So what IS the Cosmic Microwave Background, anyway? A few hundred thousand years after the Big Bang, things cooled down enough (to about 2,700 ˚C) that neutral matter like hydrogen and helium began to condense from a sea of charged protons and electrons. This released photons that have been propagating through space since that very moment. Of course, we know that the universe is expanding, right? Those photons are expanding along with it. We are detecting them at a distance in light years almost equal to the age of the universe itself, as they have been stretched and cooled to just above absolute zero (a few degrees Kelvin).  Why “microwave”? The photon wavelengths have expanded so much during the expansion of the universe that they now sit in the microwave range, like extending a Slinky into a single, straight wire! Check out this cool feature from Space.com to find out even more about the CMB, including how pigeon poop helped us figure out it even existed.
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So what IS the Cosmic Microwave Background, anyway?

A few hundred thousand years after the Big Bang, things cooled down enough (to about 2,700 ˚C) that neutral matter like hydrogen and helium began to condense from a sea of charged protons and electrons. This released photons that have been propagating through space since that very moment.

Of course, we know that the universe is expanding, right? Those photons are expanding along with it. We are detecting them at a distance in light years almost equal to the age of the universe itself, as they have been stretched and cooled to just above absolute zero (a few degrees Kelvin). 

Why “microwave”? The photon wavelengths have expanded so much during the expansion of the universe that they now sit in the microwave range, like extending a Slinky into a single, straight wire!

Check out this cool feature from Space.com to find out even more about the CMB, including how pigeon poop helped us figure out it even existed.

Planck-in’ on Billions and Billions I’m amazed that in 2013, we can still be smacked upside the head and reminded of how little we know about our universe. Even the most basic things about it. Like, how old it is. The European Space Agency’s Planck space telescope has collected 15.5 months worth of data on the Cosmic Microwave Background, or CMB (What’s that? Click here), and today they released the most detailed map ever of those oldest remnants of the Big Bang. It says that our universe is almost perfect. Almost.  The highlights from this new map include the finding that the universe is almost certainly 13.81 billion years old, about 100 million years older than previous estimates. And we got better estimates for the stuffness of stuff: 4.9 percent normal matter, 26.8 percent dark matter, and 68.3 percent dark energy. The universe is expanding, which is the whole reason that the CMB even exists, but this new map says it’s expanding slower than we thought.  The coolest part, though? The “almost perfect” part. The radiation that became the CMB was just sort of randomly splattered out, like we’d expect (and the randomness of the dots on the map above show that). But those little fluctuations aren’t the same everywhere! The universe appears to be slightly lopsided, and even rather cold in one part. The ESA folks say we may need “new physics” to explain why. Nice to know you cosmologists of the future will have something to work on :) Of course, all of this just goes for the observable universe. The rest, whatever it may be (or not be), has NO EDGE. Just like Hank Green reminds us. Phil Plait has tons more dirty details behind the Planck news at Bad Astronomy.
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Planck-in’ on Billions and Billions

I’m amazed that in 2013, we can still be smacked upside the head and reminded of how little we know about our universe. Even the most basic things about it. Like, how old it is.

The European Space Agency’s Planck space telescope has collected 15.5 months worth of data on the Cosmic Microwave Background, or CMB (What’s that? Click here), and today they released the most detailed map ever of those oldest remnants of the Big Bang. It says that our universe is almost perfect. Almost. 

The highlights from this new map include the finding that the universe is almost certainly 13.81 billion years old, about 100 million years older than previous estimates. And we got better estimates for the stuffness of stuff: 4.9 percent normal matter, 26.8 percent dark matter, and 68.3 percent dark energy. The universe is expanding, which is the whole reason that the CMB even exists, but this new map says it’s expanding slower than we thought. 

The coolest part, though? The “almost perfect” part. The radiation that became the CMB was just sort of randomly splattered out, like we’d expect (and the randomness of the dots on the map above show that). But those little fluctuations aren’t the same everywhere! The universe appears to be slightly lopsided, and even rather cold in one part. The ESA folks say we may need “new physics” to explain why. Nice to know you cosmologists of the future will have something to work on :)

Of course, all of this just goes for the observable universe. The rest, whatever it may be (or not be), has NO EDGE. Just like Hank Green reminds us. Phil Plait has tons more dirty details behind the Planck news at Bad Astronomy.

Happy Birthday to Stephen Hawking! The celebrated physicist is 71 years old today. One of our era’s most brilliant minds, he has contributed both to cosmological science as well as to the public’s understanding of the natural world. All this despite being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease 50 years ago, a diagnosis that usually means one has years to live, not decades. He is an example of both the strength of the human spirit and the power of the human mind. Celebrate by watching his 1992 film A Brief History of Time, free in its entirety, at Open Culture. Oh, and it’s also Elvis Presley’s birthday or something.
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Happy Birthday to Stephen Hawking!

The celebrated physicist is 71 years old today. One of our era’s most brilliant minds, he has contributed both to cosmological science as well as to the public’s understanding of the natural world. All this despite being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease 50 years ago, a diagnosis that usually means one has years to live, not decades. He is an example of both the strength of the human spirit and the power of the human mind.

Celebrate by watching his 1992 film A Brief History of Time, free in its entirety, at Open Culture.

Oh, and it’s also Elvis Presley’s birthday or something.

staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info

staceythinx:

Illustrations by Moonrunner

About Moonrunner:

Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen.

Click on the images to see what they represent.

That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 

If you had in this chair some of the people who developed quantum mechanics back in the 1920s or 1930s, and you said to them, ‘What is this stuff gonna DO for us?’ they’d say ‘Probably not much, we’re trying to understand molecules and atoms, very far from everyday life.’

But the fact that you have a cell phone, the fact that you have a personal computer, the fact that there’s wondrous medical technology that’s saving lives around the world today all relies on the integrated circuit, which comes from quantum mechanics.

Quantum mechanics are responsible for something like 35% of the Gross National Product. Which is just to say fundamental research at a given moment in time can have big implications when you allow it to mature.

Cosmologist Brian Greene, in an interview with The Daily Beast.

Investing in basic science must be disconnected from traditional returns, and instead viewed as an investment in the intellectual capital of tomorrow. It’s hard to put a price tag on inspiration, and Goldman Sachs has yet to write an algorithm to predict the science of the future.

Check out his Newsweek cover story “Welcome to the Multiverse” including the rest of the interview.

alchymista: Illustrated here is a geologic map of Venus’s northern hemisphere, based off radar data from the Venera 15 and 16 orbiters, Pioneer Venus orbiter, and Earth-based radar telescopes. The colors indicate various features on the surface, such as plains in yellow and light green; mountains in purple, green and blue; and volcanoes in light red and pink. (View More Planetary Maps at the Telegraph) If you can handle the temperatures hot enough to melt lead and the caustic acid atmosphere, Venus really does look like a nice place to visit and sightsee.
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alchymista:

Illustrated here is a geologic map of Venus’s northern hemisphere, based off radar data from the Venera 15 and 16 orbiters, Pioneer Venus orbiter, and Earth-based radar telescopes. The colors indicate various features on the surface, such as plains in yellow and light green; mountains in purple, green and blue; and volcanoes in light red and pink. (View More Planetary Maps at the Telegraph)

If you can handle the temperatures hot enough to melt lead and the caustic acid atmosphere, Venus really does look like a nice place to visit and sightsee.

cwnl: Black Hole Caught Firing Cosmic Bullets Astronomers have captured an image of a black hole firing off two enormous “bullets” of ionized gas at nearly a quarter the speed of light. The cosmic explosion produces as much energy in an hour as the sun emits in five years. The black hole, named H1742-322, sits near the galactic center, approximately 28,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. Using the Very Large Baseline Array — a set of 10 radio telescopes located over a range of 5,000 miles — researchers produced extremely detailed images of the black hole during the ejection. “If your eyes were as sharp as the VLBA, you could see a person on the moon,” said physicist Gregory Sivakoff of the University of Alberta, who presented the findings Jan. 10 here at the American Astronomical Society meeting. Pew pew pew! Cosmic bullets raining down!  Pew pew! There’s a very nice animation from NASA explaining more about this here, I suggest you check it out, if you have the means.
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cwnl:

Black Hole Caught Firing Cosmic Bullets

Astronomers have captured an image of a black hole firing off two enormous “bullets” of ionized gas at nearly a quarter the speed of light. The cosmic explosion produces as much energy in an hour as the sun emits in five years.

The black hole, named H1742-322, sits near the galactic center, approximately 28,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius.

Using the Very Large Baseline Array — a set of 10 radio telescopes located over a range of 5,000 miles — researchers produced extremely detailed images of the black hole during the ejection.

“If your eyes were as sharp as the VLBA, you could see a person on the moon,” said physicist Gregory Sivakoff of the University of Alberta, who presented the findings Jan. 10 here at the American Astronomical Society meeting.

Pew pew pew! Cosmic bullets raining down!  Pew pew!

There’s a very nice animation from NASA explaining more about this here, I suggest you check it out, if you have the means.

(via ikenbot)

Celebrate Stephen Hawking’s 70th Birthday with Errol Morris’ Film, A Brief History of Time

Today, January 8th, marks Stephen Hawking’s 70th birthday. He’s the most famous theoretical physicist of all time, one of our greatest minds, subdued in a paralyzed body.

Celebrate his life and work with the complete film A Brief History of Time, directed by Errol Morris, music by Philip Glass.

(via Open Culture)

Source: openculture.com