Public Lecture Series

Title

Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins

Abstract

The story of the universe’s origins is one of the greatest mysteries in science. From the explosive birth of the cosmos to the enigmatic nature of time and space, we are continually challenged by paradoxes that defy current understanding. In this public talk, we shall explore the triumphs and debates that shape modern cosmology, and the novel quests to uncover our cosmic origins. I will also highlight the pioneering contributions of my friend and colleague, Lee Smolin. His groundbreaking ideas on quantum gravity, the nature of time, and cosmological evolution have sparked new directions in the search for a deeper theory of the universe. Together, we will journey through the frontiers of physics, exploring how new theories and astronomical observations might offer clues to the next great paradigm shift. Whether you’re a science enthusiast or just curious about the cosmos, join us for a conversation on the past, present, and future of our understanding of the universe.

Niayesh Afshordi is a theoretical astrophysicist and professor at the University of Waterloo and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. His research explores the frontiers of cosmology, gravity, and quantum physics, with a focus on black holes and the origins of the universe. He is the co-author of the forthcoming popular science book Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins (University of Chicago Press, 2025), which reexamines the history and future of the cosmos through the lens of cutting-edge theory and observation.

Abstract

How do chemical reactions change when they’re run at temperatures a billion times colder than a Canadian winter? What can we learn when we have perfect quantum control of the reactants? Before answering these questions, we’ll discuss the fascinating techniques of laser cooling that allow us to cool atoms and molecules to within a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero. We’ll then look at how molecules prepared at such temperatures allow us to control chemical reactions at the quantum level, beginning to open a new understanding of chemistry and new possibilities for technologies of the future.

About the Speaker

Dr. Alan Jamison is an Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo, jointly appointed to the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC). He leads the Jamison Lab, which investigates ultracold atoms and molecules to explore quantum many-body physics, quantum chemistry, and quantum information science. Dr. Jamison earned his B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Central Florida in 2007, followed by an M.S. and Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Washington in 2008 and 2014, respectively.

After completing his Ph.D., he joined the group of Nobel Laureate Wolfgang Ketterle at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a postdoctoral researcher. At the University of Waterloo, Dr. Jamison's research centers on using ultracold atoms and molecules to investigate complex quantum systems. His lab aims to achieve precise control over chemical reactions at ultracold temperatures, providing insights into quantum chemistry and enabling advancements in quantum computing and simulation.

Artificial Intelligence and big data are dramatically transforming the way we work, live and connect. Innovators have begun designing AI solutions to advance society at a rapid pace, but often new technologies bring both promise and risk. How can we trust AI and safeguard society from unintended consequences to ensure a safe and human-centred digital future?

Join the University of Waterloo in partnership with the Perimeter Institute for the TRuST Scholarly Network’s Conversations on lecture series where technology leaders from UWaterloo, Google and NASA will discuss how AI is transforming society and if we should trust these technologies.

How did the universe begin? How did it evolve to what we see now?

There was a time when few people believed such questions could even be posed in scientific terms. Now, as increasingly precise instruments deliver their treasure trove of data, the answers may be within reach.

On Wednesday, October 25, Perimeter Director Emeritus Neil Turok will tackle this intriguing topic in a Perimeter Institute Public Lecture, “Secrets of the Universe: Hiding in Plain Sight?”

Juan Maldacena studies black holes, string theory, and quantum field theory. In his July 27 Perimeter Public Lecture webcast, he will describe some ideas that arose from the study of quantum aspects of black holes. They involve an interesting connection between the basic description of quantum mechanics and the geometry of spacetime. He will also delve into how wormholes are related to quantum entanglement.

Take a guided tour of the invisible universe on Dark Matter Night.

In a hybrid event (in-person and live webcast) on October 26, dark matter researchers Katie Mack and Ken Clark will share insights into the ubiquitous, mysterious matter that makes up the majority of stuff in our universe.

Dark Matter Night will be webcast live from two locations. Starting at 7:30 pm ET, Katie Mack will discuss the theoretical and observational foundations of dark matter at Perimeter Institute, where she holds the Hawking Chair in Cosmology and Science Communication. Next, Ken Clark, an associate professor at the Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute, will share experimental approaches that could help solve the riddle of dark matter. We’ll also get a guided video tour of SNOLAB, the state-of-the-art underground laboratory two kilometres beneath Sudbury.

In the 3D giant-screen documentary Secrets of the Universe, physicist Manuel Calderón de la Barca Sánchez travels the globe to epicentres of cutting-edge science – from CERN in Switzerland to Perimeter Institute.  
 
On Wednesday, November 3, he returns to Perimeter (virtually, at least) for a special webcast in which he’ll share and discuss clips from Secrets of the Universe, which is now screening at science centres and planetariums around the world.  
 
The giant-format film, which was co-produced by Perimeter, is an immersive journey into some of the grandest scientific ideas and experiments of our time, and brings to life complex scientific ideas in vivid detail. It follows Calderón de la Barca Sánchez, a physics professor at the University of California, Davis, as he puts his own theories about quark-gluon plasma to the test with particle collisions at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.  
 
During the webcast, Calderón de la Barca Sánchez will show exclusive film excerpts and chat with Perimeter Institute’s Greg Dick about his own research, and the importance communicating the power of fundamental science.  

The universe has been studied using light since the dawn of astronomy.  

But deep down in the dark glacial ice of the South Pole, Antarctica, a very different kind of telescope is getting a new view of the universe. Operated by a team of more than 300 physicists from 12 countries, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory captures the universe in high-energy neutrinos.  

Neutrinos are particles a lot like light (photons), but with one remarkable property that makes them a powerful medium for studying the universe. Physicist Naoko Kurahashi Neilson has travelled to the snow-swept IceCube Neutrino Observatory to study these elusive particles. In her October 6 Perimeter Public Lecture webcast, she will share more about the insights neutrinos can offer and what it’s like conducting research in one of the least habitable places on Earth.

Kurahashi Neilson is an associate professor at Drexel University and the recipient of a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation. Symmetry magazine featured her among 10 early-career experimentalists of note in 2019.

After her undergraduate degree from University of California, Berkeley, Kurahashi Neilson obtained her PhD at Stanford University while “listening” for extremely high-energy neutrinos in the ocean in the Bahamas. She now lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and three young children, and is devoted to STEM outreach, particularly aimed at middle- and high-school girls.

In her Perimeter Institute public lecture, premiering May 12, mathematician Emily Riehl will invite viewers to consider what might be called the “matchmaker’s dilemma.”   

Imagine a matchmaker who wishes to arrange opposite-sex marriages in a dating pool of single men and single women (there’s a mathematical reason for the heteronormative framework, which will be explained). 

The matchmaker’s goal is to pair every man and woman off into couples that will form happy, stable marriages – so perfectly matched that nobody would rather run off with someone from a different pairing. 

In the real world, things don’t work out so nicely. But could they work out like that if the matchmaker had a computer algorithm to calculate every single factor of compatibility? 

In her talk, recorded as part of the Perimeter Institute Public Lecture Series, Riehl will examine that question, its sexist implications, an algorithmic solution, and real-world applications. 

An associate professor of mathematics at Johns Hopkins University, Riehl has published more than 20 papers and two books on higher category theory and homotopy theory. She studied at Harvard and Cambridge and earned her PhD at the University of Chicago.  

In addition to her research, Riehl is active in promoting access to the world of mathematics. She is a co-founder of Spectra: the Association for LGBT Mathematicians, and has presented on mathematical proof and queer epistemology as part of several conferences and lecture series.