Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Measurements

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  • Опубліковано 26 чер 2024
  • Did you know there are certain measurements that will never be completely accurate? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice dive into the minutiae of measurements in this original StarTalk video. Neil tells us why, for certain things, we will never be able to get their exact measurements. Find out about the kilogram and its recent change. We investigate the process of measuring the English coastline. And, you'll hear about the atomic clock - and Avocado's Number. (We know... just watch!)
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    About StarTalk:
    Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
    #StarTalk #NeilDeGrasseTyson
    0:00 - Intro
    0:08 - How Tall Is Chuck?
    1:34 - Atomic Clocks
    2:52 - Can You Know Exact Measurements?
    7:36 - The Real Weight Of A Kilogram
    9:40 - Avogadro's Number
    10:35 - Closing Notes
  • Наука та технологія

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,3 тис.

  • @pedrofloriano1876
    @pedrofloriano1876 4 роки тому +990

    If Chuck answered "I'm exactly 1 Chuck Nice tall" that would be a perfect measurement, if you agree that Chuck itself is the ruler

    • @Sai-jw8og
      @Sai-jw8og 4 роки тому +24

      Fantastic thinking

    • @E2O10
      @E2O10 4 роки тому +11

      While your point is true there's only so many things that you can measure with a "chuck nice ruler". It's clever but not applicable to real life acts of measurement ;)

    • @rockskate15
      @rockskate15 4 роки тому +24

      But that ruler changes its size so its not very useful

    • @mariateresa1415
      @mariateresa1415 4 роки тому +10

      Well depends, if you use it as a ruler it has to be usable for comparisons, so it should have a fixed value. Do you take chuck nice's values in the morning? Night? Do you count hair? You can't even say "this is a chuck nice" if you don't decide in which instant to measure it, and if you measure Chuck Nice with that measure again in a different moment, the result is going to be different

    • @Miguelsw
      @Miguelsw 4 роки тому +7

      It might help if you shaved and froze a Chuck Nice 😂

  • @Thoran666
    @Thoran666 4 роки тому +820

    "How tall are you?"
    Me: "One."
    "One what?"
    "One me."

  • @rogeriocosta1035
    @rogeriocosta1035 4 роки тому +277

    I love how Neil and Chuck interact in this show.

    • @TheExoplanetsChannel
      @TheExoplanetsChannel 4 роки тому +2

      Me too

    • @JudgeDredd_
      @JudgeDredd_ 4 роки тому +14

      Rogério Costa it’s a little much sometimes. I cringe extremely hard. I just like the facts from Neil.

    • @cristiangdc618
      @cristiangdc618 4 роки тому +5

      Yeah I’d say Chuck takes it a little bit too far sometimes. But they work pretty well together.

    • @hewi5659
      @hewi5659 4 роки тому

      i dont..

    • @davescott9062
      @davescott9062 2 роки тому

      Because they're drunk

  • @RobsKoiPond
    @RobsKoiPond 4 роки тому +566

    Perfect argument for when you're pulled over for speeding.

    • @oldcowbb
      @oldcowbb 4 роки тому +38

      police: +- Xm/s, you are still speeding with p value of 5%

    • @RobsKoiPond
      @RobsKoiPond 4 роки тому +15

      @@oldcowbb there is always someone that doesn't understand sarcasm.

    • @oldcowbb
      @oldcowbb 4 роки тому +51

      @@RobsKoiPond ironic

    • @brokenbmw3441
      @brokenbmw3441 4 роки тому +9

      @Calisharp I think by saying his first comment he was adding to the comedic affect to the first joke.

    • @erdemmemisyazici3950
      @erdemmemisyazici3950 4 роки тому

      @@oldcowbb Thanks Fisher.

  • @mathieujulien9961
    @mathieujulien9961 4 роки тому +431

    Damn Chuck is really listening and learning.

  • @RojanskiTV
    @RojanskiTV 3 роки тому +20

    The chemistry between these two legends is just brilliant!

    • @Milesco
      @Milesco Рік тому +1

      And the physics, too. 😉

  • @kevinwalden4288
    @kevinwalden4288 4 роки тому +179

    As a total nerd, this is the episode I never knew I needed. So cool

    • @TheExoplanetsChannel
      @TheExoplanetsChannel 4 роки тому

      True

    • @Kriegerdammerung
      @Kriegerdammerung 4 роки тому +4

      We nerds will rule the world! we are kickass!

    • @Kriegerdammerung
      @Kriegerdammerung 4 роки тому +2

      @SeanPrestonFed looool in high school one rugbier tried just that with me, he was 1.62 did not take into account I was 1.78 and my longer reach carried the day.
      He should have come in force, that one

    • @kinnymane8593
      @kinnymane8593 Рік тому +1

      @@Kriegerdammerungrunning the world yet?

    • @Kriegerdammerung
      @Kriegerdammerung Рік тому

      @@kinnymane8593 Have you heard of a board of bullies dominating us? I didn't

  • @zangorajura
    @zangorajura 4 роки тому +305

    Amazing how the sentence "You cannot measure with unlimited precision" can be stretched into 11 minutes 21 second video... or is it 11.21227633848372727923849402827373....~? Hmm

    • @befer
      @befer 4 роки тому +3

      @@MithamoKagume yeah but 1 second isn't ACTUALLY 1 second. It's supposed to be the rotation of earth around the sun, yadda yadda yadda, so you can't be precise with imperfect measurement in the first place

    • @amellirizarry9503
      @amellirizarry9503 4 роки тому +2

      ...Vsauce music in the distance

    • @jeremylakeman
      @jeremylakeman 4 роки тому +1

      Right click, nerd stats... the 1080p video has 20194 frames, they can be counted. Displayed @30fps, that should take 673 and 2/15 seconds to play, by definition. Note, that doesn't mean it took 673 & 2/15 seconds to record, or to actually play....

    • @befer
      @befer 4 роки тому +1

      @@jeremylakeman 1. Your monitor most likely doesn't display the perfect amount of fps
      2. UA-cam has flaws and the framerate AND quality is wack

    • @befer
      @befer 4 роки тому

      @@MithamoKagume That's good to know

  • @uisce2005
    @uisce2005 4 роки тому +454

    This is like Morty discovering true level.

    • @mtfsamsara8668
      @mtfsamsara8668 4 роки тому +17

      You deserve recognition sir

    • @-Zer0Dark-
      @-Zer0Dark- 4 роки тому +19

      Lambs to the cosmic slaughter.

    • @annaeverette8960
      @annaeverette8960 4 роки тому

      @@-Zer0Dark-LMAO stealing this

    • @oogityboogity6644
      @oogityboogity6644 4 роки тому

      Thanks for this

    • @KYPHAGXpX
      @KYPHAGXpX 4 роки тому +2

      @@mtfsamsara8668 Yes he does, and you too, you deserve some recognition for recognizing his recognition

  • @kreedur
    @kreedur 4 роки тому +198

    "How much do you weigh?"
    "..."
    "...I've got a scale."
    😂😂😂

    • @mandreadfg
      @mandreadfg 4 роки тому +1

      Chuck knew how to zero out the scale way to easy. He's NEVER used one of those 🤣

    • @La_sagne
      @La_sagne 4 роки тому +2

      @@mandreadfg the tare button exists on the vast majority of scales so i'm not sure what you're implying

    • @fourwinnsdummy
      @fourwinnsdummy 4 роки тому +1

      Yeah, I'm in the weight spectrum.

    • @mandreadfg
      @mandreadfg 4 роки тому +1

      @@La_sagne that Chucky boy rolls hella blunts

    • @Corn0nTheCobb
      @Corn0nTheCobb 4 роки тому

      @@mandreadfg he claimed that he USED to in another Star Talk episode, but I'm sure if he still does he wouldn't admit to it

  • @-Zer0Dark-
    @-Zer0Dark- 4 роки тому +150

    Neil: "Well, if you look at a tape measure: the mark that indicates 5'-10"...has a thickness."
    Me: "Neil, stop."

    • @ArKritz84
      @ArKritz84 4 роки тому +7

      SeedsOfHatred Vsauce just entered the chat.

    • @karlcorrz
      @karlcorrz 4 роки тому +6

      Vsauce: "...or is it?"

    • @-Zer0Dark-
      @-Zer0Dark- 4 роки тому +13

      @@ArKritz84 -- "It has a thickness...but what IS 'thickness'? ...And how much does it weigh? Vsauce, Michael here..."

    • @ArKritz84
      @ArKritz84 4 роки тому

      SeedsOfHatred 😭

    • @asaniwasabi
      @asaniwasabi 4 роки тому +2

      SeedsOfHatred *insert existential questioning Vsauce music*

  • @ia3423
    @ia3423 4 роки тому +80

    Rest in peace measurement accuracy we will miss you

    • @mytech6779
      @mytech6779 4 роки тому +1

      Accuracy is not precision, you can have one without the other.

    • @ia3423
      @ia3423 4 роки тому +2

      Applies to both, rest in peace measurement precision too!!

    • @richniqqa384
      @richniqqa384 4 роки тому +1

      Ibbe Abbas im dead 😂

  • @gdolphy
    @gdolphy 4 роки тому +65

    1: babe you need to ask for directions.
    2: no hun , I'm not exactly lost.

  • @globaldigitaldirectsubsidi4493
    @globaldigitaldirectsubsidi4493 4 роки тому +24

    "As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain, and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality." - Albert Einstein

    • @Milesco
      @Milesco Рік тому

      Sounds more like something Werner Heisenberg would say. 😁

  • @BleachWizz
    @BleachWizz 4 роки тому +18

    1:51
    Tyson: "oh boy he's being smart" *rolls up sleeves*

  • @lesliejenkins4855
    @lesliejenkins4855 4 роки тому +12

    Dr. Tyson, I love this show and I've read all your books. Thank you from Hampton Roads, Virginia

  • @robfogg7459
    @robfogg7459 4 роки тому +4

    Why Neil has not had a major role in a sci fi movie is beyond me, he's bursting with character

  • @antoniomonteiro1203
    @antoniomonteiro1203 4 роки тому +9

    The Kilogram is no longer defined by a silicon sphere.
    Since May 20, 2019 it is defined using a special scale, for instance the Kibble balance, after the redefinition of the Plank constant to an exact value.

    • @dataminetk
      @dataminetk 4 роки тому +2

      The silicon sphere was never actually used for the SI definitions. it was a contender along with the "watt balance" that won - basing the Kilogram off of the Planck constant, speed of light constant, second also a constant, so there's now no longer any ambiguity.

  •  4 роки тому +1

    This video reminds me two things I learned in high school.
    1) A point has no measurement. Our math teacher showed us how what we used to think it was a point was made by smaller points, etc.
    2) On another subject we where tought how to make measurements whith different tools. We always had to had the estimated error depending on the tool we where using.

  • @mikedegrazia
    @mikedegrazia 4 роки тому +7

    I always learn from Neil, so cool to be able to peek into the great minds of our time.

  • @fym4x7
    @fym4x7 4 роки тому +70

    Imagine talking with Neil and you be like "Hey you're late!" And he be like "Am I?" *Hey Vsauce in distance start playing*

    • @DrumsTheWord
      @DrumsTheWord 4 роки тому +1

      Nice!

    • @ararepotato1420
      @ararepotato1420 4 роки тому +1

      Forgot "or"

    • @AlexHeisEngholm
      @AlexHeisEngholm 4 роки тому

      Vsauce has already made a video on how big you can get, and what size is. What defines you? Your frame of your body or is it the essence of your smell or the visibility to another being?
      Vsauce has also made a video on time.

  • @DearHRS
    @DearHRS 4 роки тому +4

    9:39 this is just gold, I can't stop replaying this

    • @PrinceKashyap.
      @PrinceKashyap. 4 роки тому +1

      Avocado's number🥑😂

    • @lolliz100
      @lolliz100 3 роки тому

      Wait.... Is it the Avocado mistake?... Or the other thing? 😸

  • @biggestdudeinthegym3748
    @biggestdudeinthegym3748 4 роки тому +21

    "ff you do not know your level of uncertainty your measurements are meaningless."Professor Walter lewin MIT

    • @guytheincognito4186
      @guytheincognito4186 3 роки тому

      Flerfers and denyers of knowledge and experience of any degree, completely fails in understanding scale nor referens frame and deny the existance of their uncertainty. Their numbers are arbitrary and meaningless in any serious discussion..

  • @blasalvice
    @blasalvice 4 роки тому +49

    UA-cam : Neil deGrasse Tyson explains < anything > .
    Me : ok

    • @real6562
      @real6562 4 роки тому +2

      Underrated...sorry I'ma reuse your comment

    • @gregsmith5134
      @gregsmith5134 4 роки тому

      Blas you really shouldn’t because scientists are human and have biases and personal belief systems. That leads them to look at the facts that science gives and they interpret those facts based on their own agenda or on the agenda of the people paying for the research.

    • @t8365
      @t8365 4 роки тому

      @@gregsmith5134 someone that actually thinking/reading between the lines.... what a breath of fresh air...
      When ppl talk to me about "science"
      I ask is it "sudo" and I also ask what is the difference between facts and theory?
      Once that is cleared that up we can then have a meaningful, intellectual conversation about what these 'scientists' are trying teach... if you can call it that... personally I'd call it mislead but hey, what do I know🤷‍♂️

    • @goncalobaia1574
      @goncalobaia1574 4 роки тому +1

      @@t8365 you should really search more about Neil though cause he doesn't mislead that much, he wants his students to be the scientists, not to follow his science

    • @Corn0nTheCobb
      @Corn0nTheCobb 4 роки тому +2

      @@goncalobaia1574 Yep. Neil's only "agenda" is to get people interested in science and physics, so I tend to believe him. Of course anyone can make mistakes but he's not trying to mislead anyone.

  • @mwsellox7751
    @mwsellox7751 4 роки тому +3

    Greatings from the Netherlands. Ik love listening and watching your show. Always learning.

  • @DrumsTheWord
    @DrumsTheWord 4 роки тому

    This is easily one of the best channels on UA-cam.

  • @MrNicknayme
    @MrNicknayme 4 роки тому

    I love this. A topic, a Deep dive, the spirit.
    You guys are the perfect coupke to host videos like these. Thanks!

  • @FTCSD
    @FTCSD 4 роки тому +24

    Just remember you measure from the base

  • @alerey4363
    @alerey4363 4 роки тому +13

    first thing u learn in a proper technical/scientific highschool is: every measurement has its associated TOLERANCE !

  • @TyoPopcorn
    @TyoPopcorn Рік тому +1

    No one will believe me, but the EXACT day this video came out, I had an extremely similar random conversation with my classmates in my highschool American history class. Had the conversation during the last period of the day, went home, saw this video was posted. Still boggles my mind how this happened.

  • @WolfsBlackRose
    @WolfsBlackRose 4 роки тому +1

    Dang, didn't know we perfected a kilo. Haven't heard about it in a while but I knew there was variance. I need to make it back to Star Talk more often. Keep it up!

  • @FirstLast-tj4nl
    @FirstLast-tj4nl 4 роки тому +10

    "That's dope" - Chuck Nice on Measurements

  • @SuperSaiyan3985
    @SuperSaiyan3985 4 роки тому +7

    This is basically what we’re doing in my Engineering Experimentation class LOL.

  • @GalaxyArtMedia
    @GalaxyArtMedia 4 роки тому +1

    Great video! Will you make a video on other measurements also like arcminutes and arcseconds? Now i know why my electronic scale does not give me a good number there is a few kg difference many times, and it also depends where i place the scale.

  • @techfan7808
    @techfan7808 4 роки тому

    Didn't know I needed to hear this conversation between Chuck and Neil. More like this please

  • @clutchyfinger
    @clutchyfinger 4 роки тому +33

    Someone needs to make a standardized squigly line threshold where a certain amount of turns of the string within a certain area is defaulted to a straight line.

    • @mytech6779
      @mytech6779 4 роки тому

      or a simple curve...?

    • @Krakatov
      @Krakatov 4 роки тому +1

      MyTech But with how big of a radius?

  • @ShaminMike
    @ShaminMike 4 роки тому +104

    Don’t buy weed from Neil... his scales are wack!

  • @hullinstruments
    @hullinstruments 2 роки тому +1

    LS Starrett once said…. “Work to the tolerance specified. Not more. Not less.”
    That won’t mean much to most folks in the audience, but any engineers or machinists are definitely familiar with that quote.
    I’m not 100% sure that’s the exact wording he used. But if anyone would know it would be him.

  • @gjsherr
    @gjsherr 4 роки тому

    Two things to remember: One is "Ray's Rule of Precision", and the other is a corollary to it. Ray's Rule is "measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with axe." And the corollary is "any string cut to a precise length is 1/8th of an inch shorter than you need".

  • @jaybelzerian5201
    @jaybelzerian5201 4 роки тому +3

    I'm a normal kid but my classmates think I'm lame because all I'm watching is startalk HAHAHAHAHAH

    • @brianharris2098
      @brianharris2098 4 роки тому +3

      They think your lame for furthering your education outside of school. You'll do great things if you keep your mind sharp brother.

    • @jaybelzerian5201
      @jaybelzerian5201 4 роки тому

      @@brianharris2098 Thanks, but I think they get annoyed with me because I keep on giving trivias to them HAHAHAHAHHH

    • @ChefRengar
      @ChefRengar 4 роки тому

      Don’t compare yourself to normal. Normal is the average and average is awfully stupid

    • @davidecarretta4958
      @davidecarretta4958 4 роки тому

      Daniel Lariosa keep being yourself, don’t mind them if they say anything to annoy you

    • @dawn-blade
      @dawn-blade 4 роки тому +2

      Stay bright and embrace your curiosity. A sharp mind needs books.

  • @dsvids5083
    @dsvids5083 4 роки тому +49

    I thought that Neis was going to explaing how they mesure how far away a planet or star is.

    • @eilabaca
      @eilabaca 4 роки тому +1

      Imagine if distances you can measure here on earth take this much work. For stars and planet it gets way harder, but parallax does the job with great precision. Then you verify with modern accurate techs like radar and interferometry. They match.

    • @dsvids5083
      @dsvids5083 4 роки тому

      Esteban Ilabaca yeah, just like that, but how this techs equipment works and how accurate they are, should be a nice suggest for incoming videos.

    • @eilabaca
      @eilabaca 4 роки тому

      @@matttaylor7563 I just explained that. Research parallax and triangulation. No assumtions. You can calculate distances that way. You can test it on your backyard. Also the tech I mentioned works even better and confirms parallax measurements. Research please.

    • @eilabaca
      @eilabaca 4 роки тому

      @@matttaylor7563 not mine! That knowledge belongs to anyone willing to learn it. You could do it yourself. Go outside and use parallax on any far away object (a tree, a car, etc.). All you need is to observe the object from 2 different positions. Compare the results with another measurement to validate it. There you go..

    • @Alex-pm4tq
      @Alex-pm4tq 4 роки тому

      Same ): I was disappointed he just overly explained something as simple as continuous vs discrete data.

  • @1985tris1
    @1985tris1 4 роки тому +1

    This was a brilliant episode and what makes it even better is Chucks reaction when he realises how it all works. I may show this next year to my students in class to spice things up a little. What a great performance. I have watched it 3 times and I still enjoy it very much. I might need to forewarn or remind my students though what an ounce, foot/feet, inches, pounds are. You could always remind Chuck that all schools in the US now (since like 2001) in science classes must teach using SI (standard international units). I see the emotion of keeping imperial going but it still should be replaced gradually if we want to reach for the stars together. I doubt space x and others do any of their internal calculations in imperial these days.

    • @Milesco
      @Milesco Рік тому

      Yeah, for a science guy, I'm a little suprised that Neil Degrasse Tyson doesn't use/reference the metric system more. Of course I understand he's targeting an American audience and he wants to make it accessible. That's cool. But still, it's a science-themed show, so he should mix in the SI units when appropriate as well. And it would help to familiarize his American viewers with those units.

  • @jamesbfranklin
    @jamesbfranklin 4 роки тому

    I love this show! Thanks guys. Also, good choices on your guest hosts, most of the time. :-)

  • @afluffypinecone3577
    @afluffypinecone3577 4 роки тому +17

    "You will always have a thickness"
    - Neil Tyson c. 2020

  • @jorgeluz9560
    @jorgeluz9560 4 роки тому +5

    "…In that Empire, the Art of Cartography attained such Perfection that the map of a
    single Province occupied the entirety of a City, and the map of the Empire, the entirety
    of a Province. In time, those Unconscionable Maps no longer satisfied, and the Cartographers Guilds struck a Map of the Empire whose size was that of the Empire, and
    which coincided point for point with it. The following Generations, who were not so
    fond of the Study of Cartography as their Forebears had been, saw that that vast Map
    was Useless, and not without some Pitilessness was it, that they delivered it up to the
    Inclemencies of Sun and Winters. In the Deserts of the West, still today, there are
    Tattered Ruins of that Map, inhabited by Animals and Beggars; in all the Land there is
    no other Relic of the Disciplines of Geography." Jorge Luis Borges

  • @petersage5157
    @petersage5157 Рік тому +1

    Adam Savage has frequently mentioned that his first epiphany in measurement was "which side of the line are you measuring to?" or something to that effect. Fun Fact: the kerf of a typical flush-cut saw is thinner than the line markings on a typical measuring tape.
    I actually had to rewind "avocado's number" to confirm that Neil had deliberately misspoken. Chuck, take note: that's what funny sounds like.

  • @KKMDStyle
    @KKMDStyle 4 роки тому

    Nice job countering with the atomic clock Chuck. A Nice contribution to the conversation.

  • @Cylume.
    @Cylume. 4 роки тому +8

    6:33 I thought he was going to talk about Zeno's paradox here.

    • @Jack-yq6ui
      @Jack-yq6ui 4 роки тому +1

      You are correct in expecting a discussion of Zeno's paradox, since this essentially boils down to wether or not Space/Time is quantized or not, which is a problem in physics currently since Space/Time needs to be quantized in order for objects to successfully traverse from A to B, yet it needs to be infinite for Black holes to work.
      Personally I think it's obvious that Zeno's paradox or the Archers paradox clearly tells us that Space/Time is quantized, and that the infinities produces by Einsteins field equations simply resolve in some other real space (i.e. 0-space).
      Infinitely divisible space/time is just ridiculous.

  • @Vinniebabe
    @Vinniebabe 4 роки тому +6

    StarTalk always makes me doubt everything I have ever learned but also reassures me that its ok to not know it

  • @sierrabaughman810
    @sierrabaughman810 4 роки тому

    Really enjoy watching, listening, learning and laughing with Neil and Chuck. Thank you for sharing your friendship, laughter, and knowledge with me and the world.
    Best Show Ever!!!

  • @maramartaamarhcp
    @maramartaamarhcp 2 роки тому

    I’ve just started reading Hawking’s History of Time and this is exactly what he’s been explaining for the first two chapters. This video made me understand all the important points in less than 5 minutes
    I actually had to read some papers trying to understand some of the concepts from the book, tho it wasn’t much work and I enjoyed it :)

  • @illmaticnj1991
    @illmaticnj1991 4 роки тому +78

    Neil gotta weed scale. That’s where all them deep queries come from. 😂

    • @mandreadfg
      @mandreadfg 4 роки тому +1

      Chuck knew exactly how to use it too 🤣🤣

    • @rwood1995
      @rwood1995 4 роки тому +1

      They both might be old enough to remember actually using hands to measure weed . 2 finger bag anyone???

    • @wali-wolrd9119
      @wali-wolrd9119 4 роки тому

      😂😂😂😂😂🤦🏾

  • @caraudioetc
    @caraudioetc 4 роки тому +21

    What if we measured on the plank scale? I can’t remember how to spell his name correctly... wouldn’t that be the most precise measurement physically possible?

    • @JosephSullivan777
      @JosephSullivan777 4 роки тому +6

      This.
      Plank length is the smallest possible measuring stick. Using this, it is possible to finitely and specifically determine the exact length of something. There are other similar smallest measuring sticks for other measurement types.

    • @alphega1983
      @alphega1983 4 роки тому

      I was thinking that as well, eventually with any type of measurement you will reach the Planck scale

    • @harmplat7771
      @harmplat7771 4 роки тому +5

      Agreed. I was just about to post this, when I got to my senses and scrolled down to check, so I pasted it here instead:
      except there's a thing called the Planck length - the smallest agreed upon length by physicists that is possible in our universe.
      Subatomic particles seem to be bound by it. So for a perfect measurement in our universe, measuring in Plancks would suffice.
      .. would be impractical to actually try and do this for a coastline, but still

    • @Jack-yq6ui
      @Jack-yq6ui 4 роки тому +3

      Correct, however, you will find physicist being rather vague or non-specific on this topic due to the fact that it's unclear wether or not Space/Time is quantized or infinite, i.e. wether or not there is a planck-limit.
      It clearly needs to be quantized in order for objects to successfully travel from point A to B, Yet it needs to be infinite in order for Black Hole physics to work.
      Personally I think infinite space/time is a clearly ridiculous idea, and that everything intuitively works when you genuinely consider the infinities produced by Einsteins field equations (i.e. Black Holes) as being literal ruptures in our quantized Space/Time.

    • @XtreeM_FaiL
      @XtreeM_FaiL 4 роки тому +1

      Car Audio.etc That will only create new problems.
      How do you measure anything when everything is movin around like a mad man?
      Also the scale differences are huge. Think about measuring earth-sun distance using millimetres.

  • @davidecarretta4958
    @davidecarretta4958 4 роки тому

    I included Neil in my latest video about 5 people whose way to speak English makes me love the language (as a non-native speaker) even more.
    I love the way this guy speaks!
    His parlance is so clear

  • @DentaKings
    @DentaKings 4 роки тому +2

    @Dr.Tyson do you mean to say even planck distance is not an accurate measurement? Is there variations in Planck distance too!!!

  • @raptor50trex
    @raptor50trex 4 роки тому +4

    I'm having flashbacks to college physics forgetting to round to the correct significant figures...

  • @TyCetto
    @TyCetto 4 роки тому +7

    And how do you decide where the coastline is, when waves are constantly changing it?

    • @DoctorShocktor
      @DoctorShocktor 4 роки тому

      There’s no need for a tiny level of precision in coastline measurement, or even that small, so it’s mainly a theoretical discussion.

    • @dwarfie24
      @dwarfie24 4 роки тому

      @AmplifiedSilence as you wish sire. Lets do so. Sending the recquired notifications now.

  • @gphiproductions
    @gphiproductions 4 роки тому +2

    Mind blowing knowledge! 🤯 Love listening to you guys! 👍🏽 👍🏽 👍🏽

  • @chrishenning8829
    @chrishenning8829 4 роки тому

    Im a CNC machinist. Once in a while the part is so precise we take the temperature into consideration. The part measures differently at 70 degrees than it does at 80.

  • @480pilot
    @480pilot 4 роки тому +4

    The great comedian Steven Wright said, " I have a map of the United States. Actual size. Last year I folded it."

    • @princeofallnegros4035
      @princeofallnegros4035 4 роки тому +1

      I don't get the joke. Please explain

    • @dagh7376
      @dagh7376 4 роки тому

      @@princeofallnegros4035it doesn't make sense to have a map which is actual to the size of a territory, by definition the map is a mini representation of that surface

    • @480pilot
      @480pilot 4 роки тому

      @@princeofallnegros4035Yeah, a little obscure on my part. First, Stevens cadence (and his type of comedy) sells the joke, but I was attempting to show how people use and see scale and measures. Unfortunately, my sense of humor doesn't always work.

  • @abrilledesma146
    @abrilledesma146 4 роки тому +30

    "you're making me not believe in maths" yeah same

  • @literallyh3093
    @literallyh3093 3 роки тому +1

    9:39 so adorable the way Niel grabs Chucks finger ^^

  • @JavierArveloCruzSantana
    @JavierArveloCruzSantana 4 роки тому +1

    There are great videos on fractals that discuss this coastline-measurement problem.

  • @TheHayes32
    @TheHayes32 4 роки тому +9

    I'm exactly 5'10" down to the plank length.🤪

  • @pedroaboffa
    @pedroaboffa 4 роки тому +1

    amazing man.. neil is the best i already read so many books from neil.. i love his way to express and see the world.. is so unique.!!

  • @never-mind26
    @never-mind26 4 роки тому

    I've been watching his videos for about a week. My whole life changed, i don't see the world the same way. It's amazing

    • @stevenjankovics9186
      @stevenjankovics9186 2 роки тому

      so miah.....so can you really see what insignificant vermin we humans are in the universe??????

  • @johnferguson4089
    @johnferguson4089 4 роки тому +8

    What a pair of characters, love it!

  • @kwintvanbeek2048
    @kwintvanbeek2048 4 роки тому +6

    It’s called the coastline paradox.

  • @sosheeanand3537
    @sosheeanand3537 4 роки тому

    Yes my PhD mentor ignited this scale of measurements and the problems in 2004 when I was recording RAMP rate and temperature in thermal cycler in PCR reactions.

  • @amandamorgan6526
    @amandamorgan6526 4 роки тому +1

    This show is amazing... I used to be interested in this stuff when i was younger but then life happened lol and i forgot all about it and that i would feel stupid bkus alot of times the people i watched on it didnt elaborate and explain to me in the way yous are but i understand yous and i dont feel confused.lol yous are awesome and so so smart and funny!💯❤

  • @LiniousRHoliday
    @LiniousRHoliday 4 роки тому +6

    Damn atomic clock 😂🤣

    • @erdemmemisyazici3950
      @erdemmemisyazici3950 4 роки тому +1

      I think what he meant is like the question, "how many dots are in a line?" Infinite conceptually, but physically we first need to measure a quanta. If String Theory is correct that is. Precision of a circle is in fact infinite but that's why we have calculus to understand infinities.

    • @erdemmemisyazici3950
      @erdemmemisyazici3950 4 роки тому +1

      Another interesting fact is how we measure something. Which fundamental force was used to measure it? It's usually the electromagnetic force but there is also Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and quantum non-locality which will always leave us to "decide" at some scale.

  • @marble25
    @marble25 4 роки тому +6

    As a global science channel, why do you insist on using imperial units? Everything scientific, NASA and military uses metric. While you are at that, dates go Day/Month/Year

    • @SlickMcClick
      @SlickMcClick 4 роки тому

      I'm pretty sure dates go Month/Day/Year here because people in America say it that way, such as saying today is March 3rd, 2020 rather than the 3rd of March, 2020.

    • @marble25
      @marble25 4 роки тому

      @@SlickMcClick Don't wanna imagine how you would write "half past ten" with that logic. 30:10 maybe?

    • @SlickMcClick
      @SlickMcClick 4 роки тому

      Only dates are ordered like that. Month/Day/Year still makes sense unlike Minute/Hour

  • @jimholbrook3492
    @jimholbrook3492 4 роки тому

    A few years ago you came to our planetarium in Prestonsburg,Kentucky and I had bought a ticket to see you but got sick a couple of days earlier and didn’t get to visit with you. I really hated that but I watch yo on you pod casts and star talk. Love learning.

  • @danielhall1703
    @danielhall1703 Рік тому

    I cannot believe it. I have been thinking about this question for years! Thank you for helping my sanity.

  • @kuobano00
    @kuobano00 4 роки тому +6

    “American non-drug dealer”...hmmm

  • @NovaWarrior77
    @NovaWarrior77 4 роки тому +3

    1st... I MEAN it!!!

  • @ronitnair212
    @ronitnair212 3 роки тому +1

    Now I get it why I couldn't get the correct size of StarTalk merchandise t-shirts.

  • @ProfRonconi
    @ProfRonconi 3 роки тому

    These videos are so amazing they should be compulsory in any high school syllabus. Wait... compulsory? No, I meant recommended.

  • @ligerllama
    @ligerllama 4 роки тому +3

    36-24-36
    Only if she’s 5’3.

    • @DoctorShocktor
      @DoctorShocktor 4 роки тому

      The old playboy standard, eh? Tons of playmates are 5’3-5’5 because a big cup size at that height looks even more massive.

  • @MP-ih9wf
    @MP-ih9wf 4 роки тому

    At 5:20 - We can measure the circumference of Colorado because it has square sides... Hence a perimeter of Colorado can be measured whereas circumference refers to measurements of round things.

  • @theduder2617
    @theduder2617 Рік тому

    Ahhh... the good ole' days when we could share moist air with each other.
    I've been digging into the archives so to speak and re-watching episodes and explainers. This one is a favorite.

  • @ejdavid9178
    @ejdavid9178 4 роки тому

    When chuck mentioned the atomic clock, Neil wasn't ready for that, he literally had to look for a way to explain it, to get time to relate both, Neil asked chuck when he was told, while chuck was talking neil worked on ways to make chuck understand both and was ready to explain it once chuck was done talking, absolutely brilliant.

  • @jasonantigua6825
    @jasonantigua6825 4 роки тому

    Keep looking up! That’s cool.

  • @overlord7647
    @overlord7647 4 роки тому +1

    He is talking about "least count" of a measurement right.
    But the way he explains it is amazing 👍

  • @ViratKohli-jj3wj
    @ViratKohli-jj3wj 4 роки тому +1

    My favourite UA-cam channel.

  • @jasonmartin6105
    @jasonmartin6105 4 роки тому

    This is cool never thought of it that way

  • @franzbejarano8029
    @franzbejarano8029 2 роки тому

    Love you guys !!! Keep up the good content 🚀💪🏽🌌

  • @binali2775
    @binali2775 4 роки тому

    Understanding that a measurement is only a measurement is a big step in understanding the world and nature/universe . Money, time, area, data, lengths, power, pressure, speed, temperature, weight, volume are only measurements; however, people get hung up on them and forget/don’t get what they’re measuring, and what they’re really for.. (only a tool)

  • @cetusipy
    @cetusipy 4 роки тому +1

    Chuck nice is living proof of the company you keep mattering a great deal. Dude has legit started to think differently and shown more intelligence to the point of being comfortable in a conversation with scientists.

  • @SamMayu
    @SamMayu 4 роки тому

    I expect to have my mind blown by Neil, yet here I am revisiting my first lecture for my intro to chemistry class.

  • @ffmfg
    @ffmfg 4 роки тому

    Coastlines are way more complex examples, as coastline length doesn't approach some number with increased precision, it's likely to approach infinity as you increase the resolution. As Chuck correctly mentioned - it's a kind of fractal. It has a fractal dimension that describe how coastline length changes with the ruler length. The whole "agreed upon" thing is especially important here, as you could get basically any length you want depending on the ruler length.

  • @rjfontenotiii
    @rjfontenotiii 4 роки тому

    Just a FYI
    Mr. Tyson is correct when he says that all measurements are imperfect. There is a degree of uncertainty in every measurement. So we express those measurements as the measurement with the amount of uncertainty added to it. Uncertainty of a measurement is done by a statistical analysis of things that can affect the measurement such as temperature, the person making the measurement, the manufacturers stated tolerance of the measuring device, etc. The end result is, instead of one single measurement, a range of measurements that the "true" measurement is likely to lie. We then also use a confidence interval to state the odds that the measurement wiill occur at any particular point within this range.

  • @stephenshannon5793
    @stephenshannon5793 4 роки тому

    I’ve actually referred to different point on a pencil line when cutting materials in precision. “ 45 and a half ‘leave the line’” would mean to cut on the side of the mark so that the finished piece would still have the full line visible. Or conversely, “cut the line” meant to cut the line all the way off so it is not visible on the finished piece. And lastly “right down the middle”. He absolutely correct!!

  • @Author-dad-veteran
    @Author-dad-veteran 4 роки тому

    A whole episode on the accuracies of measurement and not one reference to genitalia, nicely done ✅

  • @henrikschmidt3964
    @henrikschmidt3964 3 роки тому +1

    Neil DeGrasse Tyson is so amazing at putting things into perspective and explaining things in a common sense way.

  • @antoniomonteiro1203
    @antoniomonteiro1203 4 роки тому

    The way to correctly state the result of a measurement is to say a value +/- an error. For example, 12.5 +/- 0.1 Kg.
    This information, if the measurement and the error were correctly assessed, means 12.4 < W < 12.6 Kg.

  • @ejmtv3
    @ejmtv3 4 роки тому +2

    You know Chuck has really learned something if he can remember them from few episodes back.

  • @robertlopez6092
    @robertlopez6092 4 роки тому

    I brought this same concept up to a teacher once and she told me I was wrong. So here’s another problem, how do you measure some one as right or wrong? If you have 3 people and 1 person has “evidence” that proves a “fact” but the other 2 don’t believe its valid evidence, is the 1 person right or wrong? A fact is a fact regardless if anyone has evidence for it or not because objective truth is independent of anyone’s belief. A truth is a truth whether we are aware of it or not; but if no one accepts the evidence as evidence then no one will label a fact as a fact.

  • @byronwatkins2565
    @byronwatkins2565 4 роки тому

    29 and 30 are both stable isotopes of silicon. Although we can count the number of atoms in the sample, the ratio of 29-Si to 30-Si will still vary from sample to sample unless we can purify one of the isotopes. Ultimately, I think this difficulty led to the Watt balance definition of the kilogram using the Planck's constant definition. There are also minimum levels of other trace elements.

  • @DadsterKato
    @DadsterKato 3 роки тому

    I’m a trained geospatial intelligence professional and I absolutely love this topic. Squiggly Lines!!!!