I’m a bit of a science nerd at times. I have a layman’s fascination with astrophysics and love watching programs and videos, reading books, and visiting exhibits on the many topics it covers. (Long time readers of the blog may remember these classic science posts on the Large Hadron Collider, the Big Bang, and dark matter.) And that’s what brings you today’s #InkRipples moment of inspiration.
The boys joke that when they see too many cool things (i.e. trains, fire trucks, police cars, construction vehicles, and the like), their heads explode, complete with hand gestures and sound effects. I feel that way about science. It can make my head spin, but it’s an endless source of head-explosion moments…and inspiration!
The thing about science is that it can make you feel very insignificant, as it does in this video about how small we are in comparison to the largest known star. (I may have shared this video and the following one on the Observation Desk before, but they are totally worth a rewatch if you’ve already seen them.)
With information like that, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the large scale of the Universe and to think that nothing you could ever do in your puny, little lifetime could have any kind of lasting effect. So before you begin to despair, let me share this next video with you, which I think helps us to appreciate the intricate way we are all connected to each other and the Universe. When famous astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson was asked what the most astounding fact in the Universe was, he head this to say:
So now I want to know what kinds of things induce your head-explosion moments.
I remember a math teacher in high school who began and ended every lesson with a lament about how small and insignificant we were, considering the vast universe… Otherwise he was a brilliant teacher. But his lessons left many of us young’uns is despair.
I like your post a lot better!
Thanks, Mirka! I think it’s always important to end on a positive, lest we shall all despair.
Gosh, studying science is like getting a glimpse into the mind of God. It has always boggled my mind how finely tuned the constants of the universe are … here’s a video explaining it that I think you’ll enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSa7cq3QOwU
Very interesting video, Vijaya! Thanks for sharing. For those of faith or science (or both), I think it’s important to recognize that they aren’t mutually exclusive. The Golden Ratio is another fascinating look at how the tiny details shape so many things in the Universe. More evidence that our world is truly a miracle!
Golden Ratio video
You have a wonderful head-exploding field. I find anything to do with science worthy of time and consideration.
LOL! Yes, science has no shortage of head-exploding moments. It’s always nice to find a fellow appreciator.