Friday, November 10, 2006

Insignificant compared to....

I have to stop watching the Discovery Channel. Maybe even stop with the National Geographic Channel too. There are so many facisinating things we, earthlings, are learning. My mind just can't comprehend all this information.

We are sending unmanned submarines to the bottoms of the ocean and the pictures they send back show things that even the most talented science fiction writer couldn't have come up with. Vents, tube worms, crustations, fish, fisures. We have even taken pictures of giant squid... now that's enought to scare the stuff'n out of Jules Vern.

Going the other direction, as in up, we have the stars and much, much more. Thanks to the Hubble Telescope we find how really insignificant we are. Our tiny solar system is in orbit in the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy, which is 100,000 light years wide, has million upon millions (if not billions upon billions) of solar systems of which we are only a very small one. In addition, there are billions of galaxies besides the Milky Way. Many of these are much larger than the paltry 100,000 light year width of the Milky Way.

Just think about all the things we have learned in the past 100 years. Think about what life was like on earth way back then. If you brought someone from 1906 into todays world they would be awe struck. Our gadgets like cell phones and home computers... how 'bout the internet and what information is available at anyones finger tips. Show them a 747 as it comes in for a landing and then take them for a tour of the plane. Maybe a trip to see a shuttle launch or just an I-Max movie. A ride in a race car or just a ride down the interstate. Go to a grocery store or mall. Maybe even the simpler things like toilets, bathtubs, stoves, central heat and air conditioning. We clearly live in an ever changing environment. Even with all the worldly things that are amazing, to say the least, these things don't even begin to compare to the wonders mother nature has come up with all around us... from here to eternity wonders abound.

I feel frustrated that I can't come up with the words that even begin to communicate how awsome things are.

Pictures

Here are some pictures of galaxies that may get your imagination going: click here.

If you feel like you would rather stay earth bound then here are just some of the bazillion under water pictures, these of ocean vents.

The following picture was taken by the Hubble Telescope. The "view" from the Hubble is quite small it is limitied to less than half of one percent of the universe. All of these "dots" of light are other galaxies... think about that.


"Mister Scott... we need all power to the warp engines and we need it NOW," said Captain Kirk as he turned and sat in the bridge command chair.

"You've got it Cap'n," came the reply over the intercom

"Warp factor 9 Mr. Sulu.... engage," said Kirk.....

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