AaS! 181: What is the Principle of Least Action?

What makes the principle of least action so important? Who came up with it? Is it all just a bunch of math or does it actually mean something? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman! Please support our amazing sponsors of this episode: Visit BetterHelp to get 10% off your first month! Join Paul's Audio Book Club on Chirp. There are no commitments or subscription required. Listen along with Paul, and you can enjoy deeply discounted prices (for a limited time) on each of Paul's Book Club Selections! Just go to https://www.chirpbooks.com/spaceman and follow the club to stay in the loop for future picks and other exclusive content. Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PaulMattSutter Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PaulMattSutter Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter Read a book: http://www.pmsutter/book Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF TIME AND SPACE! Big thanks to my top Patreon supporters this month: Justin G, Chris L, Barbara K, Duncan M, Corey D, Justin Z, Nate H, Andrew F, Naila, Scott M, Rob H, Justin, Louis M, Paul G, John W, Alexis, Erin J, Jennifer M, Gilbert M, Joshua, Bob H, John S, Thomas D, Michael R, Simon G,David B, Frank T, Tim R, Tom Van S, Mark R, Alan B, Craig B, Richard K, Steve P, Dave L, Stephen M, Maureen R, Stace J, Neil P, COTFM, Stephen S, Ken L, Alberto M, Matt C, Joe R, David P, Ulfert B, Sean M, Edward K, Darren W, Tracy F, Sarah K, Steven S, Ryan L, Ella F, Richard S, Sam R, Thomas K, James C, Jorg D, R Larche, Syamkumar M, John S, Fred S, Homer V, Mark D, Colin B, Bruce A, Steven M, Brent B, Bill E, Tim Z, Thomas W, Linda C, David W, Aissa F, Marc H, Avery P, Scott M, Thomas H, Farshad A, Matthias S, Kenneth D, Maureen R, Michael W, Scott W, David W, Neuterdude, Cha0sKami, Robert C, Matthew K, Robert B, Gary K, Stephen J, dhr18, Anna V, Johanna M, Matthew G, Paul & Giulia S, Ron D, Steven M, Louis M, Michael C, Alyssa K, Lode D, Roger, Bob C, Patti H, Red B, Benjamin M, BlueDragon, Stephen A, Ian S, James R, Skip M, and Robert O! Thanks to Cathy Rinella for editing. Hosted by Paul M. Sutter, astrophysicist and the one and only Agent to the Stars (http://www.pmsutter.com).