The better way to measure cosmic time For some reason, when we talk about the age of stars, galaxies, and the Universe, we use "years" to measure time. Can we do better? $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 22 hours 22h Share
The Universe might never run out of hydrogen The most common element in the Universe, vital for forming new stars, is hydrogen. But there's a finite amount of it; what if we run out? $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 1 day 1d Share
The unsurprising non-detection of intelligent aliens Life arose on Earth very early on. After a few billion years, here we are: intelligent and technologically advanced. Where's everyone else? $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 2 days 2d Share
If photons have mass, could they explain dark matter? Our Universe requires dark matter in order to make sense of things, astrophysically. Could massive photons do the trick? $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 3 days 3d Share
The idea that matter is mostly empty space is mostly wrong Practically all of the matter we see and interact with is made of atoms, which are mostly empty space. Then why is reality so solid? $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 6 days 6d Share
The big idea of Grand Unified Theories of physics If the electromagnetic and weak forces unify to make the electroweak force, maybe, at higher energies, something even grander happens? $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 7 days 7d Share
Not a constant: the Hubble "constant" changes over time The Universe is expanding, and the Hubble constant tells us how fast. But how can it be a constant if the expansion is accelerating? $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 8 days 8d Share
Does light itself truly have an infinite lifetime? In all the Universe, only a few particles are eternally stable. The photon, the quantum of light, has an infinite lifetime. Or does it? $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 9 days 9d Share
No, the expanding Universe doesn't break the speed of light Yes, the Universe is expanding, but if you've ever wondered, "How fast is it expanding," the answer isn't in terms of a speed at all. $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 10 days 10d Share
The consequences of traveling in a straight line forever Is the Universe finite or infinite? Does it go on forever or loop back on itself? Here's what would happen if you traveled forever. $$ medium.com medium.com / feeds medium-com-starts-with-a-bang / / #science / / 13 days 13d Share