As I'm sure there's fellow nerds here into this kinda stuff. I love these stories
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-mars-perseverance-rover-provides-front-row-seat-to-landing-first-audio
Is it me or does this stuff feature in a more mainstream way the last few years? As we've collectively made a balls of this planet, space exploration is more important than ever in practical terms, rather than 50 years ago where it was a mickey measuring contest between Russia and America.
Either way, it's a subject I've always been, at least mildly, interested in, ever since my main man Jean-Luc Picard started busting chops on behalf of the Federation.
https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Universe-in-Your-Hand-Christophe-Galfard/9781447284109?redirected=true&utm_medium=Google&utm_campaign=Base1&utm_source=IE&utm_content=The-Universe-in-Your-Hand&selectCurrency=EUR&w=AFFPAU961PS01YA8VRPK&pdg=pla-293946777986:cmp-10333900495:adg-102993026076:crv-443150513206:pos-:dev-m&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7NKBBhDBARIsAHbXCB6sE9iBINMnQEbixrnCVeb00bH5cBrres_ikZzSpOp7GOGpO_s3cCcaArpFEALw_wcB
The universe in your hand. Give it a read. It's fascinating.
Sounds interesting, like a Bill Bryson guide to the universe.
Looks a good read. Ta.
Friends got us this one for the wee lad to grow up alongside:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Planetarium/9781787411579
Not a comprehensive thing like the Galfard book there, but the illustrations are sublime; reminded me exactly of the kind of fact type, space or dinosaur or whatever book I'd get lost in over and over again for hours at a time as a kid. Magic.
I fuckin buzz hard off the space exploration. The coolest thing about it is how the more we find out the more questions it throws up. If ever there was something to define the phrase "the only thing we know for sure is that we know nothing" it's that great big universe out there.
Really looking forward to seeing what comes of this current mission
Meanwhile, back at the ranch..................... hardly a mention on mainstream media about the insane Space X project building a privately controlled network of communications/surveillance satellites around our own planet, the regulation of which seems to be a massive grey area. its for " the greater good" I'm sure.
Quote from: son of the Morrigan on February 23, 2021, 03:39:39 PM
Meanwhile, back at the ranch..................... hardly a mention on mainstream media about the insane Space X project building a privately controlled network of communications/surveillance satellites around our own planet, the regulation of which seems to be a massive grey area. its for " the greater good" I'm sure.
The vast majority of satellites have been privately owned and controlled for the last couple of decades. Why would the media make a special case of Space X in particular? Especially considering that the mainstream media are reliant on....privately owned satellites!
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on February 23, 2021, 03:49:55 PM
Quote from: son of the Morrigan on February 23, 2021, 03:39:39 PM
Meanwhile, back at the ranch..................... hardly a mention on mainstream media about the insane Space X project building a privately controlled network of communications/surveillance satellites around our own planet, the regulation of which seems to be a massive grey area. its for " the greater good" I'm sure.
The vast majority of satellites have been privately owned and controlled for the last couple of decades. Why would the media make a special case of Space X in particular? Especially considering that the mainstream media are reliant on....privately owned satellites!
my point exactly.
Quote from: Carnage on February 23, 2021, 02:00:35 PM
Sounds interesting, like a Bill Bryson guide to the universe.
Kinda of actually. Mind bending stuff in it. Like how the edge of the universe is just that. The edge. Light behaves differently past the edge. And gravity is not a force. The bit about vacuums blew my mind. Just loads of "fucking hell" moments.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on February 23, 2021, 02:50:18 PM
Friends got us this one for the wee lad to grow up alongside:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Planetarium/9781787411579
Not a comprehensive thing like the Galfard book there, but the illustrations are sublime; reminded me exactly of the kind of fact type, space or dinosaur or whatever book I'd get lost in over and over again for hours at a time as a kid. Magic.
Gonna grab that so.
Quote from: son of the Morrigan on February 23, 2021, 03:39:39 PM
Meanwhile, back at the ranch..................... hardly a mention on mainstream media about the insane Space X project building a privately controlled network of communications/surveillance satellites around our own planet, the regulation of which seems to be a massive grey area. its for " the greater good" I'm sure.
Stood out in the garden one evening last year in the hope of seeing that string of satellites but alas, no dice. Did get a look at the space station though which is pretty cool. The issue of space debris is going to get more coverage in the next few years I reckon.
Quote from: son of the Morrigan on February 23, 2021, 03:39:39 PM
Meanwhile, back at the ranch..................... hardly a mention on mainstream media about the insane Space X project building a privately controlled network of communications/surveillance satellites around our own planet, the regulation of which seems to be a massive grey area. its for " the greater good" I'm sure.
Funnily enough I actually saw this about Space X satellites and broadband testing in Kerry today
https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2021/0223/1198738-spacex-and-co-kerry/
The Universe is a fascinating subject. I went to see Professor Brian Cox the last time he was at the 3 Arena (live entertainment, remember that?!?!). He has a great ability to present mind boggling ideas in such a way that you can follow them at a surface level at least. Picked up Stephen Hawkings Brief History of Time recently but haven't gotten round to reading it yet.
I've become fascinated by all this stuff in recent years and try to wrap my one remaining
brain cell around it in some small way. I was thinking about black holes a year or so ago and had a little Eureka moment. First I was thinking that if black holes actually bend space dragging it in a given direction, then that must mean that the universe has an up and a down. Then mulling it for another minute or two I realised I had been picturing them the wrong way all along as they are always depicted as a hole in two dimensions, presumably for convenience, but rather, when a star goes supernova it expands in three dimensions, then crushes back down into a point in its centre. This must mean that the space around it warps in three dimensions as well, so a black hole is three dimensional, like a sphere of nothingness rather than how I'd have previously imagined it as like a stocking shape. One of you eggheads can probably explain the flaw in my thinking.
Or perhaps to put it more clearly, the event horizon is a sphere, not a ring.
I haven't a clue, but the visualisation of the black hole in Interstellar was fairly cool.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on February 23, 2021, 07:20:44 PM
I've become fascinated by all this stuff in recent years and try to wrap my one remaining
brain cell around it in some small way. I was thinking about black holes a year or so ago and had a little Eureka moment. First I was thinking that if black holes actually bend space dragging it in a given direction, then that must mean that the universe has an up and a down. Then mulling it for another minute or two I realised I had been picturing them the wrong way all along as they are always depicted as a hole in two dimensions, presumably for convenience, but rather, when a star goes supernova it expands in three dimensions, then crushes back down into a point in its centre. This must mean that the space around it warps in three dimensions as well, so a black hole is three dimensional, like a sphere of nothingness rather than how I'd have previously imagined it as like a stocking shape. One of you eggheads can probably explain the flaw in my thinking.
Or perhaps to put it more clearly, the event horizon is a sphere, not a ring.
Well put
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/ten-things-you-dont-know-about-black-holes
Says it's a sphere all right in that article.
I actually came to a complex conclusion about black holes based purely on instinct. I think I can proudly retire now 8)
John D Barrows "The Book of Nothing" is an excellent read with regard to vacuums and the nature of space.
His book "the infinite book" is even better, dealing with infinities and their relation to the universe/multiverse.
I've been obsessed with the idea of creation out of nothingness for years to the extent of it driving me a bit mental on a few occasions.
Simon Singhs "The Big Bang" is a mighty read.
I'm not actually fully sold on the big bang theory to be honest, I don't know why, I've read fucking reams about it and It all seems very reasonable but something about it just doesn't sit right with me, and on more than a philosophical level.
What are the other options on the table? I must pick up some of these books.
Quote from: astfgyl on February 23, 2021, 07:31:49 PM
I haven't a clue, but the visualisation of the black hole in Interstellar was fairly cool.
And praised as being a visually accurate one by astrophysicists, if memory serves.
Quote from: Carnage on February 23, 2021, 08:15:14 PM
Quote from: astfgyl on February 23, 2021, 07:31:49 PM
I haven't a clue, but the visualisation of the black hole in Interstellar was fairly cool.
And praised as being a visually accurate one by astrophysicists, if memory serves.
I remember reading that at the time actually, now you mention it. Was a bit of a shame what happened to the film after that bit though
Quote from: Eoin McLove on February 23, 2021, 08:09:07 PM
What are the other options on the table? I must pick up some of these books.
Fred Hoyles steady state model would be the main other option.
To Google!
Interesting concept. I'll have to investigate it more as I'd naturally be inclined to think along the lines of the big bang theory. I wonder if the universe is like a pump that continually expands and retracts back to nothing, pumping like a heart. Another idea I had recently, which will probably influence lyrics along the way, is that perhaps the universe and everything in it, along with everyone who has, does and will ever exist, move forwards and backwards through existence on a perpetual track. We are born, we live, we die and then at some stage in the unimaginably distant future we will undie, live our lives in reverse and become unborn... and so on forever.
Black holes are very interesting. Sadly not quite like the wormholes in Star Trek.
And not that I'm averse to reading, but are there any documentaries/TV series that delve into this stuff. I've watched the original and rebooted Cosmos shows, which are fantastic, just wondering if there's owt else out there.
Quote from: Emphyrio on February 23, 2021, 09:24:02 PM
And not that I'm averse to reading, but are there any documentaries/TV series that delve into this stuff. I've watched the original and rebooted Cosmos shows, which are fantastic, just wondering if there's owt else out there.
Spacetime on PBS YouTube channel is excellent.
https://www.youtube.com/c/pbsspacetime/playlists
Cool, will check it out. Ta!
Possible E.T. signal, pretty fascinating, article is a while back but I believe investigation is ongoing:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/dec/18/scientists-looking-for-aliens-investigate-radio-beam-from-nearby-star
I think Stephen Hawking was once asked about whether we should be trying to look for alien life and his answer was more or less along the lines of "I don't think it's a safe idea", which is not a glib statement but makes you think what he may be afraid of.
Quote from: leatherface on February 24, 2021, 11:04:45 PM
Possible E.T. signal, pretty fascinating, article is a while back but I believe investigation is ongoing:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/dec/18/scientists-looking-for-aliens-investigate-radio-beam-from-nearby-star
I think Stephen Hawking was once asked about whether we should be trying to look for alien life and his answer was more or less along the lines of "I don't think it's a safe idea", which is not a glib statement but makes you think what he may be afraid of.
Read that a while back and now seeing it again I'm instantly put in mind of this https://earthsky.org/space/alpha-centauri-travel-time. Not that exact article, but the fact that the nearest star is 40,000km away at current capabilities.
I'd say we will have to crack time travel in both directions before we ever get close to finding out what is actually happening at even the closest star. The closest star out of countless trillions and possibly an infinite number (if one can actually wrap their heads around the inevitability and impossibility of infinity), and humans will have to avoid extinction for long enough (relatively speaking) to figure out how to bend the fabric of space and time to a degree of accuracy which would enable accurate time travel, calibrated to whatever system of coordinates is in use when it happens, down to a margin of less than a mile or two in a couple of light years, to find out what if anything is there.
So our best hope of coming into contact with intelligent life outside of our own solar system is for that to find us. And if they are advanced enough, surely subjugation or worse would be the likely result? Hawking might be onto something..
Quote from: astfgyl on February 25, 2021, 12:08:27 AM
Quote from: leatherface on February 24, 2021, 11:04:45 PM
Possible E.T. signal, pretty fascinating, article is a while back but I believe investigation is ongoing:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/dec/18/scientists-looking-for-aliens-investigate-radio-beam-from-nearby-star
I think Stephen Hawking was once asked about whether we should be trying to look for alien life and his answer was more or less along the lines of "I don't think it's a safe idea", which is not a glib statement but makes you think what he may be afraid of.
So our best hope of coming into contact with intelligent life outside of our own solar system is for that to find us. And if they are advanced enough, surely subjugation or worse would be the likely result? Hawking might be onto something..
Exactly. I would have to concur with Hawking on this one. We might be better off not attracting too much attention, if we attract any at all. Alien life is all very well and romantic in theory but would you like the idea of an 'Independence Day' style visit to the planet? No thanks.
Whatever about aliens coming here, I hope in the future no alien population is unfortunate enough to have a shower of human cunts land on their planet.
I shudder to think of the damage we would do to them.
The only thing is, is that we are using current human nature as a point of reference, and for any other lifeforms to gain the capability to visit us they will have to have something beyond the human understanding of how it all works so maybe they would be benign or even beneficial.
Still would rather find them first thinking about it, and who knows, we might have advanced to the point where we might not fuck them up. I doubt it though. The first thing humans would figure out is whether or not it was edible and was it any good to work
The instinct for survival is, and will always be, the basic driving force behind human nature and behaviour.
Greed is a simply another form of the survival instinct, that of planning for future survival.
If humans find another planet that is rich in resources that we require, we will fucking take them, whether the native inhabitants like it or not, and if its possible to make the natives mine or gather these resources for us, we will make them do it.
Of course one can only assume that any successful alien species landing on earth would be motivated by the same survival instinct so perhaps its better if we keep the auld heads down and hope for the best.
On the bright side, if there ever is any human-alien interaction, the PC and prepetually offended brigade thread here will be great craic.
I'm agreeing with Hawking on this one. Some day though we will have figure out how to get to the nearest star. That some day is 1 billion years away when our run becomes too hot for us to live on earth. To be honest humans will probably be long extinct by then.
Quote from: Ollkiller on February 25, 2021, 02:07:07 PM
I'm agreeing with Hawking on this one. Some day though we will have figure out how to get to the nearest star. That some day is 1 billion years away when our run becomes too hot for us to live on earth. To be honest humans will probably be long extinct by then.
Unfortunately, we'll probably bring everything else on this planet with us.
Pluto not considered a planet anymore. Down with this sort of thing. Speaking of planets, here are some recordings of planets from space*, odd stuff :
https://youtu.be/IQL53eQ0cNA
*the Sun isn't a planet though
My wife bought me a telescope for Christmas and I still haven't taken it out of the box yet..must get the finger out as some of the nights recently have been very clear but cold!
Looks like tonight is going to be another clear one, too.
Quote from: Ollkiller on February 23, 2021, 04:13:45 PM
Quote from: Carnage on February 23, 2021, 02:00:35 PM
Sounds interesting, like a Bill Bryson guide to the universe.
Kinda of actually. Mind bending stuff in it. Like how the edge of the universe is just that. The edge. Light behaves differently past the edge. And gravity is not a force. The bit about vacuums blew my mind. Just loads of "fucking hell" moments.
Should have this coming in the next couple of days, looking forward to reading it. Though it's going into a huge to-read pile...
i
Quote from: Carnage on December 06, 2021, 10:23:15 AM
Quote from: Ollkiller on February 23, 2021, 04:13:45 PM
Quote from: Carnage on February 23, 2021, 02:00:35 PM
Sounds interesting, like a Bill Bryson guide to the universe.
Kinda of actually. Mind bending stuff in it. Like how the edge of the universe is just that. The edge. Light behaves differently past the edge. And gravity is not a force. The bit about vacuums blew my mind. Just loads of "fucking hell" moments.
Should have this coming in the next couple of days, looking forward to reading it. Though it's going into a huge to-read pile...
If it's as good as Bryson's book A Short History of Nearly Everything, i'll have to get this one too.
Have any of you read The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli?
I read The Order of Time earlier this year. Quite challenging and conceptually difficult to grasp in places, but fascinating.
Scotty, get me warp speed ->
https://thedebrief.org/darpa-funded-researchers-accidentally-create-the-worlds-first-warp-bubble/