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The Fabric of the Cosmos: The Illusion of Time

Season 38 Episode 17 | 53m 40s

Time. We waste it, save it, kill it, make it. The world runs on it. Yet ask physicists what time actually is, and the answer might shock you: They have no idea. Even more surprising, the deep sense we have of time passing from present to past may be nothing more than an illusion. How can our understanding of something so familiar be so wrong?

Aired: 11/07/11
National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Carlisle Companies and Viking Cruises. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.
Extras
Discover how two revolutionary ancient inventions changed the course of humanity forever.
Follow ancient humans’ journey into an icy and perilous new land.
Discover how Homo sapiens outlasted Neanderthals – and how they helped make us who we are today.
Follow Homo sapiens as they venture out of Africa and spread farther than any other human species.
Trace the remarkable origin story of Homo sapiens and the crucial moments that shaped our species.
Black holes aren’t just cosmic monsters — they’re simply misunderstood.
Discover how deepfakes are detected and what the future holds for truth in the digital age.
Dive into deep time to discover how fossils form, the ocean's surprising origins, and more.
A massive earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone could sink parts of the Pacific Northwest.
Fósiles gigantes en el Sahara revelan nuevos secretos sobre la evolución de las ballenas.