The Lopsided Universe Or Unstable Symmetry and Stable Unsymmetry: The key to Life, the Universe and almost Everything

Synopsis

Symmetry, harmony, or balance: we recognise it when we see it, and use it as a guide in building theories. Yet nature is more often lopsided than manifestly symmetric. Trying to understand why a particular asymmetry occurs can give clues about the nature of nature. And sometimes, symmetry itself can spring a surprise. The talk, suitable for a general scientifically literate audience will look at the interplay of symmetry and asymmetry from biology and the role of asymmetry in life, to chemistry, atoms, and particles. A pedagogic explanation of the Higgs boson and its role in the lopsided universe will be given.