thought for the day

[huggybear]

i am at the moment sitting here my brain frying in a hippy style moment thinking about whats out there in space and just how frighteningly awsome the universe is, it is really scary to think about the awsome size of just our solar system ,then to go farther out, i mean what on earth is going on here ? it is really something amazing , i am surprised that most people have no interest or knowledge of this, it used to be at the heart of civilization ,astronomy everyone thought about it camping under the stars, back in the days of wonder ,but now we actually have seen it and understand it nobody cares, our modern society has such a hypnotising effect on us ,

i think heavy education of these matters would have a profound effect on the world today as i know myself it makes me value life more ,and to realise also what an amazing thing it is that we are even here,
the world has a tunnel vision problem if we could only see life and the universe for what it really is, think of where we could be

there is so much to wonder about , it really is a majical thing to think about so much space and mass, and how it started and what is at the edge of the universe if it has one ,and to think that it all had to have a beginning is amazing or maybe it didnt who knows,

this is my thought for the day, i hope you enjoyed it ,
and dont forget the majic

 

[juvenissun]

i am at the moment sitting here my brain frying in a hippy style moment thinking about whats out there in space and just how frighteningly awsome the universe is, it is really scary to think about the awsome size of just our solar system ,then to go farther out, i mean what on earth is going on here ? it is really something amazing , i am surprised that most people have no interest or knowledge of this, it used to be at the heart of civilization ,astronomy everyone thought about it camping under the stars, back in the days of wonder ,but now we actually have seen it and understand it nobody cares, our modern society has such a hypnotising effect on us ,

i think heavy education of these matters would have a profound effect on the world today as i know myself it makes me value life more ,and to realise also what an amazing thing it is that we are even here,
the world has a tunnel vision problem if we could only see life and the universe for what it really is, think of where we could be

there is so much to wonder about , it really is a majical thing to think about so much space and mass, and how it started and what is at the edge of the universe if it has one ,and to think that it all had to have a beginning is amazing or maybe it didnt who knows,

this is my thought for the day, i hope you enjoyed it ,
and dont forget the majic

If so, why don't you say a praise to God?

 

[Chalnoth]

i am at the moment sitting here my brain frying in a hippy style moment thinking about whats out there in space and just how frighteningly awsome the universe is, it is really scary to think about the awsome size of just our solar system ,then to go farther out, i mean what on earth is going on here ? it is really something amazing , i am surprised that most people have no interest or knowledge of this, it used to be at the heart of civilization ,astronomy everyone thought about it camping under the stars, back in the days of wonder ,but now we actually have seen it and understand it nobody cares, our modern society has such a hypnotising effect on us ,

i think heavy education of these matters would have a profound effect on the world today as i know myself it makes me value life more ,and to realise also what an amazing thing it is that we are even here,
the world has a tunnel vision problem if we could only see life and the universe for what it really is, think of where we could be

there is so much to wonder about , it really is a majical thing to think about so much space and mass, and how it started and what is at the edge of the universe if it has one ,and to think that it all had to have a beginning is amazing or maybe it didnt who knows,

this is my thought for the day, i hope you enjoyed it ,
and dont forget the majic

Yup, it's pretty amazing stuff. The unbelievable magnitude of it all is simply amazing. Here's a few numbers to give a rough, rough idea of just how absurdly huge the universe is:

If there was a planet around the nearest star at about the same distance from it as Earth is from our Sun, that planet would look, to us, about 0.0003 degrees away from the star. That's slightly smaller than the angle made by the hairs on your hand if held out at arm's length. As far away as the Earth is away from our Sun, compared to the distances to the other stars it's absolutely minuscule.

And that's just the nearest star, at just over 3 light years away. Our galaxy is over 100,000 light years across, and contain some 400,000,000,000 stars. The numbers just boggle the mind.

But then, take a gander at this image:
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2004/07/image/a/
(I recommend taking the time to load the highest-resolution image to get the full impact)

Nearly all of the spots of light in this image are galaxies, around 10,000 of them (the few that aren't are bright with the lens flare effect that looks like a plus sign, the rest are galaxies).

This image, taken with the Hubble telescope, spans a field of view just one tenth the diameter of a full moon. And this is only the galaxies that the Hubble can see: though the Hubble has very high resolution, it actually can't see very deep. There are many, many more galaxies beyond this that are just too dim or too far redshifted for this telescope to pick up. And each one of those galaxies that the Hubble can see has, on average, around 100,000,000,000 stars. If that's not amazing, I don't know what is.

 

[JGL53]

Yup, it's pretty amazing stuff. The unbelievable magnitude of it all is simply amazing. Here's a few numbers to give a rough, rough idea of just how absurdly huge the universe is:

If there was a planet around the nearest star at about the same distance from it as Earth is from our Sun, that planet would look, to us, about 0.0003 degrees away from the star. That's slightly smaller than the angle made by the hairs on your hand if held out at arm's length. As far away as the Earth is away from our Sun, compared to the distances to the other stars it's absolutely minuscule.

And that's just the nearest star, at just over 3 light years away. Our galaxy is over 100,000 light years across, and contain some 400,000,000,000 stars. The numbers just boggle the mind.

But then, take a gander at this image:
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2004/07/image/a/
(I recommend taking the time to load the highest-resolution image to get the full impact)

Nearly all of the spots of light in this image are galaxies, around 10,000 of them (the few that aren't are bright with the lens flare effect that looks like a plus sign, the rest are galaxies).

This image, taken with the Hubble telescope, spans a field of view just one tenth the diameter of a full moon. And this is only the galaxies that the Hubble can see: though the Hubble has very high resolution, it actually can't see very deep. There are many, many more galaxies beyond this that are just too dim or too far redshifted for this telescope to pick up. And each one of those galaxies that the Hubble can see has, on average, around 100,000,000,000 stars. If that's not amazing, I don't know what is.

Exactly.

And now we have this:

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=70151

It may be possible one day to scientifically "prove" the extreme likelihood of a "multiverse" - an infinite number of universes - in which case I believe that all of our pious beliefs will be blown away like chaff in the wind.

A humble mysticism along the lines of, say, an Alan Watts, is the only succor, I believe, for the overworked minuscule human mind.

 

[Chalnoth]

Exactly.

And now we have this:

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=70151

It may be possible one day to scientifically "prove" the extreme likelihood of a "multiverse" - an infinite number of universes - in which case I believe that all of our pious beliefs will be blown away like chaff in the wind.

A humble mysticism along the lines of, say, an Alan Watts, is the only succor, I believe, for the overworked minuscule human mind.

Wouldn't that be nice? But no, no new piece of scientific information is going to convince people in droves. I mean, the info that would convince them their religions are wrong has been out there for some time now. They're just ignorant of most of it, or won't see the implications of it if they do know it. That's not to say it won't help, but it isn't going to cause some windfall change.

That said, the statistics just aren't strong enough to really support claims like those made by this group. Perhaps we'll find out one day, but if we gain any new knowledge it's going to be from examining the polarization and the small scale structure of the CMB, not from the evidence we already have.

 

[Morcova]

If so, why don't you say a praise to God?

The same reason we don't say praise to the boogie man.

 

[juvenissun]

The same reason we don't say praise to the boogie man.

Why do you waste your time here? Are you able to say something meaningful?

I am sure electrons in the line above are definitely wasted.

 

[truth above all else]

The same reason we don't say praise to the boogie man.

boogie man? does he look like this

 

[Morcova]

boogie man? does he look like this

No, that's cthulthu. But must like the boogie man/god is made up.

 

[huggybear]

Exactly.

And now we have this:

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=70151

It may be possible one day to scientifically "prove" the extreme likelihood of a "multiverse" - an infinite number of universes - in which case I believe that all of our pious beliefs will be blown away like chaff in the wind.

A humble mysticism along the lines of, say, an Alan Watts, is the only succor, I believe, for the overworked minuscule human mind.

nice link, but i have to disagree with your assesment that all pious belief would be blown away if that were proven, with respect i dont see at all how you could come to that conclusion, without the knowledge to back it up, we just dont know how it got there ,it is such an AMAZING mystery that who has the intelligence to rule anything out ? i know not one

 

[huggybear]

Yup, it's pretty amazing stuff. The unbelievable magnitude of it all is simply amazing. Here's a few numbers to give a rough, rough idea of just how absurdly huge the universe is:

If there was a planet around the nearest star at about the same distance from it as Earth is from our Sun, that planet would look, to us, about 0.0003 degrees away from the star. That's slightly smaller than the angle made by the hairs on your hand if held out at arm's length. As far away as the Earth is away from our Sun, compared to the distances to the other stars it's absolutely minuscule.

And that's just the nearest star, at just over 3 light years away. Our galaxy is over 100,000 light years across, and contain some 400,000,000,000 stars. The numbers just boggle the mind.

But then, take a gander at this image:
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2004/07/image/a/
(I recommend taking the time to load the highest-resolution image to get the full impact)

Nearly all of the spots of light in this image are galaxies, around 10,000 of them (the few that aren't are bright with the lens flare effect that looks like a plus sign, the rest are galaxies).

This image, taken with the Hubble telescope, spans a field of view just one tenth the diameter of a full moon. And this is only the galaxies that the Hubble can see: though the Hubble has very high resolution, it actually can't see very deep. There are many, many more galaxies beyond this that are just too dim or too far redshifted for this telescope to pick up. And each one of those galaxies that the Hubble can see has, on average, around 100,000,000,000 stars. If that's not amazing, I don't know what is.

that blows me away everytime i see it, i have that picture or something similar in a book, but i would like to get a full sized poster of it one day, how it all began we will never know ,as it is inconcievable to even postulate ,all the current theories hold no weight for me ,we just dont nor ever will know enough to be able to understand why the universe exists and where all the matter came from, how gravitational systems were set in place with such order, i am blown away that nearly everything in the universe is in orbit around something, that our sun orbits something even more massive,

here is a question i have always wondered, say the sun were to disintergrate, the earth would be set free from its gravity, but which way would it go, would the earth just float away or would it drop, and if so which way is up and which way is down, you catch my drift ?

 

[plindboe]

here is a question i have always wondered, say the sun were to disintergrate, the earth would be set free from its gravity, but which way would it go, would the earth just float away or would it drop, and if so which way is up and which way is down, you catch my drift ?

Before the Sun dies it will become a red giant, and will swell to a size that will, surpass the Earth's orbit. In other words, there won't be any Earth to float away.

Peter

 

[huggybear]

Before the Sun dies it will become a red giant, and will swell to a size that will, surpass the Earth's orbit. In other words, there won't be any Earth to float away.

Peter

yes i understand but my question was hypothetical,

 

[kangitanka]

If so, why don't you say a praise to God?

I would say "praise to God", except that your 'god' doesn't exist.
I praise Wakan Tanka every day for our world, universe and existence.
But your 'god concept' that includes genocide, bigotry, allowance for rape, etc?
Hell no





Now, on that little note, why are you bringing up "praise to (G)od)" in a forum dedicated to the Physical and Life Sciences?
Your "god" and my God have NOTHING to do with the sciences...thus your post is completely OFF TOPIC.

As is mine.
The difference is, mine is nothing more than an exposure of your confusion regarding ANY "god" concept.


In a nutshell, if you want to challenge people to praise your so-called "god", then go to General Apologeticsl and leave the discussions of science alone.

Of course, you (and people like you) will disagree with me in that regard and you (plural) will most likely keep bringing up not only your so-called "god" but also non-scientific "creationism", "evilution", and the absolute idiocy of non-evidence and made up fairy tales (such as "embedded age", "proof of the global flood", and the so-called "autobiography" of your so-called "god").

Disagree with me all you want. Heck, disagree with EVERY SINGLE science out there. Great. Fantastic! But do so in a framework that actually INCLUDES science on this forum.


"Praise god" indeed.

 

[Chalnoth]

that blows me away everytime i see it, i have that picture or something similar in a book, but i would like to get a full sized poster of it one day, how it all began we will never know ,as it is inconcievable to even postulate ,all the current theories hold no weight for me ,we just dont nor ever will know enough to be able to understand why the universe exists and where all the matter came from, how gravitational systems were set in place with such order, i am blown away that nearly everything in the universe is in orbit around something, that our sun orbits something even more massive,

Why not? It's amazing, sure, but we're currently making great strides in understanding where it all came from. Thanks, by the way, for calling my profession, Cosmology, useless. Me, I find it fascinating, and we're learning more about the universe all the time.

here is a question i have always wondered, say the sun were to disintergrate, the earth would be set free from its gravity, but which way would it go, would the earth just float away or would it drop, and if so which way is up and which way is down, you catch my drift ?

If the Sun were to "disappear", then the situation would be like this: imagine you've got a ball on a string, and are whirling it in a circle above your head. The disappearance of the Sun would be like you letting go of the string: the ball continues in whatever direction it was moving when you let go.

Of course, this is completely impossible, but there you are.

 

[huggybear]

Now, on that little note, why are you bringing up "praise to (G)od)" in a forum dedicated to the Physical and Life Sciences?
Your "god" and my God have NOTHING to do with the sciences...thus your post is completely OFF TOPIC.

you sound very annoyed over a simple remark, i am surprised that you would question mentioning god on a christian website also, if you dont like hearing the word god this is not the place for you,

i will add also that without doubt your whole thinking on this matter is wrong, the fact that you can say with such confidence that there is no god is typical of alot of people but is fundamentally flawed, how can you define what god even is ? belief in god makes perfect sense to countless scientists and people ,it is and always has been a massive phenomonon , the order and design of the universe makes perfect sense with god, but alot doesnt make sense too, but we were never meant to know it all,

modern science offers nothing for the big questions about ourselves and the universe ,thus anyone who thinks they "know" god does not exist is not using sound logic to arrive at that conclusion,

 

[huggybear]

Why not? It's amazing, sure, but we're currently making great strides in understanding where it all came from. Thanks, by the way, for calling my profession, Cosmology, useless. Me, I find it fascinating, and we're learning more about the universe all the time.


If the Sun were to "disappear", then the situation would be like this: imagine you've got a ball on a string, and are whirling it in a circle above your head. The disappearance of the Sun would be like you letting go of the string: the ball continues in whatever direction it was moving when you let go.

Of course, this is completely impossible, but there you are.

thanks thats great way of putting it, but what happens when the earths slingshot ends and it finds nothing else to orbit, does it fall through space ? or does it just stay stationary within the vacuum of space ?

also i didnt mean to say that the knowledge of astronomy and coasmology is useless, far from it, but it is useless in answering the big question

 

[Chalnoth]

modern science offers nothing for the big questions about ourselves and the universe ,thus anyone who thinks they "know" god does not exist is not using sound logic to arrive at that conclusion,

What, like where did we come from? Science answers that one quite well: we are one of many products of a long process of descent with modification (evolution). That's a pretty "big question" about ourselves. Cosmology also answers quite a lot about where various things in the universe came from, though the picture is understandably less firm than that of our ancestry.

Now, if you want to claim that a "big question" is, "What is the purpose for our existence?" then you've just asked a question that has no answer. Purpose and meaning aren't "big questions", they're arbitrary questions. Purpose and meaning are properties that humans apply. They are not properties inherent in any thing or action, but instead are completely arbitrary distinctions that tell us about ourselves, not about the objects or actions in question. Science has the potential to answer all of the "big questions" to which there is any answer at all.

 

[Chalnoth]

thanks thats great way of putting it, but what happens when the earths slingshot ends and it finds nothing else to orbit, does it fall through space ? or does it just stay stationary within the vacuum of space ?

Ends? There is no "end", because there is nothing to stop it. There is almost zero friction to slow the Earth, so if in the impossible scenario of the Sun simply disappearing, the Earth would just continue on. The actual motion will be mostly described as some sort of orbit around the center of our galaxy, but if it passes too near any stars or black holes it might get shot off in some other direction.

also i didnt mean to say that the knowledge of astronomy and coasmology is useless, far from it, but it is useless in answering the big question

There is no coherent question which can be asked of the universe which cannot potentially be answered by cosmology.

 

[huggybear]

What, like where did we come from? Science answers that one quite well

that is false ,science does not answer how life first started, it only seeks to explain for the diversity of life, and even that is only answered by theorys and ideas that can never be fully tested or proven beyond a reasonable doubt

and yes you are right that the picture cosmology gives us is very weak,
how can science ever answer the question of where matter and the universe and life comes from or how it is formed, it never will,

Now, if you want to claim that a "big question" is, "What is the purpose for our existence?"

not at all, the big question is "how" did it happen,
and i predict that science will never explain it or understand it, people think that science explains everything, but in reality we dont even know how the brain and the mind work ,all we have is an unproven theory full of holes and gaps and critical errors