Name: Why the universe seems so strange
Uploaded: 2006-09-12T00:11:00Z
Duration: 21 min 42 s
Description: Biologist Richard Dawkins makes a case for "thinking the improbable" by looking at how the human frame of reference limits our understanding of the universe.

Biologist Richard Dawkins makes a case for "thinking the improbable" by looking at how the human frame of reference limits our understanding of the universe.

Why the universe seems so strange

Human brains evolved to navigate a narrow 'Middle World' of ordinary sizes and speeds, leaving us blind to the true weirdness of the universe. Everyday intuition fails us when grappling with quantum theory or the vast emptiness inside atoms—solid rocks are mostly empty space, yet feel hard because of our evolutionary perspective. Even the molecules in a glass of water might have passed through ancient creatures, highlighting how probability defies common sense. Our senses and models of reality are shaped not for truth, but for survival.

Our Minds Are Wired For A Limited Slice Of Reality

astronomy

biology

cognitive science

evolution

physics

psychology

science

universe

TED Stage Talk

Richard Dawkins: Why the universe seems so strange