Let's put things in proportion!

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Well, to do that we need to travel to another system and we haven't even managed to put a person on another planet as of yet. So I'd say we're a long way off from that.

The size of the universe matters little when you can't even get of the single rock you were cursed to scurry around on.

 

I know a few people whose ego's are at least as big as Antares...

 

That does it, I'm moving to Antares.

 

There is better version of this. And it takes into consideration that Pluto is no longer a planet!

Here's the linkage. The slide with change after a few seconds.

Shhh!

 

I am frequently consciously aware of our insignificance in compared to the rest of the universe and its infinite probabilities. It makes going about my daily routine all that more humorus as I watch us primates pretending we have some sort of advanced civilization, when we have only been in existence as a species for about 100, 000 years. Just imagine another 100, 000 years into the future, assuming we dont kill ourselves before then, we will even then after all that time still only have been in existence for a small insignificant fraction of the entirety of the universe. I like to think of the possibilities that will be common place in our descendants futures, and how we effect them with what we do and think and believe concerning ourselves as a species, and our place in the 'entirety' of the universe.

 

Hmm. I can't remember who wrote it (was a scifi guy), but...

"Man is not the measure of all things, but the measurer of all things."

 

If I take an object and begin to subdivide it into smaller and smaller pieces, how small can I subdivide the object? At no time may I subdivide the object into such small pieces that they no longer have any effect upon their surroundings, because if I did so, then the object would not exist (as its constituent divisions would themselves not exist). Remember, to exist is to effect; an object which exerts absolutely no effect is in actually not an object, and does not in actuality exist. So how far can I subdivide? For an object to exist, it would seem that I must be able to subdivide it infinitely. What does that mean? What are the consequences of that infinite divisibilty? Does that mean there can be no fundamental unit of substance?

How about if we go in the other direction...can there be an object so large that it has no surrounding to effect (i.e. the universe)? Does that mean for the universe to exist (and it does, I've seen it), it is necessary for it to be infinite in at least one dimension? Or all dimensions?

Do they sell straight-jackets in medium size?

[ January 12, 2007, 00:02: Message edited by: Late-Night Thinker ]

 

Isn't the Planck length the smallest you can measure without breaking down space-time?

Would hate to see what would happen if Antares collapsed.

 

Cool.

But what's so controversial about this that it should be in the Alley?

 

Matter is constent. It is never destroyed, it mealy changes form. I don't know how small an object could be, but it would probably be clasifide as a gas at some point during the change.

On the subject of the infinite:
If the Universe is infinite, done that meen there are an infinite number of earths that are exacly like ours? Is it posable that somewhere on some world there is another you doing exacly the same thing you are doing now?

If the Universe is infinite, that would mean it would be imposable for anything not to exist.

Edit: Splunge@ Can you see this sort of post in whatnots?

 

Absolutely!

I know the forum description just mentions "serious subject matter", but I always thought the Alleys were supposed to deal with contentious issues - basically, topics where one could choose sides. I can't see that here.

But I guess that's only the way they were back in the good ol' days, when things made sense, everything was in its proper place, and Tal was still somewhat sane. Ahh, the memories...

 

It's also supost to deal with philosophy, and I think this is a very philosophical topic.

 

true, the smallest particle known currently is an elektron, along with the larger proton and neutron, these make up atoms.
from what we can observe currently, these three objects never stop excisting, they made change from one atom to another, but the amopunt of eletrons and protons are allways the same in any process.

[ January 14, 2007, 14:21: Message edited by: Equester ]

 

@Nataraja
Just for consider how and were we will be in a distant future, we are acomplished with te dream of one of my favorite sci-fi writers:Sir Issac Asimov.
He, along with many other, forseen a humanity that spread along the solar system first, and the whole galaxy later.
But like you said, he also claims "if we can´t conquer ourselves, how we can consider conquer the galaxy?"

 

I sometimes try to realize how much God must love me when he cares for such a small being on a tiny planet somewhere there... in the galaxy.

Man, do I feel religious today.

 

What is nuclear waste then?

 

Blackthorne, that is just eletrons traveling for one mater to another., the nuclear waste as The magister mention are the leftovers which now lack some of there elektrons.

energy isn't some mystic force that exist with no mather. its movement of elektrons, weather you talk elecktricity or physical movement, or heat for that mather. its all do to movement of elektrons.

radioactivity in for instance uranium, works by the way of uraniums outet elecktron-claudes are unstable, uranium over time turns into another atom by giving these elektrons away, this proces generates heat (which is a form of energy) this heat is what a neclear powerplant uses.

[ January 14, 2007, 14:35: Message edited by: Equester ]

 

As far as I recall, nuclear power generators have a number of rods of radoactive matter submerged in water. The heat generated by the rods evaporates the water, whic is used to power turbines, which generate power. Nuclear waste is the irradiated water that is left over and the depleted rods( although the rods do find some use by the military, who can make ammunition from depleted uranium).

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.