Life's Mysteries, Explained By Physics - Sabine Hossenfelder - #521

**Chris Williamson** (0:00)
Hello, friends, welcome back to the show. My guest today is Sabine Hossenfelder. She's a Theoretical Physicist, Research Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Quantum Gravity Researcher, and an author. There are a lot of big questions in the world, like does the past still exist? Do particles think? Was the universe fine-tuned for us? Do we have free will? And are we living in a simulation? Given that we don't have answers yet, why not let a physicist have a crack at them? Expect to learn why physicists who say that they know how the universe started aren't telling the truth, whether we can compute a human brain, why no one gets any younger, if maths is the ultimate basis of reality, why there might be copies of us all out there in the universe, how your entire life could be the imagined history of a brain floating in space, and much more. In other news, this episode is brought to you by Craftd London. They are the number one men's jewelry brand on the planet. It is very difficult to find good men's jewelry that doesn't look too gaudy or too cheap or give you a green neck or fade or tarnish or break over time. And Crafted London have fixed all of this. Their pieces are really stylish. They come in gold and silver, custom designs. They're sweat proof, waterproof, heat proof and gym proof. Plus they come with a lifetime guarantee. If they break for any reason, at any point that you have them, Crafted will send you a replacement piece for free. There's necklaces, chains, pendants, bracelets, rings and earrings. So if you are treating yourself or the man in your life to some new jewellery, this is an amazing place to go. They ship internationally. So no matter where you are, you can get this direct to your door and you can get 15% off everything site-wide. It's the only discount that they do. And you can get that by going to bit.ly slash cdwisdom and the code MW15. A checkout. That's bit.ly slash letter c, letter d, wisdom and MW15. A checkout. In other other news, this episode is brought to you by Element. Starting your day with Element in water is the best thing that you can do. You do not need to have coffee first thing. The system that caffeine acts on isn't even active for the first 90 minutes of the day, but your adrenal system that salt acts on is. Element contains a science-backed electrolyte ratio of sodium, potassium and magnesium, but more importantly than all of that, it actually tastes amazing. Their orange flavor is phenomenal. Their raspberry is great. And if you like sweet spicy stuff, they've got a mango chili flavor, which is like a sober margarita to wake you up first thing in the morning. They are the exclusive hydration partner to tons and tons of high-level athletes, FBI sniper teams and marines and tech leaders, plus everyday high performers around the world. They also have a no-questions-ask refund policy, so you can buy 100% risk-free and there is an unlimited duration on the return. So even if you do not like it after a year, they will give you your money back and you don't even need to return the box. That is how confident they are that you love it. Head to drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom and you will get a free sample pack of all eight flavors from Element with your first box. That's drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom. And in final news, this episode is brought to you by Pure Sport, a revolutionary CBD and natural supplement company who want to help more people reconnect with their well-being. If you are struggling to sleep on a nighttime, their Unwind blend is an all-natural mix of nootropic oil with CBD, ashwagandha, lavender and chamomile crafted to help re-regulate your sleep cycle to assist you in achieving good quality restorative rest. The formulation is scientifically balanced to work with the neurotransmitters in your brain which release chemicals responsible for sleep. You will fall asleep more easily on a nighttime, stay asleep better throughout the night and wake up feeling more rested and revitalized in the morning. You can also try their Mushroom Mind and Body Supplement, which contains six medicinal mushrooms or their de-stress Clear Mind capsules to help nourish your brain health. Pure Sport are offering 20% off all full-priced items. If you go to bit.ly slash cbdwisdom and the code MW20 a checkout. That's bit.ly slash cbdwisdom and the code MW20 a checkout. But now, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Sabine Hossenfelder.
Sabine Hossenfelder, welcome to the show.

**Sabine Hossenfelder** (4:46)
Hi, Chris.

**Chris Williamson** (4:48)
You've got a quote at the start of your new book that says, It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. It's from Carl Sagan. What's that mean to you?