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Mark Lane's avatar

There are two distinct factions of the “United States” - middle and coasts.

A good friend of mine from Iowa told me the state’s name is the acronym for Idiots Out Walking Around.

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Mark Lane's avatar

I saw a humorous post today - “Have you noticed all the dishes and scopes searching for intelligent life in the universe are pointed away from Earth?”

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Bryan Padrick's avatar

And most certainly away from Iowa.

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Matthew Moran's avatar

Over the past 6 or 7 years, I've become fascinated with both physics and cosmology. I installed the Stellarium app on my phone and attempt to spot a planet or two every day (when weather permits).

It's the sheer vastness that trips me out the most. We are pretty small.

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Bryan Padrick's avatar

We are tiny. But not as tiny as other things. Check this site out: https://htwins.net/scale2/

I've used it in countless classes - usually just to give the kids a sense of perspective. If you click on the images, there's a good bit of info.

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Matthew Moran's avatar

I'll be honest, I was hoping at the greatest level of zoom the site would include the active brain capacity of some politicians... similar to Quantum foam, too small to measure. Of course, the objective is perspective and scientific information, so my editorializing is a personal issue.

I may have to modify an image of it when I write about it. ;-)

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Bryan Padrick's avatar

I think the problem is that you're assuming that - even at the tiniest level - such capacity exists.

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Matthew Moran's avatar

Boom!!!! That is a mind-blower... I love that! Thank you for sharing. I am likely to share it on an upcoming Substack. Of course, you've destroyed my productivity this morning as I am now just zooming in and out and clicking on things.

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Bryan Padrick's avatar

It's one of my favourite discoveries in years - I've used it many times in class. And I've also lost many, many hours of productivity losing myself in the detail and sheer size of things. Really glad you like it!

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Mark Lane's avatar

The JWST seems to be an enormous technological achievement. While I appreciate the new knowledge humankind will gain from this, I hope equivalent brainpower and resources dedicated to looking deeply into our own planet's situation uncover equally important and inspiring discoveries. Knowledge that will help humanity and all the other living entities with which we share this precious rock.

Thanks for selecting Moonage Daydream over Space Oddity!

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Bryan Padrick's avatar

I know. I hope the same. Brainpower and resources need to be focussed on our home, too. I worry sometimes that some of this is a surrender to the belief that we've just fucked it all up here - the idea that, well, maybe we can move off-planet as we can't solve issues here. I hope that's not the case, but ...

And, yes - though Space Oddity came to mind first, I just couldn't do it. And Moonage Daydream is so much better!

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