Calculating the Center of the Universe

I watched Interstellar for the fourth time today - hence the geeky title of this post! It is definitely my favorite movie of all time, simply because it makes me think.


What are we doing here, on this tiny little planet, scattered amongst a sea of stardust? Why not abandon silly little constructs like currency and wealth and pool our resources to pursue the beauty and adventure that nature has to offer?


Yeah, I know, there are a lot of reasons why that can't happen, but I still wish it was possible. I want to experience another planet - just think of it! Our Earth is so beautiful, but it's one of trillions of planets in our universe. (cue Cooper's line: "this world's a treasure, Donald, but it's been telling us to leave for a while now"). There's so much out there to find if only people were motivated by passion rather than greed.


Anyway, semi-random thought: where is the center of our universe? Where did this supposed "Big Bang" begin? It seems like a discovery of utmost significance, possibly bordering on spirituality, would be waiting there in the place where existence began.


Doing some quick research, I found that scientists really have no clue whether there's a center to the universe. In fact, many think there isn't one. Apparently, no matter where you are in space, it always looks like the stars are moving away from you. That sounds kind of confusing, but it can be explained (or at least speculated on) by looking at a balloon.


Take any old balloon. With a marker, draw some dots on the surface. Maybe ten or so. As you inflate the balloon, the dots will all move away from each other.


So it's like the surface of that balloon... only in 3D. Hurts my brain.


Just a thought-experiment:


Imagine we could build a machine that could sense all the mass in the universe and accurately map it on a sphere. The readings might look like this:

(most yellow = least mass, most red = most mass)
The "reddest" region is in the direction of the center of the universe.

And if we sent a probe out, say, a light-year or so, we'd have two overlapping readings which might look like:

(Probe's readings + the line from Earth)
With two lines, we have an intersection in 2D space, and a more accurate estimation.

 This process would be repeated with at least two more probes to essentially triangulate the center of the universe in 3D space, the same way your phone can be triangulated with four or more satellites (although I don't have a diagram for that one - my Photoshop skills end here).

Of course, such a machine is undeniably impossible right now - our means of calculating masses and velocities of galaxies are rough and usually "ball-park" estimates. But still... I have these weird thoughts sometimes... That's what watching sci-fi does to me - I can't help it. For now, I'll just have to be content with my mother's sarcastic statement: "Drew, everyone knows that the center of the universe is YOU." Yeaahhh... thanks mom, I guess.

Time

One of the most frustrating things in life is the hopeless, infinite lack of time. We can never have enough for all the things that count: the HUGE bucket lists AND prominent careers (or school)  AND happy, picturesque families AND hobbies, and, and, and... We want to do everything, but in those moments when we feel overwhelmed, we want to sit back, relax, drink hot chocolate, waste time into oblivion, think of the here and now. Occasionally, when we are able to make time for everything, we have fun - we love it! - and then it ends. Looking back, the time is gone, and it may as well have never happened, because we can never experience it again.

In school, we hear about the geological time scale, the biography of Earth (what, some four-billion years long?) and yet, here we are, and those four-billion years can never be reclaimed. Then we go to anatomy to learn about our frail bodies, then on to biology to learn how our dead corpses will be welcomed back into the elements as we decompose in our graves. Then on to history, to reminisce about the billions of lives that have come before ours, shining like flares, only to be extinguished by time.

Our mortal lives are over in the blink of an eye. It's painfully simple and true.

Now, whether or not you believe in an afterlife is immaterial. It still stands that the most should be made of one's life on Earth.

Like YOLO, except not really.

The above acronym is widely misconstrued and used by idiots to justify stupid behavior (Pardon the aggression).

Ex1 "YOLO, dude, just smoke the ---- cigarette."

Ex2 "Just jump! C'mon, YOLO - it's not that high!"

Ex3 "Look, it's Friday, tomorrow's another thing, and, you know what? ---- it. YOLO."

Sigh... If the concept of YOLO were used with any sense at all, people would be saying things like:

• "Quit spending time on inappropriate websites, there are way better things to do."
• "Spend a little more time with your baby brother while he's still young."
• "Why the heck are you cutting your life short with drugs?"

Stupid behavior aside, there is still the problem of having two good options and not knowing which to choose. This is my biggest struggle, personally. Do I get a head start on that research paper, or spend some time practicing my writing? Both are good (equally so, in my opinion - not even school trumps developing one's personal talents). Both present their own set of pros and cons.

Many people have different ways of handling these problems. Some break their time down into micro-chunks, do a little bit of this, a little bit of that. They like to feel like they've tended to each facet of their lives every day. Others will set a priority and shut everything else out indefinitely. I would not recommend this while you are young because youth is perfect for exploring different opportunities and interests. Finally, people like me will "phase."

Phasing is why I haven't posted in a couple weeks. It involves spending long periods of time focusing on one hobby or interest, and then moving on to something else. This works especially well for me because my two major hobbies - writing and computer programming - are both very time-consuming. Phasing allows me to complete whole projects before I get distracted by other things.

During the month of February, my "project" was this blog. I spent most of my free time reading (to improve my craft) and writing posts. Then, during March, my interest dwindled, and that's how I knew it was time for something fresh. My "project" for March was improving my coding skills, which involved a lot of online reading, coding practice, and the purchasing of textbooks through Amazon. These were the types of things I did:

Above is a terrain-generator I created using a program called XNA. This could be used in building custom terrain for a 3D video-game.

This is a nostalgic Mario-style level editor I built from scratch, which I have called TILT 2D (short for "Tile It")

A turn-based, 2D shooter that allows players to fire rockets back and forth at each other (with randomly-generated hills and terrain that can be blown up! #geekpride :D)

 

The most complex of all - a 3D flight-game where the player shoots balloon-targets (the result of a fun online tutorial).

 

I also bought two (heavy) books by Ian Millington: Game Physics Engine Development and Artificial Intelligence for Games, and have spent a "ridiculously large portion" of my free time in the last week delving into their murky, mathematical depths ("my mother" par. everyparagraph).

 

This time-management strategy works for me because I get bored of everything, even the things I love, so switching back and forth keeps me from "burning out" in either of my major hobbies. It also feeds my hunger for progress. Every project that I accomplish reassures me that my reservoirs of time and passion aren't being sapped for nothing.

 

So, I'm curious: how do you juggle all the pieces of your life?

 

 



No Looking Back, You Cheater!

This was perhaps the hardest writing exercise I've ever had to endure, which is surprising, given that it's also one of the most common. My inner editor was screaming and tearing at me. Feel free to post your own efforts in the comments or on your blog - I'd love to see them! :)  

Write for ten to twenty minutes without any planning whatsoever. Complete improv. You're not allowed to change ANYTHING once you write it (except spelling errors). Go!


David shuddered as he gazed down the mountainside. There was nobody out tonight. Not that he expected any different, given the date and the time.

Today was different in many ways, but perhaps the most significant of which was that today, of all days, was the one day that he would remember for a very, very long time.

The last day like today was five years ago, on February 14 of 2430. Always Valentine’s Day – David wondered why. Perhaps it was because memories were so critical to the spirit of the holiday. Memories were what made it a holiday. The loving silences, the hand-holding on a park bench. Apparently, none of the other days mattered as much as that one.

As the bitter wind tore at David’s coat, he tried to remember the day before. He was here, wasn’t he? On this mountain, on this trail. Vestigial wisps of sensation tugged at his thoughts, reminders of the cold he had experienced. It has to be here.

David had been following a trail for as long as he could remember, which happened to be twelve hours, thirty-seven minutes. Not a rabbit-trail or the trail of a lover’s perfume, as he ought to have been. A trail that was lost in his mind. It led him through the physical world, out of the city, past the Coastals, and into the outlying forests. Whenever he crossed his path from a previous day, he experienced a sort of déjà vu. When he did not, he would veer off and eventually find his way again.

But what was I doing up here?

Luckily, David had thought to wear boots. There was no way of knowing where the day’s journey would lead, and so he had decided it was best to be cautious.

Other than the boots, though, he wasn’t exactly prepared. He had neglected to bring food, and now his stomach was pinching in complaint. He had also failed to bring chap-stick, and the cold, dry air was making him regret it.

Four long chirps rang out from somewhere in the forest canopy. Echoing around the mountain, David could have sworn they sounded like the electronic bells the schools always used.

Fifteen miles from the City. What’s ringing?

Yanking his boots out of the deep snow, he trudged toward the noise. The sun had finally summited the mountain and was now sweeping its light down towards him on the other side. An eerie quiet followed the chirping.

Then, suddenly, thunderous noise, like giant rocks falling on rocks, boomed in all directions. David screamed and tripped while trying to locate the source. Sitting at the base of a wet tree, he curled up and waited for it to end. It sounded like the entire mountain had split and was now sliding down it’s massive face.

David didn’t understand what happened next.

Déjà vu.

Where did it come from? Surely, he had never heard such a horrible din which pierced the hands he held against his ears. There was no stopping it, no blocking it. He could only wait.

Wait… wait.

A hand brushed his shoulder – a hand that he did not control. David realized that he had closed his eyes and allowed them to flutter back open, only to witness the strangest thing. A girl, about his height, brown-hair, angel-eyes, and elfin features, was seated right in front of him. Completely, undoubtedly, hovering.

David’s heart jumped into his throat. He didn’t know whether to move, or if he could move anymore. As of that moment, his arms were arrested at his sides, unresponsive to the commands of his brain.

“I have something to tell you,” said the girl, without moving her lips. Her voice came from everywhere, but seemingly from nowhere. The world was crumbling around them. “Do you want to hear it?”

Words floated out of his mouth before he could catch them. “Tell me the words.” With horror, David realized that he had not consciously made an effort to speak. His lips had not moved. And yet, the voice that responded was his own.

Wait. No, who are you? he tried to say, but the air moving through his windpipe made no noise. It was like suffocation, like a cloth had been stuffed in his mouth.

The girl leaned in until her icy breath prickled his ears.

And she spoke the words.

David let his mouth drop open, knowing full well that no sound would come out, even if he tried to speak. What he had just heard was divine, absolutely the most important words anyone had likely heard in the history of the world. He wanted to thank her, to burst out into tears, but it seemed he was incapable of everything but staring.

He now knew why the world forgot, why there was never anything before waking up, except on those few days. He knew why there was no hope, and why people did bad things. Everything came into crystal-clear focus. Death was not an obstacle, not even something to fear, but rather a step, a pinprick in the fabric of existence. David decided that perhaps it was time. Perhaps it was okay to die.

And then, only then, he woke up.

 

Just a Start

So, I've been suckered into joining the Blogger community. Hope you like me.

It's nice here - there are plenty of buttons and widgets to mess around with, a nice (and slightly confusing) dashboard. It could use a little simplicity - but hey, I'll get the hang of it.

Anyway, on to the important stuff. The why of this blog. Why the heck am I doing this when I could be re-reading Ender's Game? Why do I have a sudden urge to create an account on the site that is so commonly associated with motherhood?

Actually, introducing myself would probably be a more appropriate start, considering you know nothing about me.

My name is Drew. I'm sixteen. Love to write, read, program computers, wear taped glasses, comb my hair over, and get pushed around by jocks.

Okay, fine, the last few are exaggerated. Okay maybe they're not true at all.

But I am most definitely,

positively,

undeniably,

a geek. A proud, flag-raising geek. With glasses.

Here's a picture, just so you have a better idea:

yeah...



I don't pretend to know what my future holds. That would defeat the purpose. I look forward to the adventure that life tends to throw at people, and feel ready to "hardcore-parcour" over any roadblocks in my path.

That being said, if you're here to read about my many high-school adventures, you should probably find another blog. When I do write about the flow of daily life, it will either be because I'm trying to prove a point or because it leads nicely into a completely separate topic.

My focus is on thought. Hence the title of this blog. I take interest in social dynamic and in the nuts and bolts of our world. I love philosophy, contemplating the nature of life, the universe and everything (haven't quite arrived at 42 yet). The things that catch my attention are not what people say, but how they say it and why.

Also, being a writer, I will probably discuss concepts relating to authorship. Just ignore them if they don't satisfy your reader's appetite. No biggie.

And that's all, really. I like to keep things concise when I can. So be off on your merry way, and keep this blog in mind if you're ever hungry. There will be plenty of brain-food to go around.