Skip to main content

Up Next

Back to Show
PBS Space Time

Does Consciousness Influence Quantum Mechanics?

Season 6 Episode 5

It’s not surprising that the profound weirdness of the quantum world has inspired some outlandish explanations. One particularly pervasive notion is the idea that consciousness can directly influence quantum systems - and so influence reality. Today we’re going to see where this idea comes from, and whether quantum theory really supports it.

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
Season
Is There A Simple Solution To The Fermi Paradox?
18:50
Does this also explain why there are no aliens?
Quantum Energy Teleportation is Real!
16:58
Quantum energy teleportation may be as close as we get to transporter beams. But how close is that?
Why Didn’t Antimatter Destroy The Universe?
14:50
Why is there any matter in the universe? A new antimatter breakthrough at LHC holds clues.
New Evidence: Earth Had Rings (and Might Regain Them)
16:30
There’s an extremely good chance that Earth once did have a ring system.
How Astrophysics Can Literally Save the World
17:23
How is it possible to tell if a space rock will one day collide with the Earth?
Your DNA's Codes Are (Probably) From Outer Space
15:58
Did you know that many of us have up to 4% neanderthal DNA?
Will The Big Bang Happen Again (and Again)?
16:35
What if the Big Bang was just an endless cycle?
The Final Barrier to (Nearly) Infinite Energy
19:39
Why are billions suddenly being pumped into fusion startups?
The Crisis in Physics: Why the Higgs Boson Should Not Exist!
16:36
The universe should've collapsed after the Big Bang, but a light Higgs boson let us exist.
Does Timescapes Disprove Dark Energy?
14:30
Maybe dark energy doesn't exist?
How Many Black Holes Are In The Solar System?
18:32
Dark matter has eluded us for many decades but we may be able to discover more now.
Does Infinity - Infinity = an Electron
15:35
What do you get if you combine something that’s infinitely massive and negative infinitely massive?
Active loading indicator