The Power of Physics: From Aristotle to the Future

The Future of Physics

Science Fiction and Reality

Much of what we see in science fiction, such as time travel, warp drive, higher dimensions, portals through space and time, stargates, and wormholes, is actually within the realm of possibility according to the laws of physics.

Imagine meeting your grandparents in the year 1900, when they were simple farmers. Consider the powers of Greek gods: Zeus could control objects with his mind, materializing them at will. Venus possessed a perfect, ageless body. We are now beginning to understand the genetics of aging at the molecular level.

Apollo rode his chariot across the heavens. We will eventually have the flying cars we've always dreamed of. By the year 2100, we may have powers comparable to the gods.

From Aristotle to Newton

In the Middle Ages, people followed the teachings of Aristotle. He questioned why objects fall to Earth, concluding that they yearned to be united with it. He also believed that objects in motion slow down because they get tired. These ideas prevailed for nearly 2,000 years until the birth of modern physics with Galileo and Isaac Newton.

The ancients viewed the sky with wonder and mystery. In 1066, a comet appeared over the Battle of Hastings, a pivotal moment in British history. People wondered about the comet's origin and meaning. Did it foretell the king's death? Was it a message from the heavens?

Isaac Newton dared to explore the secrets of comets. At just 23 years old, he discovered the universal force of gravitation. One story tells of him walking on his estate in Woolsthorpe when he saw an apple fall. He then looked at the moon and asked a crucial question: If apples fall, does the moon also fall?

The answer was yes, overturning millennia of speculation about the heavens. The moon is constantly falling toward Earth but doesn't collide because it orbits the Earth, which is round. It is acted upon by the force of gravity.

At 23, Newton not only discovered gravity but also invented calculus to calculate the motion of a falling moon. He used a reflecting telescope to track the comet's movement.