Is What the Bleep Do We Know? Scientifically Accurate?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dav333
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The documentary "What the Bleep Do We Know?" is criticized for containing misinformation, although it does present some accurate concepts. The double slit experiment is referenced, highlighting that photons can behave as if they pass through both slits simultaneously, but they only register at one point on detection. The discussion also touches on the uncertainty principle, questioning if macroscopic objects like basketballs can exist in multiple locations, which is largely negligible in practice. Overall, while the film attempts to explain complex scientific ideas, it often misrepresents them. The consensus is that the documentary is not a reliable source for scientific accuracy.
Dav333
Messages
91
Reaction score
0
What the Bleep do we know!? Doco

Ive read that this video is filled with nonsense.

Is the cartoon scene with the oldguy explaining the double slit experiement correct?
What was that guy talking about how you can take a photo of something being in multiply (3000) places at once?
They talk about uncertainty principle with bouncing basketballs being in several places at once, is this true even if the effect is so small.

thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org


Yes, the movie is mostly crap and yes, they do get a few things right. I don't know about the specific part, but for the double slit experiment, there are two things to note:

1. For all intents and purposes, a photon goes through both slits at the same time.
2. When it hits the wall/detector, it only hits in one place and the pattern builds up over time. This is evident from experiments firing single photons or electrons at a time.

All of this is discussed in the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment
 


thank you
 
So I know that electrons are fundamental, there's no 'material' that makes them up, it's like talking about a colour itself rather than a car or a flower. Now protons and neutrons and quarks and whatever other stuff is there fundamentally, I want someone to kind of teach me these, I have a lot of questions that books might not give the answer in the way I understand. Thanks
Back
Top