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PODCAST

The Last Theory

The Last Theory is an easy-to-follow exploration of what might be the last theory of physics. In 2020, Stephen Wolfram launched the Wolfram Physics Project to find the elusive fundamental theory that explains everything. On The Last Theory podcast, I investigate the implications of Wolfram"s ideas and dig into the details of how his universe works. Join me for fresh insights into Wolfram Physics every other week.

science physics

All Episodes

10:53

Loops and self‑loops in the hypergraph

The Last Theory ·

2023/03/26

So many of the most complex and most promising graphs and hypergraphs of Wolfram Physics involve loops and self-loops.They can play a crucial role in the evolution of graphs and hypergraphs... which means that they might play a crucial role in the evolution of the universe itself.Loops and self-loops matter, because including them in our models reduces the number of arbitrary assumptions we need to make in Wolfram Physics, making it more complete.–I release The Last Theory as a video too

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6:51

Living in the fourth dimension with Dugan Hammock

The Last Theory ·

2023/03/16

Dugan Hammock lives in the fourth dimension.As Jonathan Gorard mentioned in our recent conversation on How to draw the hypergraph in Wolfram Physics, Dugan has worked on plotting the evolution of the hypergraph over time.We get into that in the second part of our conversation, but in this first part, I get to know Dugan as a mathematician and artist.Enjoy his amazing animations of three-dimensional cross-sections through four-dimensional hypershapes!—Dugan HammockDugan Hammock’s videos on

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10:06

Why I changed my mind about computational...

The Last Theory ·

2023/02/23

Computational irreducibility means that there are no shortcuts when we apply rules to the hypergraph.I used to think that our existing theories of physics, such as general relativity and quantum mechanics, were examples of computational reducibility: shortcuts that allow us to make higher-level generalizations about how the application of rules to the hypergraph gives rise to our universe.Jonathan Gorard used to think this, too.But it turns out that over the last couple of years, he has

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14:38

What’s beyond the universe?

The Last Theory ·

2023/02/09

There are two questions about Wolfram Physics I’m asked a lot:What’s beyond the hypergraph?And what’s between the nodes and edges of the hypergraph?There’s a simple answer to this question.Nothing.There’s nothing beyond the hypergraph.There’s nothing beyond the universe.But it’s not a very effective answer.So here’s a deeper response to the age-old question:What’s beyond the universe?–I release The Last Theory as a video too! Watch here.The full article is here.Kootenay Village Ventures

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8:06

How to draw the hypergraph in Wolfram Physics with...

The Last Theory ·

2023/01/26

The hypergraph is the universe.So if we want to see the universe, we need only draw the hypergraph.The question is: how?The nodes and edges of the hypergraph are determined by the rules of Wolfram Physics. But how we draw those nodes and edges is not determined.The drawing of the hypergraph is not the universe, it’s just a way of visualizing the universe.So I asked Jonathan Gorard how we might decide where to position the nodes and edges when we draw the hypergraph, so that we can see

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8:32

What is the Big Bang in Wolfram’s universe?

The Last Theory ·

2023/01/19

What is the Big Bang in Wolfram Physics?There’s a straightforward answer to that question.It’s the point in the evolution of the universe where the hypergraph goes from nothing to something.It’s the start of the explosion that eventually yields the uncountable particles, planets, stars and galaxies of our universe.So that’s pretty straightforward, isn’t it?Well, yes, except that there’s one phrase above that demands further explanation: nothing to something.How does the universe go from

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6:50

Graphs v hypergraphs in Wolfram Physics with Jonathan...

The Last Theory ·

2023/01/05

Here’s a slightly technical question:Does Wolfram Physics really need hypergraphs?Or could it based on graphs instead?Jonathan Gorard shares some interesting insights into the evolution of Stephen Wolfram’s model for a fundamental theory of physics.Wolfram started with trivalent graphs, in which each edge joins two nodes, and each node has three edges.But when he ran into issues implementing simulations using these simple graphs, he solved the problem by graduating to hypergraphs, in which

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7:21

Where I’m going with Wolfram Physics in 2023

The Last Theory ·

2022/12/29

I’ve been blown away by your response to The Last Theory in 2022.How am I going to thank you for reading, listening, watching and subscribing?Well, by bringing you more Wolfram Physics in the New Year, that’s how.Here are 7 directions I want to take The Last Theory in 2023.—I release The Last Theory as a video too! Watch here.The full article is here.Kootenay Village Ventures Inc.

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10:26

Why hypergraphs might be a good model of the universe...

The Last Theory ·

2022/12/22

Wolfram Physics is based on hypergraphs.Why?What is it about hypergraphs that might make them a better model of the universe than, say, strings of characters, or cellular automata, or Turing machines?When I asked Jonathan Gorard this question, he gave an answer that was deeply insightful.It’s such a core question, so fundamental to why we should take the Wolfram model seriously, that I’ve listened to Jonathan’s answer over and over.—Jonathan GorardJonathan Gorard at The Wolfram Physics

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10:53

Is Wolfram Physics the next scientific revolution?

The Last Theory ·

2022/12/15

For the last few hundred years, all our theories of physics have been mathematical.If Stephen Wolfram is right, from now on, our most fundamental theories of physics may be computational.This shift from mathematics to computation feels to me like a scientific revolution.Recently, I asked Jonathan Gorard, who was instrumental in the founding of The Wolfram Physics Project, whether it feels to him, too, like a scientific revolution.“I think so,” he said. “I mean, it’s a strong statement, but

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9:18

Why I took a chance on Wolfram Physics with Jonathan...

The Last Theory ·

2022/12/08

Jonathan Gorard admits that it was a risk, for his academic career, to work on the Wolfram Physics project.In this third excerpt from my recent conversation with Jonathan, I asked him how he thought about that risk and why he decided to take it.He told me that the opportunity to work with Stephen Wolfram on this new model is a bit like being given an opportunity to work with von Neumann and Ulam on cellular automata, or with Turing, Church and Gödel on computational models, back in the

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12:30

What is the multiway graph in Wolfram Physics?

The Last Theory ·

2022/12/01

In Episode 15: Where to apply Wolfram’s rules? (listen to the audio ⋅ watch the video ⋅ read the article) I introduced a radical idea.When we’re applying a rule to a graph in Wolfram Physics, there are generally many possible places in the graph we could apply the rule, giving us many possible next states of the universe.Here’s the radical idea: rather than choose one of these possible universes, we choose not to choose. Instead, we keep each of them in mind.The trouble is, if we choose not

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10:36

From clockwork to computation in Wolfram Physics with...

The Last Theory ·

2022/11/17

This is the second of a series of excerpts from my recent conversation with Jonathan Gorard, who was instrumental in the founding of The Wolfram Physics Project.I asked Jonathan why he found the computational approach to physics so compelling.In his answer, he broached a wide range of fascinating topics in the philosophy of science:how we moved from a clockwork paradigm in the age of clockwork to a computational paradigm in the age of computation;how saying that the universe is

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5:27

Why I don’t like String Theory

The Last Theory ·

2022/11/10

In my conversation with Jonathan Gorard about the founding of the Wolfram Physics Project, I said that I don’t like String Theory.Now, I’ll admit, I don’t really understand String Theory.It’s highly mathematical. And I’m not much of a mathematician. Actually, that’s an understatement. I’m not a mathematician at all.So if there’s a problem in the relationship between String Theory and me, it might not be String Theory, it might be me.Sadly, admitting that I might be part of the problem

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14:30

The founding of the Wolfram Physics Project with...

The Last Theory ·

2022/11/03

In 2019, Jonathan Gorard and Max Piskunov goaded Stephen Wolfram into pursuing his ideas for a new kind of science.This led to the announcement of The Wolfram Physics Project in 2020.Last week, I talked to Jonathan Gorard about the revolutionary ideas that have come out of the project.In this first excerpt from our conversation, Jonathan talks about his instrumental role in the founding of The Wolfram Physics Project.We cover why the time was right in 2020... and why it had been wrong in

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8:45

Hypergraphs are everywhere

The Last Theory ·

2022/10/27

Wolfram Physics models the universe as a hypergraph.Maybe I’m just seeing things, but it seems to me that hypergraphs are everywhere: physics, chemistry, biology, neurology, ecology, sociology, technology.What I want to know is:Why?Why are hypergraphs everywhere?—Molecular structure Styrene-butadiene chain2 by Guido Raos, professor of chemistry, Politecnico di Milano, Italy licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0Metabolic pathway BRENDA pyrimidine metabolism by BRENDA – The Comprehensive Enzyme

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16:27

How big is the computer that runs the universe?

The Last Theory ·

2022/10/13

As you’ll know from Episode 8: Where’s the computer that runs the universe? ( read ⋅ listen ⋅ watch ), I have my doubts about the existence of a computer that’s whirring away, applying Wolfram’s rules to Wolfram’s graphs, performing the computations required to run our universe.This computer, if it exists, is necessarily invisible to us, and as I warned in Episode 12: Beware invisible things ( read ⋅ listen ⋅ watch ) we should be wary of what we can’t see.Still, I want to revisit this idea

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9:44

Unary, binary, ternary, k-ary hyperedges in Wolfram...

The Last Theory ·

2022/09/29

Here are answers to some fundamental questions about hypergraphs:A hyperedge can connect any number of nodes: one, two, three, four, seventeen or any other number.And a hypergraph can include any of these different kinds of hyperedge, or all of them.Let’s take a look at what this means for Wolfram Physics... and at some of the beautiful hypergraphs it allows us to generate!I release The Last Theory as a video too! Watch here.The full article is here.Kootenay Village Ventures Inc.

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12:05

What is a hypergraph in Wolfram Physics?

The Last Theory ·

2022/09/15

In previous episodes, I’ve been simulating Wolfram Physics using graphs.But you may have come across simulations of Wolfram Physics using hypergraphs.What’s the difference?What is a hypergraph?—This epsiode refers to previous episodes on dimensionality:How to measure the dimensionality of the universe audio ⋅ video ⋅ articleAre Wolfram’s graphs three‑dimensional? audio ⋅ video ⋅ articleWhat are dimensions in Wolfram’s universe? audio ⋅ video ⋅ articleand previous episodes on space:What is

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12:57

Where to apply Wolfram's rules?

The Last Theory ·

2022/09/02

Confession time: I haven’t been entirely honest with you about applying a rule to a graph in Wolfram Physics.I’ve explained precisely how to apply a rule, but I’ve been strangely silent when it comes to where to apply the rule.I know, it’s unlike me to be silent, right?Time to come clean.It turns out that the question of where to apply Wolfram’s rules is not as easily answered as you might think.This seemingly straightforward question will take us into the philosophy of time, causality,

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