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,
Monday, November 26, 2007
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?
Monday, September 24, 2007
Cosmology and Geology
It seems that life in the planet has nearly been extinguished twice.
First, 250 million years ago, via massive volcanic eruptions in Siberia, and 65 million years ago, due to an asteroid impact in the peninsula of Yucatan, causing the worldwide high levels of Iridium in the K-T boundary (Cretaceus-Terciary).
First, 250 million years ago, via massive volcanic eruptions in Siberia, and 65 million years ago, due to an asteroid impact in the peninsula of Yucatan, causing the worldwide high levels of Iridium in the K-T boundary (Cretaceus-Terciary).
Medicine
Poor sleeping habits (too little or too much) related to double risk of fatal cardiovascular disease (in humans). Recommended: 7 hours per night.
Shorter sleeping hours are related to Obesity, High Blood Pressure, and a higher risk of Type II Diabetes. Additionally, fatigue, tiredness and daylight sleepiness.
This study also found out that extending the sleeping hours to 8 hours a night also doubled the mortality in that group.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7009927.stm
A previous study (in animals) had found that lack of sleep caused the brain to stop producing new cells in the Hippocampus, via high levels of Corticosterone. When sleep was normalized in a week, brain cell production took two weeks to be restored, and it appears that the brain tried to boost neurogenesis in order to counteract the shortage.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6347043.stm
Shorter sleeping hours are related to Obesity, High Blood Pressure, and a higher risk of Type II Diabetes. Additionally, fatigue, tiredness and daylight sleepiness.
This study also found out that extending the sleeping hours to 8 hours a night also doubled the mortality in that group.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7009927.stm
A previous study (in animals) had found that lack of sleep caused the brain to stop producing new cells in the Hippocampus, via high levels of Corticosterone. When sleep was normalized in a week, brain cell production took two weeks to be restored, and it appears that the brain tried to boost neurogenesis in order to counteract the shortage.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6347043.stm
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Medicine
Patients with Diabetes (Type I and II), expelled Thiamine (Vitamin B1), 16 times faster than normal, in a study of 94 subjects.
Thiamine is known to protect cells from damage caused by high glucose levels.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/6935482.stm
Thiamine is known to protect cells from damage caused by high glucose levels.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/6935482.stm
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