PoV (Lecture 21): Extra-Dimensional Explorations

Welcome to Pint of View – Bangalore's first-ever community where classroom-styled lectures meet craft cocktails in pubs and bars.

In our 21st lecture, we're bringing K. Sridhar, a Particle Physicist, to talk to us about a question that sounds straight out of science fiction, but sits firmly at the cutting edge of modern physics: do we really live in a world with only three spatial dimensions OR are there more hiding in plain sight? Do we live in a world with three spatial dimensions or more? Why would we even want more than three dimensions? If there are more dimensions, why do we not see them? If these dimensions are too small to be seen, can we still find ways to discover their effects in experiments? Why have we not seen them in experiments thus far?

Why would physicists even imagine a universe with extra dimensions? If such dimensions exist, why don’t we see them when we look around? Could they be folded up so tightly that they escape everyday perception—and if so, can their presence still be detected through subtle experimental signatures? And perhaps the most intriguing question of all: if these ideas are so compelling, why haven’t experiments revealed them yet?

This lecture will take us through the logic, curiosity, and careful scepticism with which physicists grapple with these questions, offering us a glimpse into how far theoretical imagination can stretch, and where experimental reality pushes back. Expect an evening that opens up the universe, shrinks it down again, and leaves us with more wonder than certainty. Also expect to be reaching for multiple pints of Geist beer by the end—because some questions, once asked, demand both thought and refreshment.

What to Expect:

• A 45-minute lecture probing the possibility of hidden dimensions and what it would mean to discover they exist
• 15 minutes of interactive Q&A to dive deeper into the possibilities of these explorations
• One Geist beer on tap + a complimentary appetiser or a mocktail included with your ticket
• A lively mixer where you can connect with curious minds and share your own perspectives on string theory

Event Details:

📅 Wednesday, 10 December | 7 pm to 9 pm

📍 Fandom at Gilly's Redefined, Koramangala

💰 Early bird pricing available for the first 10 tickets

About the Lecturer

K. Sridhar is a particle physicist and novelist who has lived and worked across Bombay and Bangalore. He was previously at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research before moving to the Azim Premji University. He has published close to 150 research papers in physics, along with the book Brane Worlds and Extra Dimensions in the Cambridge Mathematical Monographs Series, and an edited volume titled Breaking the Silo: Integrated Science Education in India. Alongside physics, he is a regular writer on philosophy and the visual arts. His first novel, Twice Written, was published in 2011, followed by a critical edition in 2019, and his second novel, Ajita, was published in January 2025 by Westland Books.

About Pint of View

Inspired by the successful Lectures on Tap community in the US, Pint of View brings this format to India for the first time. It’s where big ideas meet bar tables, and where you enjoy a drink in hand, walking out with a new way of seeing the world.

Book now & develop your own pint of view! 🍻