‘Dark matter’, 'Big Bang' and ‘spin’: how physics terms can confuse researchers
In episode 3 of 'What's in a name' we look at what can be lost in translation when physicists try and name the unknown
Listen to episode 3 of What's in a name
Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky.
But names have consequences. What’s in a name is a series exploring naming in science and how names impact the world. We look at whether the system of naming species remains in step with society, how the names of diseases can create stigma, and how the names chosen by scientists can help, or hinder, communication with the public.
In episode three, we're looking at how the names chosen for concepts in physics can inadvertently send researchers down very specific research avenues while distracting them from others. In this podcast we hear five stories about the importance of names and how much can be lost in translation when physicists try and label the unknown.
Sources
Fred Hoyle: An Online Exhibition
The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time Hawking & Ellis Cambridge University Press (1973)
The hot big bang and beyond Turner M. AIP Conf. Proc. 342, 43–62 (1995)
The Nature of the Physical World Eddington Cambridge University Press (1928)
Merriam-Webster: What Does 'Quark' Have to Do with Finnegans Wake?
David Tong: Lectures on Topics in Quantum Mechanics
The Disordered Cosmos Prescod-Weinstein Bold Type Books (2021)
Physics World: Cosmic combat: delving into the battle between dark matter and modified gravity
Nature: A theory of everything?
The Guardian: The Theory of Everything review – Stephen Hawking biopic finds gravity
Music credits:
Groove Committee/Pond5Earless Pierre/Pond5Richard Smithson/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-01089-w
This story originally appeared on: Nature - Author:Zeeya Merali
