The biggest picture of all
by David Atkins
The universe is an unfathomable expanse. John Aravosis talks about the recent news item that our universe has over 100 billion galaxies with over 100 billion stars each in them:
It’s also why, even though I’m not convinced there’s anything near us, I am convinced that we’re not alone. Having said that, it’s been theorized that even if we aren’t alone, it’s not entirely clear that another civilization would be nearby, at our equal stage of development (so that we could communicate electronically), or that the other civilizations would even exist at exactly the same time that we exist – meaning, something existed a long time ago, died off, we existed, then we die off, then another civilization peaks somewhere else.
And let’s not even get into the problem that the immense distances pose. We could receive a signal from a distant civilization, but it might have been sent a million years ago. Would they even still exist, let alone even if they did, what would they be like after a million years of civilization?
Anywhere this video about the Hubble telescope, and the Ultra Deep Field, got me thinking of these matters. I’ve always loved astronomy. And these kind of videos reignite that passion for me, big time
John then posted this classic video of the Hubble deep field:
I’m with John 100%. I have always loved astronomy. I love being reminded of the immensity and scope of the universe. I love being reminded of how petty, small, and unimportant all our problems are, and how insignificantly tiny is the entirety of human history. I love the idea that as much as we have discovered about the universe and its laws, our understanding is still in its bare infancy.
I also love the idea that every culture as it exists today will likely be destroyed and forgotten, and that all that matters is the advancement of our understanding the universe, and our adherence to basic moral principles of truth, justice, and equal rights. I love that the passage of time and greater connectivity will hopefully eradicate ignorance, fundamentalism, inequality and suffering from every corner of the globe in which they fester. I hope that one day we will discover and communicate with other intelligent life beyond our system, and they will in turn impart to us the wisdom of their longer experience and insight into not only the physical sciences, but moral philosophy as well. I love the idea that even if humanity wrecks itself on the shores of time, some other race on some other planet still carries forward the torch. And I hold out hope that it is not the fate of intelligent species to destroy themselves, or that if it is in some cases, that some intelligent race out there is watching us and will intervene on our benighted behalf to stop us before it’s too late.
I believe that humanity is struggling with old problems that will hopefully become as obsolete as heredity kingship, feudalism and primogeniture are today, and that the thievery and unsustainability of multinational corporations will tomorrow be as quaint and appalling as high seas piracy and slavery are today.
My only regret is that I the atoms in my body may be scattered as stardust before I manage to see that day.
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