Scientific progress, I think you agree, comes not a steady, consistent pace, but rather in unpredictable bursts. Of course, there are precursors that anticipate those bursts. Einstein's theory was not just some random outpouring of genius. There were a lot of developments, such as advances in electromagnetic theory, that created the background for Einstein. When the next big breakthrough comes, it will seem the same way, but we still have no idea what or when that breakthrough will be.

Through the wormhole(thanks, I forgot the name) was very speculative, but not only is that fun and entertaining, but that's the kind of out of the box thinking that leads to breakthroughs. Everyone said Einstein was nonsense at first, until the read the proofs, and then started testing them experimentally.

The fact that quantum theory opens up the likelihood that there is a fundamental connection between observation and the nature of existence opens up a world of possibility just as Einstein connected time and space. What does it mean? No one has come close to answering that question. Vedic scripts are as close to answering that question is modern physicists.

Whatever the next huge breakthrough will be, I know this: there are elements of the idea floating around now, disconnected, unproven. And most people now consider those elements nonsensical. That's how it'll be until the breakthrough, and even then it will take a while to convince people.

Impossible to pick what the breakthrough will be, especially for big dopes, but I will venture a prediction. I predict that this breakthrough will somehow link consciousness/observer theory with the physical world. It will not only result in a dramatic new understanding of the physical world, but of consciousness. I'm not talking about bending spoons or picking the lottery. I'm suggesting a scientific based theory that alters how we view the world.

Do you want to venture any predictions, Eoin, on the next breakthrough? Tough to do, but maybe you'll hit a bulls eye! I think it's fun to think about, but like I said, what the hell do I know? I'm just a bad screenwriter! I make a mean drink though.

Now there's a big ask . . . I imagine we'll go an onion layer deeper. By that I mean Newton figured out that bodies have mass and thus gravity, Einstien figured out that it was because space time is curved due to a bodies mass that we have gravity, so the next step, I think will be putting an order on space/time/energy. Maybe that boils down to the 'God Particle'.

Great conversation guys - wish my ADD wasn't acting up and that I could really digest everything.

I would recommend 'The Fabric of Reality' by David Deutch as well. He's a big proponent of the Many Worlds Theory and it's fascinating reading.

For example, he gets around the grandfather paradox by stating that if you travel back in time, it's as if you never existed in this world, and there are two copies of you in the alternate reality. Therefore you can kill your grandfather because he never sired you, and if you do, then the time traveling you is the only version of you that exists in either dimension...

Yeah, that's a version of the theory that the universe is constantly splitting into infinite dimensions. This was actually a product of quantum theory, and is thinking that results from the double slit experiment I mentioned. I have to admit I have trouble accepting that part of quantum theory, but it's grown to be accepted by most mainstream physicists.

It brings up another interesting observation. The idea of parallel words did not begin with scientists. It began with the weird esoteric thinkers in the late 19th century, the ones holding seances.

Eoin, don't forget that quantum theory is very different and even opposed to Einstein theory. Einstein struggled to accept quantum claims. Unified theory has been the attempt to unite these two theories.

Also interesting is the holographic view of the universe. I forget, is that Freymann too who developed that?

Hey, in another dimension, I just sold a screenplay for a million dollars! Woo hoo!

In another dimension Bruce Lee is still alive and has just completed filming Enter The Dragon 11!

Einstein was at the centre of development of quantum mechanics. His problem with quantum mechanics was the probability aspect of it - I believe the famous quote was 'God does not play dice with the universe'. He could not get his head around the random nature of the events.

A unified theory is something that encompasses EVERYTHING, not just relativity and quantum mechanics, but from one theory every aspect of physics can be derived, a little like Maxwells equations for waveforms.

A great film, which I think you would really enjoy, on a similiar subject is called Pi, Darren Aronofskys debut. It deals with with number theory and the search for God.