The Elephant In The Universe: Govert Schilling (#242)

In The Elephant in the Universe, Govert Schilling explores the
fascinating history of the search for dark matter. Evidence for its
existence comes from a wealth of astronomical observations.
Theories and computer simulations of the evolution of the universe
are also suggestive: they can be reconciled with astronomical
measurements only if dark matter is a dominant component of nature.
Physicists have devised huge, sensitive instruments to search for
dark matter, which may be unlike anything else in the cosmos—some
unknown elementary particle. Yet so far dark matter has escaped
every experiment. Indeed, dark matter is so elusive that some
scientists are beginning to suspect there might be something wrong
with our theories about gravity or with the current paradigms of
cosmology. Schilling interviews both believers and heretics and
paints a colorful picture of the history and current status of dark
matter research, with astronomers and physicists alike trying to
make sense of theory and observation. Govert Schilling is an
internationally acclaimed astronomy writer in the Netherlands. He
is a contributing editor of Sky & Telescope, and his articles
have appeared in Science, New Scientist and BBC Sky at Night
Magazine. He wrote over fifty books (in Dutch) on a wide variety of
astronomical topics, some of which have been translated into
English, including Evolving Cosmos, Flash! The Hunt for the Biggest
Explosions in the Universe, The Hunt for Planet X, and Atlas of
Astronomical Discoveries. In 2007, the International Astronomical
Union named asteroid (10986) Govert after him. Find him on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/govertschilling Watch my most popular videos: A
New Contender is Here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6A6myur--c
Frank Wilczek https://youtu.be/3z8RqKMQHe0?sub_confirmation=1
Weinstein and Wolfram
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI0AZ4Y4Ip4?sub_confirmation=1
Sheldon Glashow: https://youtu.be/a0_iaWgxQtA?sub_confirmation=1
Neil deGrasse Tyson https://youtu.be/1kxgK6J4S5Y Michio Kaku:
https://youtu.be/3to9ymn-XKI Sir Roger Penrose:
https://youtu.be/AMuqyAvX7Wo Topics Include: Modified Newtonian
dynamics (MOND) What is the most convincing evidence for the
existence of Dark Matter? When do you stop an experiment? What tool
or technology is the most promising for unlocking more secrets of
the Universe? Some secretive dark matter experiments. The Xenon
Wars. Be my friend: Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating
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