Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy at Ohio University Kenneth Hicks will visit campus to discuss fundamental constants in physics and his book, "Nature's Balancing Act."
"Physicists accept that fundamental constants, such as the value of the electron’s charge or the mass of a quark, are necessary assumptions in the standard model of particle physics. These constants cannot be explained (at least not yet) in terms of a more fundamental theory, such as string theory. In this talk we explore how the existence of our universe is sensitive to the values of some of these fundamental constants. For example, what would the universe look like if the proton were slightly heavier than the neutron (the reverse of what we measure)? Exploring questions like this provide observations that some constants appear to be “finely tuned” so that life on Earth can exist. If you change one of these fundamental constants just slightly, then the universe would be very different. Hence, our physical laws provide a delicate balance to our universe such that human life can exist. This talk summarizes my book, 'Nature’s Balancing Act' (2025, Oxford University Press)."
Join us on Friday, Sept. 25, for this exciting presentation from Hicks. Lunch will be available in Hayes 216 from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and the presentation will begin in Hayes 211/213 at 12:10 p.m. We hope to see you there!