PBS Space Time Season 2018 Episode 21 The Black Hole Information Paradox

PBS Space Time season 2018 episode 21 is titled "The Black Hole Information Paradox." In this episode, the host explores one of the biggest puzzles in modern physics: what happens to information that falls into a black hole?

At the heart of the issue is the concept of entropy, which is a measure of disorder or randomness. According to the laws of thermodynamics, entropy always increases over time, and information cannot be destroyed. However, if a black hole forms from collapsing matter, the information in that matter seems to disappear beyond a so-called "event horizon" - the point of no return beyond which the gravitational pull of the black hole is too strong for anything, including light, to escape.

This apparent contradiction between entropy and black hole physics is known as the black hole information paradox. Physicists have been grappling with this problem for decades, and it has led to some of the most important debates in the field of theoretical physics.

The host examines some of the proposed solutions to the paradox, starting with Stephen Hawking's theory of black hole radiation. According to this theory, when a black hole forms, it emits radiation in the form of "Hawking radiation." If this is true, it means that the information from the matter that formed the black hole would be encoded in the radiation, and could eventually be recovered.

However, this solution has its own set of problems, and other physicists have proposed alternative solutions. Some suggest that information is not actually lost in black holes, but rather is somehow encoded in the structure of the event horizon. Others propose that space and time behave differently inside black holes, and that the information is spread out throughout the space-time fabric.

The host discusses the various arguments for and against these proposals, and explores how they relate to broader questions in physics, such as the nature of space and time. He also considers the implications of the black hole information paradox for our understanding of the universe as a whole.

Ultimately, the black hole information paradox remains one of the most intriguing and unresolved issues in physics. The host suggests that the search for a solution to this problem may lead to new insights into the nature of the universe and the fundamental laws that govern it.

Overall, "The Black Hole Information Paradox" is a thought-provoking and informative exploration of one of the most perplexing problems in modern physics. The host's engaging presentation and clear explanations make this episode accessible to a wide range of viewers, and it offers a fascinating glimpse into the cutting-edge research being done in this field.