Comments on: The passage of time (and space)

By: Lori Tompkins

Lori Tompkins — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:54:47 +0000

This video and the responses to it remind me of a quote/excerpt I just put up on my blog: ‘We cannot divorce ourselves from this truth and cosmic function. We are integral parts of the cosmic manifestation, minute as we may be in comparison to the vastness of the universe. However, does this minuteness not reflect then the very process of passage from the Unmanifest to the Manifest which has been described herein? We are, as it were, those very Seeds. We are those infinitesimal ‘eyes that see’, through which the Absolute knows, and thus knowing enjoys Itself. And this is the magic and the mystery of human birth. We are endowed with all the properties of the Transcendent and are Its instruments for this supreme Act of creative deployment of Itself.’ – Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet, ‘Time & Imperishability’.

By: meremark

meremark — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:35:44 +0000

Daniel,

I have an original Eames recliner and ottoman, as in wikipedia photo, ’60s vintage, well worn (which is either desirable or detracting), and I have been for a few years seeking an appreciative buyer. Defined as one who convinces me the right thing to do is sell it — I vacillate. Or procrastinate … uh, perhaps those conditions are the same thing.

Please advise.

Wendi Meremark
(get my return email in the login data here, somewhere)

Oh, P.S., I was around at the creation of Powers of 10.

By: B

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:35:35 +0000

‘We’re totally irrelevant’ is such an inane and stupid conclusion to draw.

By: Greg R

Greg R — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:57:07 +0000

@Tim I agree – seems unlikely we wouldn’t be able to see it more clearly while flying out of the Milky Way and the local group – after all I can see Andromeda from my bedroom window!!

By: Tim

Tim — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:33:10 +0000

Am I wrong, or shouldn’t Andromeda be more prominent in this clip? Surely it is about the same size as the Milky Way, and should be visible and should stand out as we zoom in or out from the Milky Way. After all, even though it’s 2,500,000 light years away, it’s 200,000 light years across (somewhat less for the brightest part). Seems to me it should be a bit more obvious.

By: Samuel A. (Sam) Cox

Samuel A. (Sam) Cox — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 05:26:22 +0000

#21…Thanks Daniel! That one has been around for a while…I used it in the classroom many moons ago! Nevertheless it is still a good (and more complete) introduction to the concept of a space-time lattice…a manifold. The next questions which arise are equally profound. Where does scale of this kind come from? Why do we observe from the center? How does what we observe relate to some of the mathematical proportions of SRT/GR such as gravitational time dilation- and why? I share your fascination with this subject because understanding space and time; matter and energy is critical in relating the universe we observe with cosmological reality. From most of these perspectives we would have few clues that information and high complexity even exists in the universe…such things only “come into focus” when the universe is observed in a very special way, from a very speciafic set of space-time coordinates.

Very thought provoking!

By: Just Learning

Just Learning — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:49:07 +0000

We’re totally irrelevant. I find this to be oddly reassuring and calming.

I think you have the wrong sign on the first statement. Because we are so small and so alone makes us all extremely important and valuable.

By: daniel

daniel — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:05:30 +0000

Ellipsis (9) and Sam (12), the “Powers of 10″ video I link to in the post goes in both directions. It’s an artist’s conception, but still quite powerful and well done.

It’ll be a long time before we “colonize” the rest of our galaxy. I’m not holding my breath. Might make sense to do a good job with our home planet first.

By: Cosmonut

Cosmonut — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:03:13 +0000

Daniel:
“But, still, in the grand scheme of things, we’re a grain of sand in a vast and beautiful ocean. We’re totally irrelevant. I find this to be oddly reassuring and calming.”

Couldn’t agree with you more. Nothing as refreshing as some cosmic perspective, especially if backed by good graphics
Great post.

Giotis:
This way of seeing things undermines the very foundations of Western civilization.

Wonderful !!! What’s the problem ?

>Its basic principle is expansion forever.

Which is precisely why we are in the middle of the sixth great mass extinction on the planet.
The sooner this principle is trashed, the better.

>We will expand through out the known universe and if this universe fades away we will
> create new universes to inhabit (or maybe we will colonize another part of the
> multiverse).

Woo hoo !! Pie is very high in the sky today. Maybe even in another universe.
Personally, I’ll be surprised if we even manage to ‘colonize’ a representative fraction of our galaxy before going extinct.
Let’s get back on this in another ten million years, shall we ?

> There are no limits for our amazing species.

Certainly not when it comes to self-congratulation and grandiose claims at least !

By: buzz

buzz — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:36:25 +0000

The passage of time (and space)…

a video showing a voyage from the surface of the Earth to the “edge” of the Universe. What makes the video unique is that it is based on real data, not an artist’s conception….