For some physics is all about helping us nail down how the natural world works. And of course this is a hugely valuable and important effort.

In Sabine’s talk, however, she wants to discuss how physics is a catalyst and inspiration for deeper discussion on some of the big, and often unanswerable, questions in life. For example, does a ‘multiverse’ really exist? Can the Universe think?

As part of her talk she wants to distinguish between the ‘unscientific’ and the ‘ascientific’ to help us understand the difference between bad science and important questions that science simply cannot answer, at least not yet. Sabine has a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a PhD in physics. Her current work is mostly in the foundation of physics. She has written over 80 research papers on topics ranging from quantum gravity to particle physics, cosmology, astrophysics, statistical mechanics, and quantum foundations.

Sabine’s writing has appeared, among others, in Scientific American, Nautilus, The New York Times, and The Guardian. Her new book ‘Existential Physics: A Scientist’s Guide to Life’s Biggest Questions’ will be published in August 2022. She is also Creative Director of the YouTube channel “Science without the gobbledygook” where she talks about recent scientific developments and sets the record straight on scientific myths. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx