Friday, June 3, 2011
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Cosmology: The Universe is Expanding, and Accelerating the expansion.
According to current knowledge in Cosmology, it's believed that the universe is expanding, not only that, but due to the forces of Dark Energy (vacuum force), which accounts for more than 3/4 of all of the Mass Energy in the universe, it's expanding and accelerating, outer objects expanding at a faster rate.
The typical example is painting dots on a rubber inflatable balloon. When inflating, the dots start to separate, and the more one blows, the more separated these become.
Well, nice example. However, there are many instances in which entire galaxies have collided with other galaxies. Even our own Milky Way Galaxy is moving at a rate of 300,000 miles per hour in the direction of the Andromeda Galaxy. That's roughly 134 Km/s.
So, what happened to the idea that all objects in the universe are separating from each other, and accelerating at that?
Maybe scientists should stop using analogies to explain complex theories.
I admit it, I am confused. : )
The typical example is painting dots on a rubber inflatable balloon. When inflating, the dots start to separate, and the more one blows, the more separated these become.
Well, nice example. However, there are many instances in which entire galaxies have collided with other galaxies. Even our own Milky Way Galaxy is moving at a rate of 300,000 miles per hour in the direction of the Andromeda Galaxy. That's roughly 134 Km/s.
So, what happened to the idea that all objects in the universe are separating from each other, and accelerating at that?
Maybe scientists should stop using analogies to explain complex theories.
I admit it, I am confused. : )
Monday, December 3, 2007
Stendhal: The Red and the Black.
I finally had time to watch Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette," however, three minutes into the movie, I understood why the critics didn't like it. So, I decided to spare myself the time. Nothing personal, Sofia. In fact, I enjoyed "Lost in Translation" very much.
Instead, I watched a film that I had long postponed: The Red and the Black, based on the novel by the same name by Stendhal, subtitled: 'Chronicle of 1830.'
It starts with a mysterious citation by Stendhal at the onset of the book:
"Un Roman : C'est un miroir qu'on promène le long d'un Chemin."
"A novel is a mirror that strolls along a highway."
I am not an expert on the subject, but I recommend this blog:
http://readingmiddlemarch.blogspot.com/2006/10/introducing-stendhals-red-and-black.html
And, of course, the Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_and_the_Black
In looking for its wider meaning in the Internet, I also came across this beautiful quotation:
"Il n'y a jamais nulle part où aller qu'en dedans." Doris Lessing
I hope you like it too.
Instead, I watched a film that I had long postponed: The Red and the Black, based on the novel by the same name by Stendhal, subtitled: 'Chronicle of 1830.'
It starts with a mysterious citation by Stendhal at the onset of the book:
"Un Roman : C'est un miroir qu'on promène le long d'un Chemin."
"A novel is a mirror that strolls along a highway."
I am not an expert on the subject, but I recommend this blog:
http://readingmiddlemarch.blogspot.com/2006/10/introducing-stendhals-red-and-black.html
And, of course, the Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_and_the_Black
In looking for its wider meaning in the Internet, I also came across this beautiful quotation:
"Il n'y a jamais nulle part où aller qu'en dedans." Doris Lessing
I hope you like it too.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Cosmology
So...
Since Edwin Hubble decided to quit his law practice and become an astronomer, we have found out that the universe is in fact expanding. Later, thanks to the work of Alexander Friedmann and Georges Lemaître, we found out there was once a 'primal atom' that contained the entire mass of the universe, including the 4 'known' forces, and all the energy. In other words, everything. Our current universe being the result of the expansion of that primal object, or Big Bang. Later,
Since Edwin Hubble decided to quit his law practice and become an astronomer, we have found out that the universe is in fact expanding. Later, thanks to the work of Alexander Friedmann and Georges Lemaître, we found out there was once a 'primal atom' that contained the entire mass of the universe, including the 4 'known' forces, and all the energy. In other words, everything. Our current universe being the result of the expansion of that primal object, or Big Bang. Later,
Thursday, October 4, 2007
The Universe.
I once read that a famous rich man makes thousands of dollars every second, even while he's asleep.
I may not be able to match that, however, even in my sleep, I travel at 18.55 miles per second around the Sun (67,000 miles per hour), and 135 miles per second around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Then, there is the earth's rotation: At the equator, 25,000 miles per day, or, 1,042 miles per hour.
It takes the Sun 225 million years to complete a revolution (orbit) around the center of the Galaxy. Since the Sun is 'only' 4.6 billion years old, it has made the trip around the Galaxy only 20.5 times.
If we take into account the generally accepted age of mankind in its current form at 2 million years, then, we have traveled with the sun around the center of the Galaxy only:
225,000,000 years - 100%
002,000,000 years - x%
x = 0.89%
That is, a Sun orbit around the center of the Galaxy being 100%, we, as humans, have only traveled 0.89% of the Sun's orbit around the center of the Galaxy (not around the Galaxy, as the Sun is not at the edge of the Galaxy).
Furthermore, the way things are going, by the time the Sun completes revolution 21, there will no longer be a human species on earth, assuming it's now at revolution 20.5 since the Sun was formed.
Now, consider that civilizations as we know them only flourished from 10,000 B.C. to present. That is, roughly, 12,000 years. This means that since the end of the last Ice Age and the emergence of civilization, we have traveled with the Sun only 0.0053% of its orbit around the center of the Galaxy.
We indeed are "Dust in the Wind," as the song goes.
Interesting readings:
Speed of Earth and the Sun around the center of the Galaxy:
http://members.aol.com/nlpjp/speed.htm
Timeline of Evolution:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_evolution
Speed of Earth's Rotation:
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/970401c.html
Timeline of Ancient Mesopotamia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Ancient_Mesopotamia
I may not be able to match that, however, even in my sleep, I travel at 18.55 miles per second around the Sun (67,000 miles per hour), and 135 miles per second around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Then, there is the earth's rotation: At the equator, 25,000 miles per day, or, 1,042 miles per hour.
It takes the Sun 225 million years to complete a revolution (orbit) around the center of the Galaxy. Since the Sun is 'only' 4.6 billion years old, it has made the trip around the Galaxy only 20.5 times.
If we take into account the generally accepted age of mankind in its current form at 2 million years, then, we have traveled with the sun around the center of the Galaxy only:
225,000,000 years - 100%
002,000,000 years - x%
x = 0.89%
That is, a Sun orbit around the center of the Galaxy being 100%, we, as humans, have only traveled 0.89% of the Sun's orbit around the center of the Galaxy (not around the Galaxy, as the Sun is not at the edge of the Galaxy).
Furthermore, the way things are going, by the time the Sun completes revolution 21, there will no longer be a human species on earth, assuming it's now at revolution 20.5 since the Sun was formed.
Now, consider that civilizations as we know them only flourished from 10,000 B.C. to present. That is, roughly, 12,000 years. This means that since the end of the last Ice Age and the emergence of civilization, we have traveled with the Sun only 0.0053% of its orbit around the center of the Galaxy.
We indeed are "Dust in the Wind," as the song goes.
Interesting readings:
Speed of Earth and the Sun around the center of the Galaxy:
http://members.aol.com/nlpjp/speed.htm
Timeline of Evolution:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_evolution
Speed of Earth's Rotation:
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/970401c.html
Timeline of Ancient Mesopotamia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Ancient_Mesopotamia
Physics
Just when I thought I had the Universe figured out, I find out that matter, or, mass, doesn't exist...
Well, according to the Standard Model, all the nice subatomic particles we call Fermions and Bosons do not possess mass. Of course, something is missing in the Standard Model's theory of the Universe, and that is: What causes mass to exist?
That's the job of the Higgs Boson, or, rather, the Higgs Mechanism.
There's only one catch: The Higgs Boson is so shy, nobody has seen it. Well, there was one 'sighting,' if that counts. However, help is on the way: The LHC (Large Hadron Collider, at CERN), will start experiments targetting the Higgs Boson in November of 2,007. With more than 800,000 collisions per second. Those who know are telling us that it may take 2 years to analyze the data once the LHC's experiments start.
What does it all mean to the average person?
This experiment might ruin an otherwise perfect Fall day if, as a result of the experiments, we are rewarded with our very own Black Hole, here, on earth. First to go would be Switzerland and France, then... Well, you know how Black Holes behave.
Does anybody know how to 'put down' a Black Hole?
Me neither...
The scientists at CERN believe that, if a Black Hole is formed, and they expect many, these will be 'very small,' so much so, that they will 'evaporate' instantly.
As you can see, I am still worried about the Higgs Boson. I hope the F1 07 Championship will be finished by then!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6244899.stm
Well, according to the Standard Model, all the nice subatomic particles we call Fermions and Bosons do not possess mass. Of course, something is missing in the Standard Model's theory of the Universe, and that is: What causes mass to exist?
That's the job of the Higgs Boson, or, rather, the Higgs Mechanism.
There's only one catch: The Higgs Boson is so shy, nobody has seen it. Well, there was one 'sighting,' if that counts. However, help is on the way: The LHC (Large Hadron Collider, at CERN), will start experiments targetting the Higgs Boson in November of 2,007. With more than 800,000 collisions per second. Those who know are telling us that it may take 2 years to analyze the data once the LHC's experiments start.
What does it all mean to the average person?
This experiment might ruin an otherwise perfect Fall day if, as a result of the experiments, we are rewarded with our very own Black Hole, here, on earth. First to go would be Switzerland and France, then... Well, you know how Black Holes behave.
Does anybody know how to 'put down' a Black Hole?
Me neither...
The scientists at CERN believe that, if a Black Hole is formed, and they expect many, these will be 'very small,' so much so, that they will 'evaporate' instantly.
As you can see, I am still worried about the Higgs Boson. I hope the F1 07 Championship will be finished by then!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6244899.stm
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Physics
I am worried about the Higgs Boson.
It seems that it's the subatomic particle capable of creating matter from nothing.
Furthermore, physicists claim that in the Standard Model, the Higgs Mechanism can happen in the Universe independently of whether the Higgs Boson exists or not (or whether they will ever find one).
It reminds me of Blas Cabrera's detection of a magnetic Monopole back in 1982. Something that has not been reproduced to this day.
The way I see it, the idea is that a background charge is needed. Since the Universe already possesses such charge (Vacuum Expectation Value, or VEV = 246GeV), then, when the Higgs Boson traverses the field, at the end of its journey, it would have given rise to mass.
How is this different from Spontaneous Generation? Didn't Louis Pasteur disprove that already?
Let's have a look at some ideas.
Einstein's equations predicted that if an object is accelerated to near the speed of light its mass would increase to the point of being 'near-infinite.' This is what prevents objects from traveling faster than the speed of light, because the force necessary to accelerate near-infinite mass would in turn have to be near-infinite as well.
So, all we have to do to 'give rise' to mass, is to accelerate an object, or particle, to near the speed of light. As its mass is expanding, that could only be the work of Higgs Bosons working overtime giving rise to mass. As matter is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed, it seems that the application of acceleration to a particle to reach near-light speed, transforms energy into mass. And this mass would be provided by whom? By the background field that is constant in the entire universe?
Well, now you see why I am worried about the Higgs Boson.
Isn't it strange to worry about a particle that, so far, has not yet proven to be part of the physical universe?
It seems that it's the subatomic particle capable of creating matter from nothing.
Furthermore, physicists claim that in the Standard Model, the Higgs Mechanism can happen in the Universe independently of whether the Higgs Boson exists or not (or whether they will ever find one).
It reminds me of Blas Cabrera's detection of a magnetic Monopole back in 1982. Something that has not been reproduced to this day.
The way I see it, the idea is that a background charge is needed. Since the Universe already possesses such charge (Vacuum Expectation Value, or VEV = 246GeV), then, when the Higgs Boson traverses the field, at the end of its journey, it would have given rise to mass.
How is this different from Spontaneous Generation? Didn't Louis Pasteur disprove that already?
Let's have a look at some ideas.
Einstein's equations predicted that if an object is accelerated to near the speed of light its mass would increase to the point of being 'near-infinite.' This is what prevents objects from traveling faster than the speed of light, because the force necessary to accelerate near-infinite mass would in turn have to be near-infinite as well.
So, all we have to do to 'give rise' to mass, is to accelerate an object, or particle, to near the speed of light. As its mass is expanding, that could only be the work of Higgs Bosons working overtime giving rise to mass. As matter is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed, it seems that the application of acceleration to a particle to reach near-light speed, transforms energy into mass. And this mass would be provided by whom? By the background field that is constant in the entire universe?
Well, now you see why I am worried about the Higgs Boson.
Isn't it strange to worry about a particle that, so far, has not yet proven to be part of the physical universe?
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