After5Houston - The Mystery of Time: Is The Universe Stuck Moving Forward?
About this Event
The Mystery of Time: Why Is The Universe Stuck Moving Forward?
A broken glass never leaps back onto the table. Why not? The answer is one of the deepest puzzles in physics.
Watch a glass slip off a table and shatter on the floor. Now imagine the shards leaping up, reassembling, and landing whole back on the table. One of those looks perfectly normal. The other looks impossible - like a film run backward. But here's the unsettling part: the fundamental laws of physics don't actually care which way you play the tape. Both directions are allowed. So why does the universe only ever pick one?
In this talk, physicist Prachi Garella unravels one of the biggest mysteries you've never stopped to think about: why time has a direction at all. Why can we remember the past but never the future? Why do broken things stay broken, and spilled drinks stay spilled? The trail runs through entropy, the second law of thermodynamics, and the strange possibility that time's arrow was set in motion at the very birth of the universe - and yes, we'll get to whether time travel is ever on the table. No equations and no jargon, just one enormous question, unpacked over a good drink.
Come find out why you can never un-spill your wine.
About the speaker
Prachi Garella is back at After5Society, returning after taking us inside the quantum world. She's a theoretical physics PhD student at the University of Houston, where her research explores how matter behaves under the most extreme conditions in the universe - work that runs surprisingly close to tonight's topic, since it deals with how physical systems settle into equilibrium over time. She did her postgraduate work at Durham University in England, studying particles, strings, and cosmology. What really sets Prachi apart is how she communicates science: as co-host of The Knowmads Podcast and through a growing social following, she turns the hardest ideas in physics into clear, genuinely fun insights that make you stop and think. She's also president of the Women in Physics Society at UH and a proud advocate for women in STEM.
Good to know
- A roughly 25-30 minute talk, followed by audience Q&A and mingling
- Location: Patterson Park Patio Bar, 2205 Patterson St, Houston
- Drinks and knowledge available at the bar - come thirsty for both
- No physics background needed; bring your questions
Sip, think, and connect.
Agenda
🕑: 06:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Doors Open & Drinks Flow
Info: Arrive early to grab a drink, settle in, and enjoy the atmosphere. Early birds get the best seats and a head start on mingling!
🕑: 06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Guided Experience / Talk
Info: Dive into an engaging, interactive session with our speaker. Participate, observe, or simply soak it all in - it's your experience to enjoy.
🕑: 07:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Social Time & Connection
Info: Stick around to chat with fellow attendees, swap ideas, or just relax with a drink. Great conversations often happen after the main event!
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 29.99
