UVA's Physicists Are Studying Black Holes and Unraveling Ancient Paradoxes

What's the nature of matter and energy? What would cold fusion mean for our energy systems? What is quantum physics -- and why was Einstein mistaken about it? These are just a few of the questions being asked by UVA's physicists, whose investigations of the universe collectively span from the smallest subatomic particles to the densest neutron stars. This week, Professor Ono is joined by theoretical physicists David Nichols and Marija Vucelja. Dr. Nichols studies the nature of gravity itself--how gravitational waves bend spacetime at the speed of light and the sophisticated equipment required to measure those effects. Dr. Vucelja, an expert in non-equilibrium systems, describes her breakthroughs in studying the Mpemba Effect--a counterintuitive phenomenon where hot liquids actually freeze faster than cold ones. They also explain some hot topics in pop physics, like cold fusion energy generation and the powerful promises of quantum computing.