Talks

Howard Burton, John Stachel, Artur Ekert, Gary Horowitz, unifying, quantum field theory, superstring theory, unification, symmetry of nature, electromagnetism, gravity, Einstein, quantum, many worlds, quantum mechanics, Higgs particle,supersymmetry, quantum computers

It is well known that Einstein worked to develop a unified field theory that would encompass all of physics including (he hoped) all quantum phenomena. It is not so well known that there was \'another Einstein,\' who from 1916 on was skeptical about the continuum as a foundational element in physics, especially because of the existence of quantum phenomena. This talk will discuss the evidence for the existence of \'the other Einstein\' and his efforts to find what he called \'a purely algebraic physics.\' John Stachel, Einstein, quantum phenomena, other Einstein, unity nature, field theory, variable contra field theory, space, time, quantum gravity, biography, continuous, discrete

Could the laws of physics change? The laws of physics are usually meant to be set in stone; variability is not usually part of physics. Yet contradicting Einstein\'s tenet of the constancy of the speed of light raises nothing less than that possibility. I will discuss some of the more dramatic implications of a varying speed of light. Joao Magueijo, Theory of Relativity, speed of light, VSL, varying speed of light, Dirac, cosmology, geometry, dimensional, dimensionless, Bekenstein, Brans-Dicke, varying constant, Einstein, time dilation, length contraction, horizons, Big Bang, grand-unified theory, Planck length, Planck time, gravity, space, time, quantum gravity, varying alpha, Kelvin, quasar, laws of physics

Howard Burton, the Executive Director and chief architect of Perimeter Institute, describes the process and pitfalls of constructing a home for budding Einsteins from scratch in Waterloo. Einstein factory, Howard Burton, Perimeter Institute, Einstein, sociological factors, Mike Lazardis, IAS, research, culture, making a difference, government support,