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tama

(9,137 posts)
78. QED,
Fri Sep 28, 2012, 01:00 AM
Sep 2012

a wonder of math, speaks of "probability amplitudes". "Photons from the Universe falling" is very loose and confusing language as far as the theory goes, not least because of the mystery that what we see is not a random blur of falling photons - but stars! Attempts to think clearly about quantum measurement problem and decoherence (and about sensual experience itself!?!) require letting go of Newtonian and even Einsteinian notions of time and causality. That's why the guy said "shut up and calculate". And of course we don't.

I like to look up at night and think about all the photons from the Universe falling on my retina. tridim Sep 2012 #1
On a hot day I visualize a sphere the size of earth's orbit cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #3
See: Dyson Sphere. Ikonoklast Sep 2012 #7
I give a problem like that to my algebra students central scrutinizer Sep 2012 #9
QED, tama Sep 2012 #78
Thanks for this. Smickey Sep 2012 #2
I suspose there also could have been more than one big bang as well. ZombieHorde Sep 2012 #4
In fact, that seems to be a consequence of the inflationary theories caraher Sep 2012 #5
Well yea, our big bang (or whatever it is) is still banging. So it's happening now. tridim Sep 2012 #6
You know those five stripes represent the five pillars of Islam, right? Blue_In_AK Sep 2012 #8
This speculative theory as I understand it cpwm17 Sep 2012 #30
I just love how this theory expresses itself as a fractal. tridim Sep 2012 #48
I think it is almost guaranteed that our Universe isn't alone. cpwm17 Sep 2012 #31
In that context, "right now" has no meaning. GreenStormCloud Sep 2012 #110
"If it was possible somebody out there would have already done it"... bhikkhu Sep 2012 #10
Jack Chalker's Well World series covered that CBGLuthier Sep 2012 #98
way too deep Dedicated Mind Sep 2012 #11
I challenged my kids by asking musiclawyer Sep 2012 #12
to me, this photo just reinforces my own humble opinion ldf Sep 2012 #13
Orgasms RobertEarl Sep 2012 #15
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. CrispyQ Sep 2012 #22
No offense, but... eqfan592 Sep 2012 #26
Perhaps you could enlighten everyone with your wisdom cpwm17 Sep 2012 #29
I`ll take a stab at one... opiate69 Sep 2012 #36
This is what I was talking about. eqfan592 Sep 2012 #64
no worries. glad I could help and even happier I got it basically right! lol opiate69 Sep 2012 #99
You don't trust science cpwm17 Sep 2012 #39
Yes. Except there are no infinities, and if there were we could not observe them. bemildred Sep 2012 #42
"I don't understand this, so they can't either." Oy. (nt) Posteritatis Sep 2012 #44
pretty much pokerfan Sep 2012 #72
I agree 100% about there being no beginning of time. Brewinblue Sep 2012 #79
Nope, the rebounding cyclic universe idea is NOT gaining support. GreenStormCloud Sep 2012 #111
That doesn't help much cthulu2016 Oct 2012 #114
I'd be interested to get your take on one of my latest essays (reposted here): coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #102
We're alone. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #14
The Fermi Paradox isn't a "paradox" at all. EOTE Sep 2012 #17
Forget "visits". The galaxy should be saturated with radio noise. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #19
Of course it's just a belief. If it wasn't, we wouldn't be having this conversation. EOTE Sep 2012 #25
Question 1) there's only one electromagnetic spectrum lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #27
Question number one isn't really a question, it's a statement and a specious one at that. EOTE Sep 2012 #32
Allow me to chime in bongbong Sep 2012 #49
Sure, but not radio signals sent with the expressed intent of being found. EOTE Sep 2012 #50
Yummy bongbong Sep 2012 #105
Great movie (and book). EOTE Sep 2012 #109
a) they were answers to your questions. b) "specious" means plausible-looking falsehood. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #59
Specious means factually wrong, but pleasant looking. EOTE Sep 2012 #60
Your argument is undermined by the hyperbole deployed. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #61
Sorry, but you're working with a lot of fail here. eqfan592 Sep 2012 #65
The "available data" includes one datapoint of a planet with life. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #68
It's a baseline assumption that flies completely in the face of all probability. eqfan592 Sep 2012 #71
No it doesn't. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #76
One data point? eqfan592 Sep 2012 #80
Things that science has no evidence to be possible, are assumed to not exist cpwm17 Sep 2012 #75
There is also no evidence of Earth sized planets outside the solar system cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #81
Your belief is that advanced technological civilizations would be using our technology which is in EOTE Sep 2012 #92
I'm not operating on belief. You are. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #94
There is no intelligence to speak of. EOTE Sep 2012 #97
Clap louder Peter! lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #104
You appear to place rather a large amount of faith in your position. LanternWaste Sep 2012 #107
On the contrary, I place none at all. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #108
Oh, and another thing. EOTE Sep 2012 #93
No, I was trying to sort out your gibberish. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #95
If you're going to quote someone, you should actually use their words. EOTE Sep 2012 #96
Dude, you really should just stop. eqfan592 Sep 2012 #101
Some science fiction writers have dealt with that cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #45
This is one of my favorite sites: CrispyQ Sep 2012 #21
I get a weird sense when visiting that site, kind of like a fear of heights. EOTE Sep 2012 #33
A person could get lost in this website. Amazing! LuckyLib Sep 2012 #53
Excellent post, cthulu2016. Thanks. n/t pampango Sep 2012 #16
What pampango said! villager Sep 2012 #91
I (and some others I'm sure) immediately thought of this: KatyMan Sep 2012 #18
But no matter how you do the math, the answer is still 42. nt JustABozoOnThisBus Sep 2012 #20
+1 blogslut Sep 2012 #57
Yes, our metrics are useless outside of local scale/local space. bemildred Sep 2012 #23
Good observations, and I'd like to add: Amonester Sep 2012 #24
I came to this following conclusion long ago WCGreen Sep 2012 #28
Somebody who wanted to control other people invented god, I think...nt fadedrose Sep 2012 #35
I read it all, and sort of understood it... fadedrose Sep 2012 #34
The cake grew, and as it's cooling, it's getting smaller fadedrose Sep 2012 #54
That has always been a hot topic of debate. Open or closed universe? cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #62
I wondered about the light.... fadedrose Sep 2012 #66
It doesn't block the sun from us here. We're pretty close. cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #82
That's not dark matter, that's a buncha Photino Birds. Angry Photino Birds! Zalatix Sep 2012 #73
Einstein said, God does not play dice. Eddie Haskell Sep 2012 #37
When I was in high school, I used to stare up at the night sky and ponder... Speck Tater Sep 2012 #38
You hated social studies class but yet here you are on DU. There's an irony coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #103
Those who don't learn from history... Speck Tater Sep 2012 #106
The only plausible reason I can think of why a young person like you would coume to hate coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #112
BAck when I was in school, 60 years ago, memorizing names and dates Speck Tater Oct 2012 #113
I am so sorry. That regurgitation of trivia is so NOT what history (as coalition_unwilling Oct 2012 #117
The history I have always been interested in is... Speck Tater Oct 2012 #118
In the 1960s, this type of history (known variously as 'Social History') became coalition_unwilling Oct 2012 #120
I have always wondered if there is an end to space. RebelOne Sep 2012 #40
Our space probably does no go on and on. cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #41
and once it ends if it ends are there many others like it outside of where it ends JI7 Sep 2012 #63
More problems with the Fermi "paradox" Spike89 Sep 2012 #43
It's quite a treat to think about things like this. Alduin Sep 2012 #46
I always take some comfort from Giordano Bruno who pointed out that... Tom Rinaldo Sep 2012 #47
I'm going to hide under my desk now. nt Deep13 Sep 2012 #51
Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Sep 2012 #52
What WE think of as "The Universe" is just a tiny atom in the fingernail of a giant. n/t cherokeeprogressive Sep 2012 #55
. Zygoat Sep 2012 #88
One night when I was 9 years old Canuckistanian Sep 2012 #56
K&R! The universe is estimated to have 200 Billion galaxies and growing. JaneyVee Sep 2012 #58
....Yet there are pea brains right here on earth..... RagAss Sep 2012 #67
But ... I want to meet Mister Wuggles! Arugula Latte Sep 2012 #69
Calling Morris-Thorne... Calling Morris-Thorne... Zalatix Sep 2012 #70
Well, never say never cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #84
Very cool OP thanks. rudycantfail Sep 2012 #74
is the universe conscious? Zygoat Sep 2012 #77
If it is, it is on a very slow time scale cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #85
or very fast Zygoat Sep 2012 #86
Fun stuff ismnotwasm Sep 2012 #83
What? Zygoat Sep 2012 #87
Sure, though perhaps it could have been phrased better cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #89
It can't be any bigger than the notions here... littlemissmartypants Sep 2012 #90
Your magisterial post caused me to remember a quote from coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #100
CD nails it again. Thanks for this. n/t VOX Oct 2012 #116
Every object in our known existence has an inside and an outside. Is the universe inside something? VOX Oct 2012 #115
Or this: DiverDave Oct 2012 #119
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