PHYS 311(209): ASPECTS OF MODERN PHYSICS
Great Discoveries and Unanswered Questions In Physics

Course description

This course focuses on several major unanswered questions in physics. Topics include the dark matter and dark energy, cosmic rays, neutrino oscillations, back holes and gravitational waves, quantum information and cryptography, control of ultracold matter, atomic clocks, superfluidity and superconductivity.

Lectures 1 - 2

What is the Universe made of? The puzzle of dark matter.

Lectures 3 - 4

Dark matter: what is it? Overview of  dark matter searches.

Lecture 5

Part 1: The dark energy

Lectures 6 - 7

Part 2: The dark energy

Observational evidence for Big Bang

Cosmic microwave background 

Lecture 8

Part 3: The Dark Energy

What is the fate of the Universe?

Lecture 9

What is the dark energy?

Lecture 10

Neutrinos: the ghosts of the Universe

Lecture 11

Detecting the poltergeist

The puzzle of missing solar neutrinos

Lecture 12

Lectures 13-15

The weird world of quantum information
What would you do with a 1000 qubits?

Quantum communication and cryptography

Lectures 16 - 17

Atomic clocks and their applications

Variation of fundamental constants

Lecture 18

Superconductivity

Lecture 19

Black holes

Detection of gravitational waves

Black holes and quantum information paradox