eburacum
Papo-furado
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2005
- Messages
- 5,777
Link to the APOD page in question. That really does look odd.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191008.html
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191008.html
OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIVERSE COULD BE FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG, ASTRONOMERS SAY
Source: Independent Newspaper
Date: 4 November, 2019
The cosmos could be a different 'shape' than we thought, new data suggests.
Newly released data from the Planck Telescope, which aimed to take very precise readings of the shape, size and ancient history of our universe, suggests that there could be something wrong in our physics, according to a new paper.
https://www-independent-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/universe-shape-expanding-planck-constant-a9184711.html?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&&usqp=mq331AQCKAE=#referrer=https://www.google.com&_tf=From %1$s&share=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/universe-shape-expanding-planck-constant-a9184711.html
That title is 'exciting' hype.
OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIVERSE COULD BE FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG, ASTRONOMERS SAY ...
That title is 'exciting' hype.
Where do you think that leaves us then?Most of these papers seem to end up challenging the viability of the Planck and / or Hubble constants (as those have been defined to date).
Where do you think that leaves us then? ...
Fairly certain, others will also appreciate the time you have taken here.It leaves the astrophysicists and cosmologists where they've been all along - in need of updating their models, equations, etc., in light of apparently solid observational data.
Over the last several years a number of satellite sensor / telescope platforms and increasingly powerful terrestrial telescope arrays have come online. These additional "eyes" allow us to "see" farther and with greater discrimination than was previously possible.
The emerging result is a deluge of new data that doesn't readily fit into the more speculative aspects of extant models or theories. These aspects tend to be speculations about the biggest, most all-encompassing, issues - e.g., the shape of the universe, its age, etc.
Astronomy and cosmology are arguably the most speculative of the physical sciences, because they must interpret and make sense of observations of things we cannot directly access. Extant models or hypotheses concerning these "biggest questions" (age, shape, etc.) are speculations based on a series or stack of other such speculations.
The immediate concern in reconciling new data with extant and / or possible theoretical models is figuring out whether the observational data is subject to previously unsuspected variations (distortions; whatever) or the overall mass of observational evidence in hand is sound enough to clearly mandate tweaking or overturning the current models (etc.).
In other words, it's exactly what one wishes to see happen in a healthy adaptive approach to scientific inquiry.
That was an accomplished precis, which, personally, I have no disagreement with whatsoever...it's exactly what one wishes to see happen in a healthy adaptive approach to scientific inquiry.
... So, how do your conclusions sit with... say, my own?
Have mentioned elsewhere on the forum, my late dad's response, when, about 12-14 years old, I was lamenting how it seemed impossible to reconcile the, 'big bang', where a, 'God' fitted in to all of this, etc.
'The more you know son, the more you realise you don't know'. ...
Hayabusa-2: Japan spacecraft leaves asteroid to head home
Japan's Hayabusa-2 spacecraft has departed from a faraway asteroid and begun its yearlong journey back to Earth.
- 5 hours ago
The spacecraft left its orbit around Ryugu on Wednesday with samples of the asteroid in tow.
Hayabusa-2 is expected to return to Earth in late 2020, completing its successful multi-year mission.
etc