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