S4F: We Hold Universal Truths to Be Not Self-Evident
By David Siegel Bernstein, PhD
I spat out some enormous numbers in my last S4F, Fiction by the Numbers. I reported the size of the universe, but failed to give it any context. I intend to use this space (get it: space) to emphasize what we can and can never know about the universe.
Fact Statement: there is the universe we live in, and there is the universe we can see (the “observable” universe). They are not the same—not by a long shot!
There are distant regions of the universe whose emitted light hasn’t had enough time to reach us, but will at some distant time. We will see their light; just not for a long time. There are other regions we’ll sadly never observe because their light can never reach us due to the expansion pulling these areas of the universe away from us faster than the speed of light.
Wait! Did I say faster than light?
I believe I did.
An interesting property of the expansion is the speed-of-light speed limit is not violated. I report the numeric value of the expansion in Fiction by the Numbers. According to special relativity nothing within space can accelerate to speeds faster than light; however space itself has no such limitation. The speed limit only applies to the motion of light or objects IN space and doesn’t apply to how fast empty space between objects can expand. For a further discussion on relativity see my posting, Do You Know the Time? Part II.
Yes, there’s parts of the universe we’ll never know about, but this needn’t be bad news for a fiction writer. If you write SF are then use your unique sense of wonder—a writer’s trait—to imagine what is happing outside our small sphere.
See you in time and space… and S4F
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Authors: David Siegel Bernstein. Form: Column. Length: 500 words. Editor who accepted this story: Previous Editors.
Author Bio
Abandoned Towers Content: S4F: Black Holes (Don’t Really) Suck S4F: Black Holes Suck S4F: Can Anyone Intelligent Communicate with Me? Other Than My Earthling Friends. Part II S4F: Can Anyone Intelligent Communicate with Me? Other Than My Earthling Friends. S4F: Do You Know the Time? S4F: Do You Know the Time? Part II S4F: Do You Know the Time? Part III S4F: Fiction by the Numbers S4F: From Higgs to Holograms S4F: I Have Virtually Nothing to Say About Zero-Point Energy S4F: If You are Uncertain—Call a Quantum Mechanic for a Fix S4F: Infinity for Fun S4F: Infinity of Fun, Part II S4F: Invisibility, Science not Magic S4F: Meet David Siegel Bernstein – Forensic Statistician S4F: More or Less Human S4F: Much Ado About Nothing This Month S4F: Now Playing at the Opera—The Faster than Light Particle Experiment S4F: Paradox Found S4F: Paradox Lost S4F: Parallel Worlds S4F: Splicing Science from Fiction S4F: The End of Infinity (Infinity of Fun Part III) S4F: We Hold Universal Truths to Be Not Self-Evident S4F: What’s the Matter with Antimatter?
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March 8th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Interesting article!
Stealth is easier than cloaking, and we already have the technology.
March 30th, 2012 at 7:41 am
William you are absolutely correct. Invisibility (a descendant of Stealth) is not only easier to achieve, but a future topic. I thought I’d go over invisibility first to please those who enjoy Harry Potter, but want to write hard science fiction.
April 5th, 2012 at 5:39 am
Fascinating post. We are so much empty space and mostly water. Amazing to think how we can be beings of intelligence and creativity.