Hey Everyone!
I am starting this blog thread, WHISPERS, about some of interesting topics I have come across on my own time. If you would let me, I would like to give you some insight into what exactly, or inexactly the world has to offer.
Most of you have an understanding of the speed of light, the droning number of 3*10^8 m/s. Many understand the terminology speed of light as defined as the amount of time it takes for light to travel a certain (long) distance. Knowing that the closest star to Earth, not including the Sun, is the star system Alpha Centauri at 4.37 light years away, we know that it takes light traveling at 3E8 m/s, 4.37 Earth- years to reach it. As humans, our vision depends on the light reflected into our eyes from the objects around us. Therefore, the light we see coming from even from Alpha Centauri (4.37 light years away) is “old” light. Effectively you are looking into the past. Now, take it a step further.
On a larger scale, Keplar, the NASA telescope has identified two other planets similar to Earth 1,200 light years away. If the amount of light years away dictates how “deep” into the past we look then we are seeing 1,200 years into the past of the two planets found by Keplar. There very well might be life on these planets as we speak, but we would not know (until 1,200 years later) since the light has not reached our eyes! Now, let’s take it a step further.
Assume that with a similar planet to Earth there lives a similar species to humans and that the planet is 1 million light years away (not statistically improbable ). If that species were similar to human in terms of their brain and vision, and they were looking at Earth, they would see dinosaurs! Imagine that.
If you want to hear about something in particular or have feedback shoot me an email: viterbi.student@usc.edu !!
Flight on!
Markus
