Category Archives: Fake Physics

Zombie Wormhole Publicity Stunt

Posted on August 2, 2024 by woit

I had thought that the Wormhole Publicity Stunt could now be safely ignored, with almost everyone in the physics community agreeing that this was an embarrassing disaster that was dead and buried. Even the people at Quanta had realized that … Continue reading →

Posted in Fake Physics, Wormhole Publicity Stunts | 14 Comments

The Anti-Science Movement

Posted on April 6, 2022 by woit

I noticed recently that Stony Brook is hosting next week a panel discussion devoted to a conversation about one of the most grave challenges to confront humanity: the anti-science movement. There is a truly grave challenge being referred to, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Fake Physics, Uncategorized | 42 Comments

This Week’s Hype

Posted on June 27, 2018 by woit

New Scientist today has a feature article headlined How to think about… The multiverse The idea of an infinite multitude of universes is forced on us by physics. It starts off quoting Sean Carroll: “One of the most common misconceptions … Continue reading →

Posted in Fake Physics, Multiverse Mania, Strings 2XXX, Swampland | 17 Comments

This Week’s (Stale) Hype

Posted on May 2, 2018 by woit

The usual hype machine is at work this week, with the usual mechanism: University press offices and grant agencies put out irresponsible hype about the work of one their faculty or grantees. In this case, it’s Taming the multiverse: Stephen … Continue reading →

Posted in Fake Physics, Multiverse Mania | 10 Comments

This Week’s Hype/Fake Physics

Posted on December 11, 2017 by woit

On the Fake Physics front, Jerry Coyne at Why Evolution is True has a post claiming New evidence for the multiverse-and its implications. You would think that recent history should have made clear the danger of using Youtube videos as … Continue reading →

Posted in Fake Physics, This Week's Hype | 15 Comments

Why String Theory is Still Not Even Wrong

Posted on April 27, 2017 by woit

John Horgan recently sent me some questions, and has put them and my answers up at his Scientific American site, under the title Why String Theory is Still Not Even Wrong. My thanks to him for the questions and for … Continue reading →

Posted in Fake Physics, Multiverse Mania | 37 Comments

A Big Bang in a Little Room

Posted on February 18, 2017 by woit

There’s a review in today’s Wall Street Journal by me of Zeeya Merali’s A Big Bang in a Little Room. If their version is behind a paywall you might find also find it elsewhere (for instance here). I’ll reproduce parts … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Fake Physics | 21 Comments

Fake Physics

Posted on January 20, 2017 by woit

2016 so far wins my lifetime award for most depressing and disturbing year ever (on the front of the larger world one reads about in the newspaper and elsewhere, personally things are fine, thanks). Perhaps the most disturbing thing has … Continue reading →

Posted in Fake Physics, Favorite Old Posts, Multiverse Mania | 61 Comments