Another Thread To Make You Feel Wonderfully Insignificant

Started by HannibalBarca, October 03, 2017, 12:11:45 AM

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HannibalBarca

There's a bad feeling of insignificance, and a good feeling.  I think this video does a good job of the latter sort:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HHyg8KodCA&t=11s

The music certainly adds to the effect, doesn't it?  And while I don't believe we've ever been visited by life from elsewhere, I find it near-inconceivable that with one hundred billions stars on average in each galaxy (ours has around 300 billion, Andromeda one trillion or so), and over one trillion galaxies, that there is no life elsewhere in the observable Universe.  It is likely that the Universe is far larger beyond what we can observe, with some astrophysicists considering it could well be infinite.
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The Green One

This is amazing! It does make you feel small but it's so wonderful to see!

Thank you for sharing~

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RedRose

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midnightblack

I've entertained a similar feeling when I saw the Hubble Deep Field, which is basically a minuscule patch of dark sky that, under prolonged exposure, turns out to be littered with thousands of bright points, each of them being a galaxy counting hundreds of billions of stars. Shivers me silly.  ::)

Quote from: Hannibal BarcaI find it near-inconceivable that with one hundred billions stars on average in each galaxy (ours has around 300 billion, Andromeda one trillion or so), and over one trillion galaxies, that there is no life elsewhere in the observable Universe.

Not only inconceivable, but actually mathematically incorrect. There's a theorem in probability theory called the Law of Large Numbers. Simply put, when applied to this problem the theorem states that even if it is extremely unlikely to find intelligent life in orbit around a single, randomly picked star in the Universe, the overwhelming number of stars makes this probability shoot up to near-certainty if you search long enough. It's just that, with space being so big and all, it remains unlikely to ever meet strangers, at least in a reasonable future. If something out there is able to traverse cosmic spans with the same ease that human beings go for a roadside picnic, it's possible that we would remain little ignorant ants with respect to its voyage. Never even realize it was here.
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himawari

I saw a size comparison video of our planet vs like some of the biggest stars in our universe/galaxy thing. Damn we smol.
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Arianna

Quote from: HannibalBarca on October 03, 2017, 12:11:45 AM
There's a bad feeling of insignificance and a good feeling.  I think this video does a good job of the latter sort:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HHyg8KodCA&t=11s

The music certainly adds to the effect, doesn't it?  And while I don't believe we've ever been visited by life from elsewhere, I find it near-inconceivable that with one hundred billions stars on average in each galaxy (ours has around 300 billion, Andromeda one trillion or so), and over one trillion galaxies, that there is no life elsewhere in the observable Universe.  It is likely that the Universe is far larger beyond what we can observe, with some astrophysicists considering it could well be infinite.

The music does help create an outer body feeling... Thank you, I randomly found your post and can't stop replaying this... lol

Ket

Quote from: annarose on November 29, 2017, 10:25:51 PM
I saw a size comparison video of our planet vs like some of the biggest stars in our universe/galaxy thing. Damn we smol.

You mean like this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoW8Tf7hTGA
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HannibalBarca

“Those who lack drama in their
lives strive to invent it.”   ― Terry Masters
"It is only when we place hurdles too high to jump
before our characters, that they learn how to fly."  --  Me
Owed/current posts
Sigs by Ritsu

HannibalBarca

“Those who lack drama in their
lives strive to invent it.”   ― Terry Masters
"It is only when we place hurdles too high to jump
before our characters, that they learn how to fly."  --  Me
Owed/current posts
Sigs by Ritsu