Big Scary Universe

[Mysturji]

When I lost god I gained faint vertigo.

Where were you the last time you had it?
Retrace your steps. You'll find it.

[Santa_Claus]

I saw a documentary about the Universe once. Apparently it all started a long time ago in a galaxy far far away - something to do with Jedi Knights. or summit

[Tero]

Santa, that was the comic book version. It was really 5 slightly drunk Vikings. The were missing the women, or at least sheep.

[Mr P]

This guy always makes it seem like a nice place.

[mistermack]

The realisation that all but a microscopic bit of the universe was utterly inhospitable to us reinforced my view that we got lucky with Earth. Some would have us believe that the entire universe was put here for our benefit - if so, why make it inaccessible?

I'm not sure that's entirely true.
It's inaccessible now, but look what's happened in the last 200 years.
It's not likely to be inaccessible for much longer (on the timescale of the universe).

What man needs to gain access to more of the universe is energy, and technology.
Energy is available in phenomenal quantities in the universe. Just look at the energy our Sun puts out, or the energy available in a bucket of water. ( once we perfect nuclear fusion ).
The acceleration in technology over the last 100 years has been astounding, but we are at present held back by energy costs. Once that is cracked, there will be a fantastic acceleration in progress towards colonising space.

The energy is out there in abundance. Solar panels in space are fantastically efficient.
In less than a thousand years, there will be more people living in space, than on the Earth. ( I think ). The Earth is nearly full. Space is limitless.

So the god squad will probably still argue that god made it all for our benefit. (till we meet the aliens)
.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Damn fucking right it's scary!

It is FUCKING FUCKING FUCKING HUGE!!1!!! for one thing!

And for another, it is FUCKING FUCKING FUCKING tiny.

And, at any moment, pretty much anything else that is in it could just randomly kill you without you even knowing it was coming - even bits of your own body that you weren't even aware that you possessed, because you were busy trying to get a glimpse of Sarah Wilkins' knickers during that biology lesson, could suddenly turn rogue, grow fearsome tumours, and suck out your life without so much as a, "by your leave"!

If you are not scared of pretty much EVERY FUCKING THING in the universe, you do not understand it! If you let that fear stop you from enjoying EVERY FUCKING MOMENT YOU SPEND HERE, you do not understand ANYTHING!!1!



I am getting dunk - and doing a great job of it - so, while i am pretty sure i am spouting "in vino veritas" at the moment, it is entirely possible that i have crossed the line into utter bollocks. the fact is, I don't fucking care which, so

[stripes4]

Yes. Nothing is really very scary once you get over the idea that one day you won't be here any more. I clocked that in my late thirties, had a bit of a crisis, and now I don't give a shit!!! It feels nice! Mind you, I was still too chicken to go on Oblivion at Alton Towers yesterday.

[Geoff]

The realisation that all but a microscopic bit of the universe was utterly inhospitable to us reinforced my view that we got lucky with Earth. Some would have us believe that the entire universe was put here for our benefit - if so, why make it inaccessible?

The cosy womb that religion creates allows people not to face the scale of the universe. The stars are just twinkles in the sky (and for some, literally put there by god to light our night), and having nothing but a rarified film of gas between us and instant death never has to impinge on one's consciousness.

That kinda reminds me of a wonderful SF short story by the great Arthur C Clarke: "The star"

http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/loung ... story.html

[charlou]

Is the Universe scary?

No. It just exists.


I've contemplated it most of my life, and still think it's beautiful.

[Atheist-Lite]

The 'universe' is part of the universe. Saying it can evoke scary things about it's nature and size becomes unimportant.

[mistermack]

I am getting dunk - and doing a great job of it - so, while i am pretty sure i am spouting "in vino veritas" at the moment, it is entirely possible that i have crossed the line into utter bollocks. the fact is, I don't fucking care which, so

Ahaaaaaaa, NOW I see. That explains a lot.
In that case I owe you an apology. You might have warned me though.
.

[Ian]

I've got a good-sized picture of the Orion Nebula hanging in my study. I think it's gorgeous, not scary.

The universe is a massive place, though, and plenty about it could have a negative impact on this warm little nest we call Earth. Asteroid impacts, gamma ray bursts, Klingon conquerors, etc. But it does little good to worry about such things.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

When I die my mind will be liberated from this corporeal shell and I will be able to soar through the Universe at the speed of thought, seeing wonders beyond my current comprehension. Then I will truly be one with the Universe.


That or I'll be a dead, dead, dead bag of protoplasm. 50-50, I think.

[hiyymer]

Yellowstone Park is about a 1000 miles west of where I live. When I was a kid I visited Yellowstone with my family. I thought the geysers were really cool, especially Old Faithful. A few years ago I watched a show on TV explaining that Yellowstone Park lies on top of a giant caldera. The land is gradually rising as the caldera bulges upwards ready to unexpectedly blow it's top making St Helens look like a tiny poof. If it did I would be smothered in a giant cascade of ash turning my lungs into useless crap. Those farther from the explosion wouldn't fare a lot better. Scientists believe that the Yellowstone caldera last blew some 300 or so thousand years ago and that it will probably happen again sometime in the next 100 or 200 thousand years. They also believe that a similar caldera, Toba, blew some 60 thousand years ago and reduced the population of humans to a few thousand survivors.

I only mention Yellowstone because it seems unavoidable, unlike the giant asteroid that has a high probability of hitting in a similar time frame. We are here because past extinction events accelerated the evolution of life on earth. It's odd because, although we know such things will almost surely happen again in the future, the chances of them happening in any one individual's lifetime are miniscule. Is that scary or just weird?

[Atheist-Lite]

Yellowstone Park is about a 1000 miles west of where I live. When I was a kid I visited Yellowstone with my family. I thought the geysers were really cool, especially Old Faithful. A few years ago I watched a show on TV explaining that Yellowstone Park lies on top of a giant caldera. The land is gradually rising as the caldera bulges upwards ready to unexpectedly blow it's top making St Helens look like a tiny poof. If it did I would be smothered in a giant cascade of ash turning my lungs into useless crap. Those farther from the explosion wouldn't fare a lot better. Scientists believe that the Yellowstone caldera last blew some 300 or so thousand years ago and that it will probably happen again sometime in the next 100 or 200 thousand years. They also believe that a similar caldera, Toba, blew some 60 thousand years ago and reduced the population of humans to a few thousand survivors.

I only mention Yellowstone because it seems unavoidable, unlike the giant asteroid that has a high probability of hitting in a similar time frame. We are here because past extinction events accelerated the evolution of life on earth. It's odd because, although we know such things will almost surely happen again in the future, the chances of them happening in any one individual's lifetime are miniscule. Is that scary or just weird?

Not so scary if you can afford to move away from Yellowstone to a safe distance. Survival favors the prepared.