Well, I guess I know what my meditation will be on today. Hopefully opening my mind to the possibility of the meta verse will help calm my irritation about the 1977 job list from the 7 other things. It is equally as hard to wrap my mind around that as it is the 200 billion trillion stars.
I am always intrigued by discussions of the possibilities of the universe in its infinite glory. I know, I'm a little weird. But just playing with the unimaginable numbers is eye opening with the possibilities.
I know scientifically there is much more to it than the numbers, but I like the purity of numbers in this case. I especially liked your Stars per Person approach, hadn't thought of that one before. Thanks for the new look at this.
After two days of articles involving space in some way I was reminded of experiences I had years ago.
Early in my newspaper career I was fortunate enough to travel for several years on corporate jets. These planes typically cruise at around 45,000’, well above the altitude used by commercial flights. I recall many times sitting mesmerized as I was able to see vastly different colors and actually recognize the curve of the horizon. This was probably more evident at sunrise and dusk. Sitting in the jump seat behind the pilots was always a blast, especially during landings and takeoffs!
Beautiful piece, Bill, thank you. But . . . but . . . Marie Kondo is messy now? I’m gonna need to see that pale blue dot to soothe my bewildered brain.
When you start to consider things like our place in the universe or how much of a miracle it is that we are all here reading this newsletter as we hurtle through space and time for a brief moment it it usually bring me to my sitcom catch phrase of “ Hey man,
Sorry Bill, I don’t have any storage room for those stars…..maybe I could put one small one in my backyard!
Being earthbound as we humans are, there are billions of things on our magnificent blue marble that are wondrous, mysterious, mind expanding and thought provoking. Just walk outside.
Sorry Bill, I don’t have any storage room for those stars…..maybe I could put one small one in my backyard!
Being earthbound as we humans are, there are billions of things on our magnificent blue marble that are wondrous, mysterious, mind expanding and thought provoking. Just walk outside.
If ever there was a written passage that prompted me to look into ADHD meds, this was it.
I don’t know, maybe it was all the math, but I could not follow today. I read, and reread, most of every sentences, but what I got out of it is we’re a spec in this unbelievably immeasurable, gigantic entity.
Funnily enough I looked into the cheese testing thing a few days ago! Sadly I'm ineligible for two reasons: I don't have a smartwatch or fitness tracker, and there's only one bed in the house. In order to sleep alone, either my husband or I would have to sleep in the van.
Our discussion on the subject ended before we got to draw straws. 😠
I was hit with the “Sign up or sign in to read more” message when I clicked on the “7OT” about Russian criminals. Maybe that’s why nobody’s talking about it. I had to google variations of the main theme, but accessible articles pulled up.
Some of these convicts are just monsters. I read one story of a guy who paid a killer to murder his business partner and his family…pregnant wife, two young kids. Details involved an axe and a machine gun.
Thinking of these hard core criminals getting a free pass back into society if they survive 6 months of fighting for Russia just leaves me speechless. I’m reminded of Hannibal Lector at the end of Silence of the Lambs, tilting his fedora and easing back into the crowd, “I’m having an old friend for dinner…”
It’s difficult for me to be in awe of stars after reading this, but the main story and yesterday’s Overview Effect both help with perspective. They help me see that we’re all inhabiting this tiny spec of significance together. Maybe from Darrell’s corporate jet or hitting a golf ball from the moon, more people will realize the enormity of wars or pardoned murderers differently in relation to their own comfortable existence.
Who cares about the number of stars, Bill. Marie Kondo has given up on tidying! This is truly the canary in the coal mine and the end of the world as we know it. I guess the stars will burn out soon, too.
You may have been caught by the click-bait version of an announcement about NASA’s Psyche mission.
By “visiting” they mean flyby, at several kilometers per second.
No stopping to get samples
Some groups are working on mining mineral from asteroids and such, but not everyone knowledgeable believes that this will make economic sense in the near future.
ZBLAN optical fiber is worth tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram, and just forming it in orbit from stock carefully prepared on Earth, may or may not become a profitable business.
And by the laws of economics, nothing can be worth multiples of the world economy. If by magic more of any commodity is obtained than the current consumption , the price would fall.
Great lead article today - don't miss it!
Hi Bill, love your work, read daily, always intrigued. Spotting more errors lately though, happy to proofread - if you're interested :)
Again love the work.
If the mattress company provides wine with that cheese, I’m there!
Well, I guess I know what my meditation will be on today. Hopefully opening my mind to the possibility of the meta verse will help calm my irritation about the 1977 job list from the 7 other things. It is equally as hard to wrap my mind around that as it is the 200 billion trillion stars.
I am always intrigued by discussions of the possibilities of the universe in its infinite glory. I know, I'm a little weird. But just playing with the unimaginable numbers is eye opening with the possibilities.
I know scientifically there is much more to it than the numbers, but I like the purity of numbers in this case. I especially liked your Stars per Person approach, hadn't thought of that one before. Thanks for the new look at this.
After two days of articles involving space in some way I was reminded of experiences I had years ago.
Early in my newspaper career I was fortunate enough to travel for several years on corporate jets. These planes typically cruise at around 45,000’, well above the altitude used by commercial flights. I recall many times sitting mesmerized as I was able to see vastly different colors and actually recognize the curve of the horizon. This was probably more evident at sunrise and dusk. Sitting in the jump seat behind the pilots was always a blast, especially during landings and takeoffs!
Beautiful piece, Bill, thank you. But . . . but . . . Marie Kondo is messy now? I’m gonna need to see that pale blue dot to soothe my bewildered brain.
Thanks for spacing out with us!
When you start to consider things like our place in the universe or how much of a miracle it is that we are all here reading this newsletter as we hurtle through space and time for a brief moment it it usually bring me to my sitcom catch phrase of “ Hey man,
Just go for a bike ride.”
Haha, thank you!
Sorry Bill, I don’t have any storage room for those stars…..maybe I could put one small one in my backyard!
Being earthbound as we humans are, there are billions of things on our magnificent blue marble that are wondrous, mysterious, mind expanding and thought provoking. Just walk outside.
Sorry Bill, I don’t have any storage room for those stars…..maybe I could put one small one in my backyard!
Being earthbound as we humans are, there are billions of things on our magnificent blue marble that are wondrous, mysterious, mind expanding and thought provoking. Just walk outside.
How about 380 trillion viruses on the planet...and not any yet seen by man. Nut sorting job? Plenty of "nuts" need sorting the DC.
If ever there was a written passage that prompted me to look into ADHD meds, this was it.
I don’t know, maybe it was all the math, but I could not follow today. I read, and reread, most of every sentences, but what I got out of it is we’re a spec in this unbelievably immeasurable, gigantic entity.
And math is still kicking my ass.
Great post!
Funnily enough I looked into the cheese testing thing a few days ago! Sadly I'm ineligible for two reasons: I don't have a smartwatch or fitness tracker, and there's only one bed in the house. In order to sleep alone, either my husband or I would have to sleep in the van.
Our discussion on the subject ended before we got to draw straws. 😠
I was hit with the “Sign up or sign in to read more” message when I clicked on the “7OT” about Russian criminals. Maybe that’s why nobody’s talking about it. I had to google variations of the main theme, but accessible articles pulled up.
Some of these convicts are just monsters. I read one story of a guy who paid a killer to murder his business partner and his family…pregnant wife, two young kids. Details involved an axe and a machine gun.
Thinking of these hard core criminals getting a free pass back into society if they survive 6 months of fighting for Russia just leaves me speechless. I’m reminded of Hannibal Lector at the end of Silence of the Lambs, tilting his fedora and easing back into the crowd, “I’m having an old friend for dinner…”
It’s difficult for me to be in awe of stars after reading this, but the main story and yesterday’s Overview Effect both help with perspective. They help me see that we’re all inhabiting this tiny spec of significance together. Maybe from Darrell’s corporate jet or hitting a golf ball from the moon, more people will realize the enormity of wars or pardoned murderers differently in relation to their own comfortable existence.
Who cares about the number of stars, Bill. Marie Kondo has given up on tidying! This is truly the canary in the coal mine and the end of the world as we know it. I guess the stars will burn out soon, too.
You may have been caught by the click-bait version of an announcement about NASA’s Psyche mission.
By “visiting” they mean flyby, at several kilometers per second.
No stopping to get samples
Some groups are working on mining mineral from asteroids and such, but not everyone knowledgeable believes that this will make economic sense in the near future.
ZBLAN optical fiber is worth tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram, and just forming it in orbit from stock carefully prepared on Earth, may or may not become a profitable business.
And by the laws of economics, nothing can be worth multiples of the world economy. If by magic more of any commodity is obtained than the current consumption , the price would fall.
We still gotta eat.