Ridiculous History: Jorge Cham Teaches Us The Universe: Big Bangs and Quantum Hangs

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Hosts:

• Ben Bullen
• Noel Brown

Guest:

• Jorge Cham, creator of PhD Comics, Stanford PhD graduate, author, and science communicator.

Introduction and Guest Background

The episode kicks off with Ben Bullen and Noel Brown introducing their special guest, Jorge Cham. They highlight Jorge's impressive background, emphasizing his ability to simplify complex scientific concepts for a general audience.

Notable Quote:

• Ben Bullen [07:39]: "Jorge Cham is not only the creator of the fantastic web comic strip Piled Higher and Dryer Comics, but is also a PhD grad from Stanford University, has published multiple books, you've worked with NPR, you created the PBS Kids series Eleanor, and most recently, you have masterminded the new podcast Science Stuff."

Jorge expresses his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, "This was super fun. It was ridiculously fun." ([61:57])

Understanding the Big Bang Theory

The conversation delves into the fundamentals of the Big Bang Theory. Jorge explains the core concept, breaking it down into understandable terms.

Key Points:

• The Big Bang Theory posits that the universe originated from an extremely hot and dense singularity approximately 14 billion years ago.
• This singularity expanded rapidly, leading to the formation of galaxies, stars, and other cosmic structures.

Notable Quote:

• Jorge Cham [12:12]: "The Big Bang is this theory that everything that you see in the universe right now... was crammed into a space smaller than a pinhead. And then at 14 billion years ago, it all just kind of suddenly expanded and exploded out into the universe we see today."

The Observable Universe and Its Expansion

Jorge elaborates on the concept of the observable universe, clarifying common misconceptions and explaining its significance in cosmology.

Key Points:

• The observable universe encompasses all regions of the universe from which light has had time to reach us since the Big Bang.
• Due to the finite speed of light and the age of the universe, we cannot observe beyond a certain distance.
• Edwin Hubble's discovery of cosmic redshift provided evidence that the universe is expanding.

Notable Quote:

• Jorge Cham [17:33]: "Basically, it turns out that the universe is so big, we can't see all of it yet. There are parts of the universe that are so far away that we haven't been able to see them because the light hasn't reached us in the 14 billion years since the Big Bang."

Dark Energy and Accelerating Expansion

The hosts explore the mysterious force driving the accelerated expansion of the universe—dark energy.

Key Points:

• Dark energy constitutes approximately 68% of the universe and is believed to be responsible for its accelerated expansion.
• The exact nature of dark energy remains one of the most significant unanswered questions in physics.
• The discovery that the expansion is accelerating was surprising and led to the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Notable Quote:

• Jorge Cham [23:27]: "The universe is expanding faster and faster, and nobody knows why. And that big question mark about why, that's what scientists call dark energy."

Alternative Theories of the Universe

Jorge introduces intriguing alternative theories about the universe's origin, challenging the conventional Big Bang narrative.

Key Points:

• One theory suggests that our universe exists within a supermassive black hole in another universe.
• This multiverse concept posits the existence of infinite universes, each potentially with its own set of physical laws.
• Such theories, while speculative, open avenues for understanding the cosmos beyond observable evidence.

Notable Quote:

• Jorge Cham [30:34]: "Our universe could just be two rocks hitting each other inside of a black hole. And that's where we are right now. And inside our universe, you can have more black holes with more universes, and inside those universes, you can have more black holes with more universes inside of them."

Quantum Physics: The Foundation of the Microcosm

The discussion transitions to quantum physics, highlighting its departure from classical mechanics and its implications for our understanding of reality.

Key Points:

• Quantum physics deals with phenomena at the atomic and subatomic levels, where particles can exist in multiple states simultaneously.
• Concepts like quantum entanglement and the double-slit experiment demonstrate the probabilistic nature of the quantum world.
• The behavior of particles in quantum mechanics challenges our classical intuition about how the universe operates.

Notable Quote:

• Jorge Cham [42:37]: "Classical physics is like a pool table... that's how our everyday world works. But quantum physics applies to things at the really tiny, like atomic sizes, where you see these weird quantum effects."

Quantum Computing: Bridging Theory and Technology

Jorge explains the advancements in quantum computing and how quantum mechanics principles are harnessed to create more powerful computational systems.

Key Points:

• Quantum computers use quantum bits (qubits) that can represent and store information in both 0s and 1s simultaneously, unlike classical bits.
• They excel at solving certain types of problems much faster than classical computers, such as factoring large numbers and simulating quantum systems.
• Applications of quantum computing extend to cryptography, optimization, and understanding complex biological processes.

Notable Quote:

• Jorge Cham [48:03]: "Quantum computers can like, feel things out all in parallel. And once you do the math in the quantum kind of notation, the answer kind of bubbles up to the surface."

Science and Spirituality: Reconciling the Two Worlds

The hosts touch upon the intersection of scientific theories and spiritual or religious beliefs, exploring whether they can coexist.

Key Points:

• Jorge emphasizes that science focuses on empirical evidence and experiments, whereas spirituality often addresses the "why" behind existence.
• The scientific community generally maintains that while some philosophical or metaphysical questions lie outside its scope, the two realms don't necessarily have to be in conflict.
• Historical figures like Georges Lemaitre, who was both a scientist and a deeply religious person, exemplify the potential harmony between science and spirituality.

Notable Quote:

• Jorge Cham [37:44]: "Scientists are very good at saying only things or believing in things only that they know they can prove with experiment."

Future Implications and Ethical Considerations

The conversation wraps up by contemplating the future of scientific advancements, particularly in AI and quantum computing, and their ethical implications.

Key Points:

• The rapid development of AI and quantum technologies poses challenges, including security concerns and the potential erosion of privacy.
• The ability of quantum computers to break current encryption standards necessitates the development of new cryptographic methods.
• There are broader societal implications regarding trust, misinformation, and the ethical use of powerful technologies.

Notable Quote:

• Noel Brown [51:43]: "Things are definitely different now... Here's hoping humanity can address these same breakthroughs the way civilization was able to soldier through and adapt to previous huge game changers."

Conclusion and Future Episodes

Ben and Noel express their gratitude to Jorge for his insights and hint at future episodes where they will delve deeper into topics like the history of brain science, building on the foundations laid in this episode.

Notable Quote:

• Ben Bullen [58:49]: "We have a lot more to discuss here. We had some other topics that we were considering, but... we may well just book a part two for this soon down the road and explore some of these other topics that we had, like the history of neuroscience, for example, brain science."

Where to Find Jorge Cham's Work:

• Podcast: Science Stuff
• Books: Various titles on the universe and brain science
• Children’s Series: Oliver's Great Big Universe
• Web Comics: PhD Comics

Final Thoughts: This episode of Ridiculous History offers a captivating exploration of the universe's origins, the enigmatic forces driving its expansion, and the quantum mechanics underpinning modern technology. Jorge Cham's ability to distill complex scientific ideas into relatable conversations makes this episode both enlightening and entertaining for listeners curious about the cosmos and the quantum realm.