This article may well make you want to scratch your mind, but please stick with it, be patient and read on. You may well wonder, just like me, and ask yourself the same questions I am asking.
Also I would appreciate your contribution to this article, as I'll explain later.
There I was the other day nursing a pint of Guinness when I started thinking about the universe. The universe is a word used to describe the whole of space which includes all of the planets, moons, stars, galaxies and the whole of everything that exists everywhere - including the dust behind the cupboard which you have not vacuum cleaned for a while; that is in the universe too!
So basically, the universe includes everything. Its size is still unknown because scientists do not have a measuring tape long enough to measure the size of the whole universe. But they do tell us that the universe is still expanding. In fact some theorists say that it is expanding at the speed of light.
Now then, we do know that light travels very fast. Certainly faster than any athlete at the Olympics and if it took part at the Games it would win all the gold medals. So the universe is expanding faster than an athlete could run as we speak right now.
What I don't understand is: Where is it expanding to? (Or into).
If the universe is everything, all the planets and so on, how is everything expanding into a bigger everything?
Let's imagine the universe is a big square box with six sides, like a dice, (what is the singular of dice?)
Anyway, if the universe is a square box getting ever bigger, where is this box in the first place? Is it hanging into space? If so, why is this space not itself in the universe if we have agreed that the universe is everything?
And does this box or universe contain the sun? Of course it does.
Now we know that the sun is an ever burning ball of fire that burns 24/7 for years and years ever since it was first lit by a discarded cigarette thrown by a careless smoker.
We also know that to have a fire we need oxygen and something to burn - wood, paper, fuel etc ...
We also know that out there, far away in outer space, there is no oxygen. That is why spacemen use space suits, and get really sick when they break wind therein. But that's another story.
So if there is no oxygen, how is the sun actually burning? And what is it actually burning? Where is it getting its constant supply of fuel?
Are you confused by all this? You should be. And I haven't even mentioned black holes, gravitational pull, and all the other mind-boggling things included in the universe.
And this is where your contribution comes in. I hope you will indulge me and take part in this important scientific experiment.
I am asking you please to direct your friends to this Blog so they can be confused too. Why should I be the only one wondering about these universal matters?
Write about it on your Blogs. Link to my Blog. And let us all get confused together.
Because this Blog is the only one in the universe, and we know how big that is, which confuses what should be as clear as anything.
You don't expect to go to a railway station, and ask the man in the ticket office what time a certain train is leaving for somewhere, only to be given the recipe for rice pudding? Would you?
The chances are that the man will tell you the departure time, even though the train may not leave on time.
But here on this Blog we are different. We guarantee that whatever you ask we will attempt to confuse you and give you the wrong information. Just try it. Ask any question and see.
No other Blog does that. Leave a comment below asking anything that's been on your mind all your life but were too embarrassed to ask.
And don't forget to tell all your friends throughout the universe to visit here and ask their questions too.
Now let me get back to my pint of Guinness. Who has drank it all whilst I was typing this? Has anyone seen my Guinness?
The only thing I know for sure is the singular for dice is “die” and then there are those who will dispute that. All the rest boggles my mind which is now numb! Wonderful post. Have a grand day!!!
ReplyDeleteAh ... thank you Cathy. Of course you are right; it is die. You see, at the time of writing this post I had two with me, hence me writing dice, because I could not remember what the singular was. Also, I wish I could remember who drank my Guinness. Have you seen the culprit?
DeleteGod bless you, my friend.
This is definitely universally funny, Victor! And yes, you have succeeded in boggling my mind, what little is left after being thoroughly, if delightfully, confused. As for your Guinness? Maybe it fell into a black hole! :)
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Ooops ... I forgot about that ... it most probably went into a black hole. It tasted great though. Better get another one.
DeleteGod bless you and yours Martha.
Interesting post and now my brain is hurting a bit!
ReplyDeleteHow nice to see you visiting me here Lois. Thank you so much. Please return soon and we'll try to confuse you more.
DeleteGod bless you always.
Well, my mind is beyond boggled now and it may take a few days to get it unboggled again! LOL
ReplyDeleteThank you Terri for joining us in universal confusion and mind-boggling. Please tell others of this unique experience.
DeleteGod bless.
Scientists, some, figured our sun burned coal or something of that sort - - - which made sense, at the time.
ReplyDeleteWe've learned a bit more since then. The result has been getting some old questions answered - - - and a whole lot more new questions uncovered.
One of those involves what this universe is expanding into. Sort of. Cosmologists, theoretical physicists and others who know more math than I do - some of them - think what we're finding makes more sense if this isn't the only universe.
There is, I assume "a" universe: the whole thing; this universe and other physical realities; plus reality that isn't physical; and, of course, God; who seems to be good at multitasking.
That's a good thing, which I'll probably talk about eventually. Probably not at the same time that I talk about other continua, space-time and otherwise, which may or may not exist. The last I heard, analysis that found a mark left - maybe - where another universe and ours bumped/are bumping/it's complicated into each other - - - where was I? Continua, cosmic background radiation, analysis. Right. That was seven or eight years ago ( https://www.technologyreview.com/s/421999/astronomers-find-first-evidence-of-other-universes/ ) and still under discussion.
Like Hamlet said to Horiatio, 'your philosophies aren't the big picture.' Something like that.
I don't know whether other continua exist or not. Nobody does, at this point. But I won't say they can't. That's been clear, at least since 1277.
One more thing, at least. I've noted this post for linking, which should happen the next time I start talking about some unanswered questions.
And now, shameless self-promotion. I haven't talked much about other continua, but I have looked at what folks like Aristarchus and Copernicus thought, and what we've learned since I was in school. Including "Finding New Worlds" > Aristarchus was Right http://brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen/finding-new-worlds/#aristarchus
ReplyDeleteActually, Aristarchus was on the right track more than Aristotle - about cosmology. Aristotle had a bigger fan base, and that's another topic. Topics.
Thank you Brian for your explanation. I will not say it is all clear to me now because the after effects of Guinness are blurring my thinking. But you did mention the possibility of another universe bumping into out universe. In my language, this is like having another big box bumping into our big box, both of whom/which include planets, stars and so on. This being the case, then where are these boxes situated? In outer space? How can this be if space is part of the universe and hence already in the box? And why just two boxes? Why not more. And how or why are they expanding? I am now imagining a person eating too much and expanding. Maybe the universe should go on a diet or else it will become obese.
DeleteNow my brain hurts.
God bless you, Brian. Thank you for your explanation.
There' a lot of info to process and think about in this post. The earth, makes me think of the Temptations song, "Ball of Confusion". Maybe that's right because we all seem confused. :) I'll have to think about that.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime I hope you find your Guinness. I think I'll have one too. :)
Hi Bill,
DeleteIt's great to see you visiting me here again. Thanx. I like Guinness because it helps me keep a clear head. The more I read about science the more confused I get.
God bless you.
You have just give a perfect explanation of why we will never be able to wrap our heads around the vastness of Who God is!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Well said, Lulu. I have nothing more to add. Well said indeed.
DeleteGod bless you my friend.
"What I don't understand is: Where is it expanding to? (Or into)."
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I was asking myself! It's very strange.
I imagined it as an overweight person getting more and more obese. He expands from the inside. but then, there is an outside of him since he is in this space (world). That's when my brain started to hurt thinking it out.
DeleteGod bless you, Manny.