Amateur Scientifics

Introduction

Welcome.

The previous page said there'll be no maths - here. 

This chap hardly says anything and there's none of his maths.

Alan (aka Francis) Harrison






Pages set out with a numbering system enable readers to refer to specifics in discussion and emails etc.

This page includes:

1  Enormity

2  Resources

3  Terminology

4  Quick itinerary

5.1  Realism

5.2  The universal  seesaw on which sits the future of humanity.

6  Your contribution


Our time is spent going round the universe in eighty minutes.


1  Enormity

  1. Our journey begins within an expanding universe.  

  3. This aspect is vital to understanding how it works.
  4.   
  5. It started expanding very soon after the Big Bang which is on our itinerary.

  7. The eventual demise is thought to include the possibility that the universe may contract. 

  9. Another vital aspect to comprehend is the sheer number of space objects included in billions of galaxies.  

  11. Billions upon billions of stars in each galaxy (such as our Milky Way) are all within the process of birth, development and demise.

  13. Those unimaginably-numerous stars include those with a high proportion of planets which are thought to be habitable by life of some sort.  

  15. You may later agree with me that there is too much research into the possibility of finding life and finding somewhere for humanity to go once the Earth is inhabitable by man.  

  17. They want to find life elsewhere so as to understand our evolution.  

  19. The second aim overlaps that concerning the continuity of mankind.

  21. Mars receives media attention meanwhile researchers focus on planets which could only be reached by rockets capable of carrying a few male and female experts and their children and catering  for fifty or more generations.

  23. If that is an enormity we will be looking at quantities and distances which involve amounts of the 

  25. order of 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 = 10²⁴ . 

2   Resources

  1. One aim is to give listeners keen to follow up the talk, a tangible, hard copy of some of the material used during the talk.

  3. This comes in a beautiful book which is detailed on the page after the "Talk - 50 mins".  here

  5. When you read red text (apart from page and present section titles) you'll know it's from the book.

  7. Most quotations are further resources as their origin is shown.

  9. Other resources are given in the Appendixes section.





3  Terminology

  1. Many, if not most topics, use specialised meanings for perhaps everyday words.  

  3. We left school understanding the basics of gravity, that our planet travels an orbit, and tidal flow has something to do with the moon.  

  5. We knew that light travels very fast.  

  7. Although the appendix named "Terms" is for those who want to delve further, some of the specialised terms we need are introduced and explained as needed.  

  9. Most do not find their way to the Terms page.

  11. Some quotations are stripped of unnecessary jargon and other less important text as shown by ....  .  You can see what they are by following up the source.





4  Quick itinerary.

  1. We take off from the TALK - 50 mins page.  A sentence and an image are offered to ponder upon during the talk.

  3. After that the book (2.1) detail is given.

  5. We proceed to where the universe began.  The Big Bang.  As it gave birth to the Universe, we look at it in that context.

  7. Knowing that we live in the Milky Way, but possibly unaware it's a galaxy, galaxies are next.

  9. Keeping in the spirit of our galactic address, the solar system is next.

  11. And then we reach Earth and few companions.  A cuppa looms during which you could invade your memory for UFOs.

  13. We'll need our strength for the little green men.  Building on such numbers as 

  15. 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 = 10²⁴   

  17. in respect to stars and their planets, we can ask the question about the green beings -

                                     Where are they?




5.1  Realism  


The dinosaurs, ... didn’t have a space program. And that’s why the dinosaurs are not here today. 



 
  1. Further to 1.15 and 1.21, as you will see on our journey, vast distances are involved in just checking that proposed habitable planets are going to work.

  3. If the aim is to rehouse significant population numbers elsewhere, starting with less than half a dozen people on a fifty- generation journey demands that the vehicle shall travel hundreds, even thousands, of times the present speed of rockets.

  5. The possibility of travelling at near-light-speed is under investigation by men in white coats.

  7. Our grand-children's grand-children times one hundred may be on board.  

  9. If man is still on board the Earth. 

  11. It seems to be a balance of research into venues near(er) and farther.  

  13. Mars is nearest but not a lot going for it.  more

  15. Planets many lifetimes distant may have more to offer.  

  17. What time's the next bus?  

  19. Advanced physicists etc are looking at beam-me-up-Scotty techniques to make travel quicker.  

  21. Not in our lifetime.

  23. If you take a look at evolution on Earth, 99.9 percent of all life forms have gone extinct. 

  25. When things change, either you adapt or die. 

  27. That’s the law of Mother Nature. 

  29. We face various hazards. 

  31. First of all, we have self-inflicted problems like global warming, nuclear proliferation and bio-engineered germ warfare. 

  33. Plus, Mother Nature has hurled at the Earth a number of extinction cycles. 

  35. The dinosaurs, for example, didn’t have a space program. And that’s why the dinosaurs are not here today.

  37. On the other hand, we shouldn’t use this as an excuse to pollute the Earth, or let global warming run amok. 

  39. We should cure these problems without having to leave for Mars or another planet, because it’s impossible to remove the entire population of Earth to Mars. 

  41. We’re talking about an insurance policy—a backup plan in case something does happen to the Earth. 

  43. I once talked to Carl Sagan about this, who said, 

  45. “We live in the middle of a shooting gallery with thousands of asteroids in our path that we haven’t even discovered yet.

  47.  So, let’s be at least a two-planet species, as a backup plan.”

5.2  The universal  seesaw on which sits the future of humanity.

We might go to Mars within 500 years and miss country walks

                                             OR

Wait 5000 years when there's enough £ to cart the then population to a lush planet via a worm hole (will draw diagram) within say five generations.

These thoughts are generated by 5.1.11


6  Your contribution

Feel free to ask questions and give your opinion on any aspect of the talk at the time.

The same applies when at home via the Contact page.