Is the Universe a Computer?

8m 9s

The universe is made up of information, similar to a computer, and physics (you know, the basis of the universe) certainly is based on computational principles. But is it running some grand program? Will the answer be 42? Make sure you have your towel, and watch the episode!

Episodes

  • Will Kickstarter Replace Hollywood?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Will Kickstarter Replace Hollywood?

    S2013 E10 - 8m 39s

    Although it's funding is nowhere NEAR the amount Hollywood invests in moviemaking each year, crowdfunding is a way better indicator of what the audience wants to see, the one area Hollywood has failed in time and time again. Will Kickstarter put an end to the Hollywood system?

  • Is Piracy Helping Game of Thrones?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Is Piracy Helping Game of Thrones?

    S2013 E3 - 7m 54s

    A huge amount of viewers of the HBO series Game of Thrones (not us of course, no no no) are downloading the show illegally. But despite being the most pirated show of 2012, the Game of Thrones DVDs are top sellers, breaking HBO's own sales records!! Could it be that piracy is actually HELPING the show?!

  • Do Knock-Offs Prove the Value of a Brand?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Do Knock-Offs Prove the Value of a Brand?

    S2013 E12 - 7m 38s

    We're willing to pay hundreds or thousands more for a specific brand name item, but sometimes it can be tempting to go the way of the knock-off for a fraction of the price. The counterfeit industry is huge and isn't going anywhere, and companies spend huge amounts to dissuade people from buying "fakes". But are knock-offs REALLY a negative for the brand?

  • Is Minecraft the Ultimate Educational Tool?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Is Minecraft the Ultimate Educational Tool?

    S2013 E5 - 5m 56s

    Some experts have brought Minecraft into the classroom, allowing teachers to customize lessons and students to engage with concepts in new ways. And while educational games aren't new, Minecraft has some unique advantages that could usher in a new direction in education. In the future, students across the world may spend their class time punching trees.

  • Russian Meteorites and Surveillance Culture: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Russian Meteorites and Surveillance Culture

    S2013 E6 - 4m

    A meteorite crashed into earth!!!! This wasn't the first time and it won't be the last, but it is the first time such an event was captured by SO MANY CAMERAS! But besides providing the world with some hilarious, frightening, and amazing footage, the dash cams also make us think about surveillance, and what role it will play in the future.

  • There's No Such Thing as Online?!?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    There's No Such Thing as Online?!?

    S2013 E13 - 4m 41s

    From Facebook to bank accounts, you always have some sort of online presence, whether you're actively engaging in front of a screen or not. Yet this is still a word we use to describe our engagement with the Internet. So we have to ask, is this online/offline distinction even worth making? Because we may need to re-evaluate the very word "ONLINE"...

  • Is Futurama the Best Argument Against Transhumanism?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Is Futurama the Best Argument Against Transhumanism?

    S2013 E4 - 6m

    Transhumanism is a scientific philosophy that says technology will solve all our human biological constraints and that immortality is right around the corner (well not RIGHT around the corner, but WAYYY closer). They envision a world of endlessly euphoric robo-humans that represent the next step in evolution. And while this sounds super awesome, we had to ask, will this really make us happy?!

  • Are MP3s & Vinyl Better than Live Music?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Are MP3s & Vinyl Better than Live Music?

    S2013 E2 - 5m 17s

    If you've ever talked to a vinyl purist (or are one yourself) you know that people can be pretty passionate about what format is king when it comes to music. And based on how much people like to brag about what band they saw live and how many times, we clearly value the authenticity of the live performance above all else. So which is the most authentic, recorded music or live performance?

  • Are You a Hipster?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Are You a Hipster?

    S2013 E19 - 4m 37s

    We all hate hipsters, right? They seem so smug and arrogant, with their ray bans and scarves and ironic t-shirts. Borrowing from other subcultures, (Handlebar mustaches and flannel shirts), hipsters reappropriate these fashion elements as their own. But don't we all do that? Our own fashion came from SOMEWHERE, and certainly has been refined. Do we all have a little bit of hipster blood in us?

  • Will Space Travel Save Us All?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Will Space Travel Save Us All?

    S2013 E8 - 4m 24s

    Space, also known as The Final Frontier, has been in our collective dreams and fantasies for decades. Who WOULDN'T want to blast into space, experience zero gravity, or walk on the moon?! But with limited funding to NASA, the day that had been promised to us for years, seems no closer now than it did 30 years ago. BUT WAIT! Could private research and funding be the future of galactic exploration?

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.

Similar Shows