
Heh, I said it was exceptionally simple, I never said it wasn’t complicated. Someone is going to need quite a bit of advanced math and physics in order to fully appreciate it, but I think even the average person has a shot at understanding the basics. The symmetric structure of E8 is described by how these points are arranged around the center of the picture I gave you. We can find the interaction between any pair of elementary particles by adding their two corresponding points (as vectors) to get a third. The rest of the theory consists of equations describing the dynamics of these particles. Even if someone can’t fully understand the physics and math, there are many beautiful patterns in this E8 root system, and I find it very satisfying that something this mathematically and aesthetically beautiful could be at the foundation of our universe.
Actually, the more I read what Lisi says the more I am starting to understand what he is chasing here. A little bit. It’s way over my head.
What I find even more fascinating is that Lisi is a character. He is a surfer and a participant in the Burning Man festival. He hasn’t taken the traditional path.
So I had to choose whether to leave physics and make some money, stay in physics and work on something outside my interests, or work on the physics I wanted while squeezing by with odd jobs on a low budget. I loved physics more than anything, so I chose that last path, which has been difficult; very rewarding, but difficult. It’s hard to figure out the secrets of the universe when you’re trying to figure out where you and your girlfriend are going to sleep next month. But I think I made the right choice — it’s worked out even better than I’d hoped.
I have a friend who loves to say; “Rugged individualism is over”. I don’t like that line of thought so, I am encouraged when I see anyone carrying on in that spirit.
It’s clear and cold in the Ozarks today. The veritable “uncloudy day”.
The lake is like glass.
Reflections.
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