A fresh perspective on our place in the universe

Stumbled upon this whilst trawling the internet and I felt it gave a really fresh perspective on our place within the universe, very well done and slightly mind boggling.



Here is a higher quality link of the same video. I never realised how small our sun was compared to others, I always felt I appreciated the fact that there are more stars in our galaxy than grains of sand on all the beaches in the world but now I'm not sure I do. If you take another step out there are more galaxies than stars in our milky way, we really do live in a world sandwiched between the infinitely large universe and the infinitesimal subatomic world which we are all made from.

Coming of at a tangent from the first one I also found this which I felt but humanity into perspective in relation to the Earth and I'm sure most of you have probably already seen it, here's a higher quality link and the youtube video embeded below.



Any one else have any opinions on these concepts or other neat images or videos along the same line as these?

Looking forward to everyone's thoughts.

I always liked the opening scene from contact


Ohh and the Hubble "Deep Field" image


[edit on 18/10/2008 by spitefulgod]

I haven't seen contact in such a long time, pretty good film as well. The hubble deep field makes a good point of how just by staring into the sky we can stare back in time, I'm looking forward to seeing the deep field they're planning to do with the James Webb Telescope in the future.

The first one is pretty cool. Saw it a few months ago. The second one appeals to me visually. Just saw that one last weekend. I feel calm when I see it. It is chaotic, but very methodical at the same time. I am a gemini which may be why visuals that bring contrasts together appeal to me.

It's also kind of scary that it has happened to the Earth six times already! Although our solar system was far more chaotic back then than it is now it doesn't mean it won't ever happen again. It would be a good excuse for nuclear disarmament, every nation would have to launch there nuclear weapons at something that big for any chance of stopping it, and seeing the worlds nuclear stockpile being launched into an asteroid would be something to behold.

reply to post by -Klaus-


I actually find the idea that it could happen again quite refreshing to be honest. To know that the physical world has a way of naturally cleansing itself is a reflection of what we, too, are capable of. Face the fear to find why something scares you and you will have found what needs to be done.

Originally posted by justamomma
reply to post by -Klaus-

 

Face the fear to find why something scares you and you will have found what needs to be done.

Quoted for its deepness

We really are just a smudge at the end of a full stop in comparison to the history of the earth and an event like that would truly wipe the slate clean. Who knows there may have been civilizations before ours just without a trace, and ours too could go that way. I'm not sure how we could leave a lasting message on the Earth, maybe if we etched data at the atomic level into millions of platinum ball bearings and spread them across the Earth and space maybe just then we could leave something forever. I guess our radio waves will be bouncing across the universe billions of years from now, we've left so much crap for the universe to hear like car traffic bulletins. Maybe no-one has come yet because we don't sound like we have something profound to say...

I would like to wade in with a simple statement/question,

Think not about whether earth is alone (civilization wise),
Think about how torturous it would be to never in existence contact another of those civilizations,

Those are amazing videos... They make me "wow" everytime... I had never seen the second one before though.

On a side note, another "vision" of indeed how small we are, or rather how huge beyond description all the rest can be: think that, everytime you look into the sky, for absolutely each and every single pixel that you see, whether you see a dot (star, planet) in it or whether it is desperately black and empty, if your eyes had the capacity to zoom infinitely & collect all possible light, so absolutely all of those single pixels contain unimaginable numbers of galaxies, billions upon billions of stars. Each look in the sky, each one of them, and you are aiming at invisible billions of other planets, everywhere.

Oh yes, how sad would it be to never be able to contact anyone from out there...

Thanks guys good videos.
I have to admit the sheer sizes and distances make you feel pretty insignificant.
But the fact is they are only great distances because of the speed we go to get there.
Imagine being able to press a button and be there instantly.
Billions of miles away in 1 second.
And in 1 more second back here where you started.
I know it seems impossible but I don't think it is.
We just haven't figured out how to do it yet.

Originally posted by Interestinggg

Imagine being able to press a button and be there instantly.
Billions of miles away in 1 second.
And in 1 more second back here where you started.
I know it seems impossible but I don't think it is.
We just haven't figured out how to do it yet.

It is impossible and always will be to do anything remotely like that,
Sorry but even sciences thousands of years ahead of your own
have not come up with anything even near that level of technology