#Dark Energy and Quantum Theory

[compassionmattersmost]

Pristine Mind and the Cosmos: Shifting the Center of Gravity in Consciousness

How Metaphors from Dark Energy, Black Holes, and Cosmic Radiation Illuminate the Path to a Spacious, Peaceful Mind Pristine Mind and the Cosmos: An Exploration of Inner and Outer Space In the silent expanse of the cosmos, where galaxies drift through the vast sea of space, an invisible force��dark energy—stretches the fabric of existence. It is quiet, unseen, and yet its presence allows…

[spacenutspod]

This episode is brought to you with the support of NordVPN. For our special Black Friday deal complete with 30 day money back guarantee, visit www.nordvpn.com/spacenuts.  Space Nuts #462 Q&A Edition Join Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson in another enlightening Q&A episode of Space Nuts, where they tackle intriguing questions from listeners around the globe. From the perplexing nature of dark matter and dark energy to the possibility of interferometry using Space and ground-based telescopes, this episode is packed with cosmic curiosities and insightful discussions. Episode Highlights: - Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Solar System: Trent from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, questions why dark matter and dark energy, which comprise 96% of the universe, are not factored into the movements of our solar system. Fred Watson Watson explains the scale and influence of these mysterious forces. - Interferometry with Space Telescopes: Bo from Victoria wonders if it's theoretically possible to perform interferometry using Space telescopes like Hubble and James Webb, combined with ground-based telescopes. Explore the current limitations and future possibilities of this technology. - The Mystery of Gravitons: Vincent questions the existence of gravitons and their potential to form self-propagating waves. Delve into the intersection of quantum theory and relativity as Fred Watson Watson discusses this theoretical particle. - Biblical Floods and Astronomical Events: Christopher from Bayville, North Carolina, inquires about the possibility of biblical floods being linked to astronomical events. Discover the fascinating connections between historical events and cosmic phenomena. For more Space Nuts, including our continually updating newsfeed and to listen to all our episodes, visit our website at www.spacenutspodcast.com. Follow us on social media at SpaceNutsPod on facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. We love engaging with our community, so be sure to drop us a message or comment on your favourite platform. For more Space and Astronomy News Podcasts, visit our HQ at www.bitesz.com. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/space-nuts/support. Stay curious, keep looking up, and join us next time for more stellar insights and cosmic wonders. Until then, clear skies and happy stargazing.

[scienceswitch]

Has Our Universe Existed Forever, or Is the Big Bang Merely an Illusion?

The concept of the Big Bang theory posits that our universe originated approximately 13.8 billion years ago through the explosion of an infinitely dense singularity. But this long-held notion has faced scrutiny from physicists who find problems with the concept of an initial singularity. A recent model applies quantum corrections to Einstein’s general relativity equations asserting that the…

[sakuraswordly]

Knowledge 14

Wild New Paper Says 'Quantum Gravity' Could Emerge From a Holographic Universe

Gravity is a quantum construction of our natural environment.

While the past light-cone is generally local, the future light cone is generally non-local.https://goldennumberratio.medium.com/while-the-past-light...Consider the above light cone illustrated in Einstein’s THE MEANING OF RELATIVITY.Consider the standard light cone depicted at Wikipedia, which Einstein’s light cone inspired and informed:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_cone...Let us show that while the past light-cone is generally local, the future light cone is generally non-local.

Read more in: facebook.com/elliotmcguckenphysics

In Ancient Mesopotamia, the new year was rung in at a festival known as Akitu, which means “barley” in Sumerian. The festival was made up of two distinct festivals, each held at the beginning of the two half-years on the Sumerian calendar—one to celebrate sowing barley, and the other to celebrate cutting it.

Source: remarkable-travels.blogspot.com

The world’s oldest map of the night sky was amazingly accurate

Newly discovered fragments of 2,200-year-old star coordinates—once thought lost—reveal the incredible skill of the ancient astronomer Hipparchus.

Read more in:nationalgeographic.com

The energy belched from supermassive black holes helps to shape the galaxies around them. Our own galaxy is emerging as an unexpectedly powerful lab for studying how this mysterious coevolution works. 

Read more in www.quantamagazine.org

Bonus(Special on the occasion of the upcoming holiday.)

Syaoran: Is Punch trying to find the truth from the beginning, and she and Daniel have joined forces with the people to cause a global revolution?

Sonic: Yes and no, what Punch is up to here is because she wants the truth of this world, no, the forbidden law of the universe. She wanted to travel the world and explore but that was her passion since childhood.

Syaoran: Her passion?

Sonic: Hmm...how do I make sense...she kinda had the wish that born like a child passion. Because I love the new things in this world. That's why my dream never ends. Both Punch and I have the same wish. The freedom. Save people, do the impossible and break the chain of the prison world or something like that.

Syaoran: The wish both you and Punch hold is the impossible dream, their hope.

Sonic: Tails did say to me once that I am their hope. Even you, Syaoran, you also said the same thing that my little bro said. Do you know? I'm kinda happy. When we first travelled together, you don't know how much happy I am.Thank you so much for always cheering me up. You kinda much like Tails but not the same.  

Syaoran: Umm...What did I make you happy?

Sonic: Not tell. It's a secret. 

Syaoran: Eh?!

Sonic: Seriously! I thought Sakura already told you about it!

Syaoran: Eh?! Wha..?!

Sonic: Hehe.You really are similar to my little bro a lot. That's why I want you to always smile.Tails finally found his path with the team sphere and together with Cosmo. That's why as a brother, I also want Punch to be happy too. Even If I can change people's hearts, even if I don't understand them, I can make my brother Punch happy again just like I always am at Velvet's side.

[mysticstronomy]

IS TIME INFINITE IN BLACK HOLES??

Blog#365

Wednesday, January 10th, 2024.

Welcome back,

The singularity at the center of a black hole is the ultimate no man's land: a place where matter is compressed down to an infinitely tiny point, and all conceptions of time and space completely break down. And it doesn't really exist. Something has to replace the singularity, but we're not exactly sure what.

Let's explore some possibilities.

It could be that deep inside a black hole, matter doesn't get squished down to an infinitely tiny point. Instead, there could be a smallest possible configuration of matter, the tiniest possible pocket of volume.

This is called a Planck star, and it's a theoretical possibility envisioned by loop quantum gravity, which is itself a highly hypothetical proposal for creating a quantum version of gravity.

In the world of loop quantum gravity, space and time are quantized — the universe around us is composed of tiny discrete chunks, but at such an incredibly tiny scale that our movements appear smooth and continuous.

This theoretical chunkiness of space-time provides two benefits. One, it takes the dream of quantum mechanics to its ultimate conclusion, explaining gravity in a natural way.

And two, it makes it impossible for singularities to form inside black holes.

As matter squishes down under the immense gravitational weight of a collapsing star, it meets resistance. The discreteness of space-time prevents matter from reaching anything smaller than the Planck length (around 1.68 times 10^-35 meters). All the material that has ever fallen into the black hole gets compressed into a ball not much bigger than this.

Perfectly microscopic, but definitely not infinitely tiny.

This resistance to continued compression eventually forces the material to un-collapse (i.e., explode), making black holes only temporary objects. But because of the extreme time dilation effects around black holes, from our perspective in the outside universe it takes billions, even trillions, of years before they go boom. So we're all set for now.

Another attempt to eradicate the singularity — one that doesn't rely on untested theories of quantum gravity — is known as the gravastar. It's such a theoretical concept that my spell checker didn't even recognize the word.

The difference between a black hole and a gravastar is that, instead of a singularity, the gravastar is filled with dark energy. Dark energy is a substance that permeates space-time, causing it to expand outward. It sounds like sci-fi, but it's real: dark energy is currently in operation in the larger cosmos, causing our entire universe to accelerate in its expansion.

As matter falls onto a gravastar, it isn't able to actually penetrate the event horizon (due to all that dark energy on the inside) and therefore just hangs out on the surface. But outside that surface, gravastars look and act like normal black holes. (A black hole's event horizon is its point of no return — the boundary beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape.)

However, recent observations of merging black holes with gravitational wave detectors have potentially ruled out the existence of gravastars, because merging gravastars will give a different signal than merging black holes, and outfits like LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) and Virgo are getting more and more examples by the day. While gravastars aren't exactly a no-go in our universe, they are definitely on thin ice.

Originally published https://www.space.com/

COMING UP!!

(Saturday, January 13th, 2024)

"JUPITER HAS A LARGE MAGNETIC FIELD THAN PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED??"

[map0fthes0ul7]

Heartbeats in the halls of academia.

Pairing: Dilf!Ceo!Professor!Jeonghan x Student!reader (ft. Jeonghan's clueless daughter Yena) ((Jeonghan is a whole combo here as y'all can see))

Warnings: Kinda angsty, but they get their happy ending, so hey, that's great!

Word count: 5407

Synopsis: Good ol' forbidden romance between Professor Jeonghan and his student y/n.

Author's note: I hope this one is also going to do well.

The towering figure of Yoon Jeonghan loomed at the front of the lecture hall, his presence commanding the undivided attention of every student seated before him. At 44, the CEO of Yoon Technologies had built an empire on innovation and foresight, and his reputation as a strict yet fair professor at the local university was nothing short of illustrious. With a keen eye that missed no detail and a wit that kept even the most brilliant minds on their toes, Professor Yoon had become a pillar of both the academic and business worlds.

As he lectured on the complexities of quantum mechanics, his voice reverberated through the hall, each word enunciated with knowledge and authority. He adorned a tailored suit, the dark fabric contrasting against his youthfully styled silver hair, his persona exuding a magnetic allure that was not lost on the students.

In the second row sat y/n, a passionate science student whose thoughts often drifted to realms beyond the subject at hand—specifically, to the man who stood just meters away. Y/n's pen poised above the notebook, the equations and theories interspersed with tiny scribbles and incoherent notes that betrayed a distracted mind. Though y/n was introverted, preferring the solace of books and music to the adventures that university life offered, there was one adventure that the heart seemed all too keen to embark upon—a dangerous dalliance with the professor.

Beside y/n, Yena's bright laughter broke the silence that had momentarily engulfed their small corner of the room. Yoon Yena, with her vivacious smile and inexplicable energy, was the image of collegiate exuberance. She was the only child of Jeonghan and the dearest friend y/n had at the university, their bond forged through shared interests and a love for science.

But it was a love of another manner that had y/n's thoughts in turmoil. Unbeknownst to cheerful Yena, y/n harbored a secret adoration for her father, a sentiment that flooded y/n with guilt and longing in equal measure.

As the bell signaled the end of the lecture, the students began to pack up their belongings, the buzz of excited chatter filling the air. Yena leaned over to y/n, her eyes glistening with plans and propositions.

"Are you coming out with us tonight?" Yena's invitation was as predictable as it was well-intentioned.

With a gentle shake of the head, y/n deflected, "I've got a lot on my plate. Maybe next time.

Yena pouted, playful but understanding. "You work too hard, y/n. You should live a little," she teased before bounding off to catch up with a group of her other friends.

Y/n was left alone as the last of the students tricked out of the lecture hall. Alone, that is, except for the man still standing at the front. With the hall emptied, Professor Yoon began to gather his own materials, his astute eyes catching y/n's lingering presence. An imperceptible silence stretched between them, filled only by the faint echo of Yena's laughter as it trailed off into the hallways.

"Is there something you didn't understand about the lecture?" Jeonghan queried, his tone a mix of concern and curiosity.

Mutely, y/n stood and approached the desk where he stood, clutching the notebook like a lifeline. Each step was measured, the heartbeat thundering in y/n's chest a stark contrast to the calm demeanor attempted to be displayed.

"Actually, Professor, I was wondering if you had any suggestions for extra reading. I find the subject fascinating," y/n admitted, looking up through lashes with a sincerity that was as indisputable as it was alluring to the older man.

A smile tugged at the corners of Jeonghan's lips. "I admire your dedication," he praised before writing down a list of books on a piece of paper and handing it over. As their fingertips brushed, an electric jolt of unspoken tension passed between them—an acknowledgement of something deeper than the exchange of scholarly advice.

"I appreciate it," y/n murmured, lingering for a moment too long, and then, with a final glance, turned to leave.

Jeonghan watched y/n's retreating figure, the rush of something forbidden stirring within him. It was a crossing of lines he was usually adept at maintaining, but the more he came to know y/n, the more difficult it became to uphold those barriers. He was acutely aware of the implications, of the ethics of his position. With a small shake of his head, he tried to dismiss the thoughts as mere weakness—at least until the next lecture.

~

A few days had passed since y/n had approached Jeonghan for extra reading material, and the tension in the air had not dissipated but rather intensified with every sidelong glance exchanged in the lecture hall. Y/n had delved into the recommended texts, each page offering both an insight into quantum mechanics and a connection to Jeonghan that provided a solace for the consuming thoughts.

Yet, the fantasies that played in y/n's mind were a dangerous escape from reality, with their tendrils looping ever tighter around a heart that shouldn't yearn so fervently for the forbidden. In the quiet of y/n's room, filled with stacks of books and soft music playing in the background, it was simple to imagine a different world; one where it wasn't wrong to want someone so unattainable.

Despite the internal conflict, y/n had excelled in the assignments, with Jeonghan's teachings echoing not just in the academic work, but in the daydreams that found their way onto the pages of a private journal.

~

One particularly late evening, deep in the embrace of the campus library's solitude, y/n realized a crucial textbook—a cornerstone of the upcoming thesis—was missing. It was a rare find, one usually kept in the professors' private collections. Without it, the research would be incomplete, an academic yearning so urgent that it nudged y/n towards an impulsive decision.

Remaining students were few as y/n made the way to Jeonghan's office, the silence interrupted only by the hesitant rhythm of y/n's steps. Reaching the closed door, y/n paused, the words 'Private' and 'Professor Yoon Jeonghan' neatly etched on the plaque. Stealing a breath to quell the rising nerves, y/n knocked softly.

The door creaked open, revealing Jeonghan in his sanctum, shrouded by the soft glow of his desk lamp, his attention undivided from the papers he was marking. He looked up, surprise evident in his features, replaced quickly by an accommodating warmth.

"y/n, what brings you here so late?" he inquired, motioning for y/n to enter.

"The book I need for my thesis isn’t in the library. I was wondering if you might have a copy I could borrow," y/n explained with a hopeful timbre.

A moment of contemplation passed over Jeonghan's face as he stood and walked to one of the many shelves lining the walls. With purposeful strides, he retrieved the desired tome and handed it to y/n with a gentle smile.

"Our little secret," he said softly, an undercurrent of playfulness in his voice that set y/n's heart racing.

As y/n reached out to take the book, their hands touched again, and this time, neither pulled away. Drawn by a force neither understood nor could articulate, they moved closer, a magnetic pull zeroing the space between them.

The first kiss came as a whisper against y/n's lips, soft but filled with the power of suppressed desire. It was a convergence of emotion, a silent confession of the feelings that swirled with reckless abandon in that confined space.

Professor and student, they knew the gravity of what they were doing, yet the kiss deepened, fueled by a hunger that had been waiting in the shadows of their professional façade. It was in that stolen moment, with the taste of the forbidden making the air thick with tension, that y/n and Jeonghan crossed a line from which there was no return.

Outside, the world continued unaware, stars peppering the night sky. Inside, two hearts wrestled with what it meant to be bound by society's rules yet led astray by the anarchy of love. It was only the beginning, the bursting forth of a story written in the quiet language of shared glances and unspoken promises, with consequences neither could predict nor fully comprehend.

~

In the aftermath of the kiss, the world seemed to stand still. Y/n clutched the treasured book against a chest that heaved with emotions too complex to untangle. Y/n and Jeonghan remained in the quiet cocoon of his office, the taste of their forbidden embrace lingering, an indelible mark on both their souls.

"Y/n," Jeonghan’s voice was a hushed murmur, torn between duty and desire. He stepped back, the space between them expanding like an unfathomable chasm. His eyes, usually so clear and confident, now swam with a conflicting storm. 

This was a line they could traverse only once. The kiss—a single brush of lips—had sealed a secret pact, a silent agreement to the flames that licked at the foundations of the world they knew.

"We should forget this happened," Jeonghan's statement was heavy with regret, but his stare held y/n with an intensity that belied his words. He could not un-write the moment any more than y/n could, and they both knew it.

Y/n nodded, though every fiber protested. "Yes, Professor," came the whisper, a futile attempt to sew closed the threads they had so daringly pulled loose. Y/n left the room then, the book a weighty token of a shift in the equilibrium that resonated with every step away from Jeonghan’s office.

~

In the following weeks, the tension was only mounted. Their interactions in class were laden with a newfound formality, every word and gesture measured with surgical precision. Students and faculty remained oblivious to the undercurrent that hummed beneath the surface, but y/n and Jeonghan were acutely aware. Each glance shared was a brush stroke adding detail to the clandestine picture they had accidentally begun to paint.

Yena, blissfully ignorant of the drama unfolding, continued to be the link between her father and y/n, a bridge that neither could avoid crossing. She commented innocently on how studious y/n was and how proud her father seemed of y/n's academic progress, unwittingly tightening the knot at the juncture where personal and professional lines blurred.

~

The university’s annual science fair arrived like a gusting wind, all excitement and fluttering papers, with lectures giving way to demonstrations and experiments. Y/n's project, deeply influenced by the recent nights spent traipsing through quantum theory, drew an impressed crowd which included both Yena and, inevitably, Jeonghan.

As y/n presented the findings, expertly explained the complex mechanisms at play, a nervous energy coursed through veins. Jeonghan was there, a silent sentinel whose gaze bore into y/n with an intensity that was difficult to ignore. With each accomplishment that shone in y/n's eyes, Jeonghan's pride was matched by the quiet terror of the mounting bond forming between mentor and student, one he could neither publicly acknowledge nor tear his eyes from.

Yena clapped the loudest when the presentation ended, her cheers carrying a genuine love and pride for y/n. She threw arms around her friend in a congratulatory hug, seemingly deaf to the irregular tempo of y/n's heart—a rhythm that danced uneasily to a melody that spelled out jeopardy in haunting notes.

It was later that day, when the crowds had thinned and the buzz had dulled to a background hum, that Jeonghan approached y/n under the guise of discussing the project further. Yena, ever the social butterfly, had been whisked away by classmates, leaving them in a rare pocket of tranquility amidst the chaos.

"Your understanding of the subject is remarkable," Jeonghan said, his voice low, a treacherous vibrato beneath the compliment.

"Thank you, sir. Your guidance has been invaluable," y/n replied, acutely aware of the double entendre that laced their words.

Their eyes met, and in them, the reflections of that night in Jeonghan's office was a moment frozen in time, pulsing with life unto its own. They spoke of the project at length but danced around the conversation they truly wanted to have—a dangerous tango of words.

The fair wound down, and the sun dipped low, casting an orange glow over the campus grounds. Jeonghan and y/n wandered aimlessly, caught in the gravity of each other's company. The quiet became a living, breathing entity between them—one that whispered the truths they could not voice but felt with a fervor that neither logic nor ethics could silence.

~

As autumn bled into winter, the campus transformed under a blanket of white. Each flake of snow that settled on the university echoed the silent, frozen sentiment that hung between Professor Yoon Jeonghan and y/n. The secret of their singular kiss was guarded behind the somber walls of professionalism and duty, yet it simmered beneath the ice, yearning for the thaw of admittance.

Y/n navigated the semester with the dual burden of advancing academic ambitions and the weighty secret shared with Jeonghan. The more entrenched y/n became in the scientific exploration, the deeper the mental connection wove its tendrils through thoughts and motives, linking every discovery back to the man who was both mentor and forbidden infatuation.

The precarious balance of their interactions came under quiet scrutiny through the occasional curious glance from peers or the inadvertent, lingering handshake at the end of an earnest academic debate. Yet no concrete suspicion surfaced, their careful orchestration of exchanges nothing if not masterful. To the world, y/n was Jeonghan's most promising student, nothing more, and their determination to maintain that facade grew even as the hidden truth of their affection pulled them together like the unseen forces they so often discussed in lectures.

The approaching break brought a bittersweet solace, a respite from the constant need to conceal their attraction within the confines of the university. Yet, the absence only served to magnify the unresolved tension, to stretch the silence until it sang with a sweet, near unbearable pitch.

As the last of y/n's finals were submitted and the student body dissipated, the quiet of the campus became a reminder of that electric moment in Jeonghan's office, raising questions that thrummed in y/n's pulse.

~

During the winter break, y/n stayed on campus, lost in the research and theories that did little to distract from thoughts of Jeonghan. The resounding hollowness of the hallways echoed a sense of emptiness that y/n couldn't shake.

Yena, in her usual effervescent manner, had taken a trip abroad, her messages arriving as bursts of joy and snatches of escapades, a contrast to the solemnity that y/n found in books and quiet contemplation. In her absence, the link between y/n and Jeonghan seemed to grow even more tenuous, a frayed connection that was at once a source of agony and comfort.

Y/n's solitude was broken one late evening when a soft knock at the dorm door reverberated through the stillness. A glance through the peephole revealed a sight that caused y/n's heart to cease before thundering against ribs: Jeonghan, adorned in a nondescript coat, a cautious hesitance etched into his dignified features.

Opening the door, y/n found the ability to speak had fled, leaving a silence that Jeonghan stepped into with a careful poise, his presence in the small space nothing short of overwhelming.

"I wanted to check on you," he started, his words tightrope walkers navigating the dangerous height of their implications. "You shouldn't be alone over the holidays, y/n."

The concern in his voice was genuine, but it unfurled into the room like smoke, clouding the boundaries they had painstakingly erected. Y/n could only nod, the familiar guilt twining anew with the persistent want that had no rightful place amongst the ethics of their association.

Jeonghan didn't move to leave, nor did y/n close the door, their mutual hesitation a dance they both led. It was Jeonghan who broke first, his hand reaching out to touch y/n's, a contact that exceeded caution and sparked the return of all the emotions they had tried to suppress.

"Perhaps I should go," he whispered, though neither moved.

"Perhaps," y/n mirrored, the admission laden with the things that couldn't be said.

In the end, Jeonghan did leave, but the ghost of his touch lingered, a testament to the crumbling facade that was no longer resilient in the absence of prying eyes.

~

Classes resumed and the new semester began with a fresh snowfall, a reflective canvas upon which their continued charade could be etched. Y/n tackled studies with a renewed fervor, if only as an attempt to barricade thoughts of Jeonghan behind walls of formulae and hypotheses.

Their office encounters were strictly scheduled, terse discussions of academic progress marked by the rigid adherence to professionalism. The warmth that had once highlighted their interactions now lost to a cold formality, necessary for their survival within the confines of the institution.

~

A chance meeting in the library offered an illusion of normalcy. Y/n was buried in research when Jeonghan approached, a slight tilt to his lips that didn't quite qualify as a smile.

"I see you're still spending your evenings with quantum theories," he commented, a careful neutrality underpinning his tone.

"It's captivating," y/n returned, equally guarded. "There's so much yet to be understood."

"Indeed," Jeonghan murmured, his eyes holding y/n's for a moment too revealing. "Keep up the good work, y/n."

The exchange was routine to any onlooker, but laden with the silent acknowledgment of the growing space between them—a void filled with unsaid words and unacknowledged yearning.

Yet as the semester marched on, the ice around them began to grow thinner. Smiles became more frequent, shared laughter erupted over shared in-jokes about scientific anomalies, and cautious optimism breathed life into their covert looks. The escalating risk of their connection weighed heavily upon them, a dangerous game played on the edge of discovery.

~

Y/n's research led to a conference, a gathering of minds where y/n's work, under Jeonghan's guidance, would be presented. The excitement was tinged with trepidation—not over the showcase of the project, but the proximity to Jeonghan it would entail.

They traveled separately, a necessary precaution, meeting only at the conference hall amongst a sea of attendees. Y/n's presentation was met with accolades, a shining moment that Yena, who had rejoined campus life with gusto, witnessed firsthand. She beamed with pride, a supportive anchor not just for y/n, but unexpectedly, for her father as well.

The final evening of the conference saw attendees at a formal dinner. Y/n sat at a table with Yena and other students, Jeonghan at the head table, both keenly aware of each other's presence.

As the evening drew on, y/n stepped out onto a balcony for air, the stars overhead a vast, undisturbed witness. The door behind creaked open, and without needing to look, y/n knew it was Jeonghan who stepped out to join.

They stood side by side in silence, looking out into the darkness. Then, in a voice barely audible over the whispering wind, Jeonghan spoke—the words cutting through the months of unspoken truths and restrained feelings.

"I can't do this anymore," he confessed, his profile outlined by the ambient light. "Pretending that I don't—"

He stopped, the silence swallowing the rest, the implications hanging suspended in the air around them. Y/n turned to face him, the turbulence of emotions clear in y/n's gaze.

"I know," y/n replied, the admission a relief as it tore through the last barrier of denial.

They didn't touch, didn't step closer, but in that moment, the thaw occurred, and the unyielding frost that had encased their desires began to melt. It wasn't a resolution, nor an answer to the labyrinth of moral and professional repercussions, but an acknowledgment of the powerful, undeniable reality of their connection.

~

The return to campus was fraught with a new tension, an awareness that the thread they had been tugging on was near its breaking point—a point of decision that loomed inevitable on the horizon of their intertwined journey.

As spring arrived, the university campus bloomed with vibrant life, a stark contrast to the inner turmoil that churned within y/n. Jeonghan's confession at the conference had not been forgotten, it's echo a constant undercurrent to every lecture attended, every paper graded, every sidelong glance they shared. The thread that connected them—an intangible, delicate thing—stretched taut with the pressure of unfulfilled desires and unspoken words.

Every brush of their fingers as y/n handed in assignments, every shared look laden with meaning, sent vibrations along that ever-tensing thread. It was souring the purity of their academic relationship, tinting what should have been a professional mentorship with hues of something far deeper and more perilous.

Yena, as cheerful and oblivious as ever, spoke excitedly of future plans: graduation on the horizon, job prospects, and the pride she felt for her father and her best friend, y/n. She remained the picture of ignorance to the drama unfolding so close to her, unaware of how perilously close y/n and her father were to crossing a line that could not be uncrossed.

~

It was a late night in the laboratory, y/n absorbed in research, when the thread finally snapped. Jeonghan entered unexpectedly, the click of the door a jarring sound in the quiet. Their eyes met in an immediate and profound recognition of the end of all their self-imposed restraints.

"I can't do this," Jeonghan spoke first, his voice strained with the weight of months of confinement and hidden truth. "I can’t keep pretending that I don't feel anything for you. It’s affecting everything I do."

Y/n's research papers fluttered to the floor as if mirroring the collapsing pretenses between them. "I don't want to pretend either," y/n confessed, the heart's unguarded honesty breaking free at last.

Stepping closer, they abandoned caution as Jeonghan reached out to gently cradle y/n's face. The chemistry they had dissected abstractly now manifested physically, irrefutable and demanding to be acknowledged.

Their kiss, unlike the first, was not a question but an answer—vehement, deep, and brimming with the months of tension that had built up between them. It spoke of longing, of the undeniable attraction they’d battled against, and the collective resignation to the torrent of emotions they could no longer contain.

It was the beginning of something neither could fully understand nor control, a tale of two souls intertwined in a dance as old as time. But entwined with their newfound freedom was the weight of the myriad of complications they were set to face.

Reality crashed over them like a cascading wave as soon as they parted—the comprehension of their actions rippling through each with chilling sobriety. Together, they'd breached the sanctity of the student-teacher bond, ventured into the realm of the heart where logic had no domain.

"There will be consequences," Jeonghan said after a moment, the professor in him re-gaining the upper hand despite the lingering sensation of y/n’s lips. "We have too much to lose."

"And what if I think it's worth it?" y/n challenged, despair and hopelessness colliding with the flickering embers of what had just ignited between them.

Jeonghan's expression softened, his hand still resting on y/n's cheek. "Then I fear for what may come. For us, for Yena... everything could come crashing down."

They stood amongst the scattered papers, a symbol of the order they had thrown to the wind. The impact of their decision began to take shape—rumors, disciplinary actions, and the shattering of a young woman's familial image were all at stake.

Y/n withdrew from Jeonghan's touch, the weight of guilt enveloping the brief warmth. "We need to think this through. We can't... not without considering all the angles."

The acknowledgment of their reality, harsh and unyielding, settled between them as they parted that night—their relationship irrevocably altered, the path ahead fraught with uncertainty.

~

In the days that followed, the silhouette of normality was a guise they both donned with reluctance. Jeonghan returned to his authoritative role with an impenetrable facade, y/n to the studious demeanor that had been a constant before everything changed.

Yet the transparency of their previous interactions was forever clouded; every word, every assessment was now a labyrinthine exercise in extreme caution, each hyper-aware of any sign that might reveal their secret.

Yena, ever the doting daughter, and the loyal friend, began to notice a shift—not in her father, nor in y/n, but in the air that seemed to crackle with an energy around them. Her intuition nagged at her, whispering of changes she could not place nor fathom.

"What's going on with you and dad?" she asked y/n one evening, her gaze searching for some elusive truth.

"It's just the pressure of the semester," y/n deflected, the lie a bitter taste on the tongue. "We're both feeling it."

In her heart, y/n knew the time was slipping away, that the truth was a beast that would not stay caged indefinitely. This secret shared was a burden too heavy, a truth too poignant to remain hidden.

As y/n watched the last vestiges of daylight wane from the sky, there was an understanding that the story they had begun was far from over. The pages yet to be written loomed large and unpredictable, but it was clear that the journey they faced was one neither Jeonghan nor y/n could travel alone.

~

As the semester waned, the tension between Jeonghan and y/n had become almost palpable, a volatile cocktail of fear and longing that hovered over their every interaction. They moved through the motions of their respective roles with a deliberate caution that belied the undercurrent of suppressed emotions churning beneath the surface.

In the quiet confines of the library, y/n poured over textbooks, the lines and equations blurring as the thoughts circled back relentlessly to Jeonghan and the looming inevitability of their secret being exposed. It was a mental tightrope walk that left little room for error, the risk of condemnation and ruin growing with each stolen moment.

Meanwhile, Jeonghan, ensconced in his office and the rigorous demands of his CEO duties, found himself waging a constant battle between duty and the whispers of his heart. The sight of y/n's handwriting on a submitted paper could elicit a storm within him that took monumental effort to quell.

The rumors that were once mere shadows in the corridors of the university began to take shape, whispers that grew bolder with each passing day. Though no clear evidence presented itself, the growing sense of unease was undeniable. Their relationship, though rigorously guarded, emitted a frequency that seemed to invite scrutiny from those with a watchful eye.

Yena’s intuition pushed her to observe more closely, the daughter’s connection to her father serving as a conduit for her suspicions. Jeonghan's name, when coupled with y/n's in conversation, elicited a reaction she couldn't ignore—a sudden tightness around the eyes, a fractional delay in response. These were puzzle pieces she couldn't quite fit together, but her determination to understand the picture they formed intensified.

Y/n knew something had to give. The reality of the situation was a crossroads approaching at breakneck speed, an intersection that promised collision.

~

Y/n sat in the small cafe off campus that had become a refuge, the murmur of outside life a welcome intrusion to the cocoon of silence. As assignments were graded and lecture notes revised, the bell above the door chimed, signaling a new patron's arrival. With a hesitant glance upward, y/n's heart staggered as Yena breezed in, her eyes scanning the room until they locked onto y/n.

They greeted each other, but the usual ease was strained, a visible tension threading its way through the exchange. As Yena sat down, her convivial facade slowly crumbled, revealing a resolve that was as surprising as it was concerning.

"We need to talk," Yena stated, the gravity in her voice anchoring the moment in seriousness. "About you and my dad."

A cold dread settled over y/n, the words echoing like a death knell to the carefully constructed denial that had been clung to for far too long.

"There's nothing to talk about, Yena," y/n managed, though the conviction fell flat, a kite without wind.

But Yena persisted, her gaze unyielding. "I know there's something you're not telling me. And it's killing me not knowing."

Words failed y/n then, the truth a barricade too high and thick to cross. Yet the look in Yena's eyes pulled at something deep within, a plea for honesty that was as raw as it was heartrending.

~

In the wake of Yena's confrontation, the dominoes of their secret began to totter, threatening to tumble into chaos. Heavy-hearted and knowing that the time had come, y/n sought Jeonghan out, the need to discuss the next step a fire that refused to be doused.

Jeonghan's office stood as a symbol of their forbidden connection, the site of their passion, of furtive kisses and the echoing silence of unspoken vows. As y/n stepped in, it felt like crossing into another realm, a place where the walls whispered their memories back to them.

"We need to decide what we're doing," y/n began, the urgency of the situation straining the voice.

Jeonghan looked up, his features etched with lines of a silent struggle. "The risk is becoming too great," he admitted, a resignation sweeping through his words.

The conversation that ensued was as difficult as it was necessary, a navigation through the murky waters of ethics, emotions, and consequences. The affection that had blossomed was undeniable, the connection strong, but it was tethered to a reality they could no longer ignore.

They deliberated on coming clean, on facing the storm together, but the image of Yena—happy, bright, and unaware—loomed between them like a specter of potential disaster.

~

Days later, as spring flowers burgeoned outside, an air of somber finality settled within the hallowed halls of the university. Y/n and Jeonghan made the decision to step into the light, to confront the potential consequences head-on, rather than continue in the shadows.

They met with the university board, an assembly of faces stern and inquisitive, disclosing the truth of their relationship in stark terms. The ripple of shock and murmuring that followed their confession painted a clear image of the repercussions to come.

As the process of institutional inquiry commenced, Yena was told, the news delivered in gentle but unwavering honesty. Her world, once so stable and sure, fractured under the weight of the revelation. Heartache and betrayal warred within her as she grappled to reconcile the father and friend she knew with the personas they had just shattered.

~

The inquiry was a tempestuous ordeal—an external evaluation driving nails into the framework of their careers and personal lives. Jeonghan faced the repercussions within the academic sphere, his role as a professor brought into question, while his standing as CEO wavered under the industry's scrutinizing gaze.

Y/n endured the piercing looks and hushed whispers of fellow students, the isolation a stark contrast to the prior camaraderie. Yet, the heaviest burden bore down in the form of Yena's hurt—a chasm that yawned wide and uncertain in the landscape of their friendship.

Amidst the fallout, Jeonghan and y/n found solace in their shared resolve. The decision to bring their relationship to light, though devastating in its wake, was a testament to the sincerity of their feelings—a declaration that, despite the cost, bore a haunting beauty amidst the ruins.

~

The proceedings concluded with Jeonghan stepping down from his university position, a move that quelled part of the raging storm. His influence at Yoon Technologies remained strong, salvaged by years of dedication and success that spoke louder than the whispers of scandal.

Y/n faced the disciplinary actions of the board, sanctions that would forever mark an academic record but could not extinguish the passion for the science that had brought them together in the first place.

In the aftermath, Yena's relationship with y/n and her father saw a tenuous beginning towards healing. It was a process fraught with pain and introspection, where forgiveness had to be measured against the sense of betrayal that lingered like a stubborn shadow.

The future remained an abstract notion, one that promised difficulty but was not devoid of hope. Within the quiet corners of their reality, Jeonghan and y/n nurtured the bond they had fought to preserve, a connection that spoke of resilience and quiet strength.

They emerged from the tempest changed—not unscathed, but perhaps wiser and certainly more aware of the preciousness of the love they carried with them into the unclear path ahead, a silent promise of resolution held tight in their joined hands.

[muffinrecord]

Ashen Revolution Thoughts

Okay watch me butcher this concept badly, but this is where "the will of the universe" thing that folks talk about in Magia Record comes from. The idea is that there is some sort of "will" that makes it so that magical girls are never discovered by the public, that they keep existing as they are-- unknown and without support-- becuase this is what will keep the universe running. Magical girls turn into witches, Kyubey harvests that energy and then returns it to the universe which prevents entropy from the long dark.

This talk is reminding me of quantum suicide / immortality.

Maybe it's not that there is a "will of the universe" but that only the universe where magical girls continue to exist as they currently are is the universe that will remain? Every other one where they don't will eventually end/fail, so you're left with the one that doesn't.

(Although, given that this is madoka magica and we've got alternate timelines and universes and shit, so maybe this theory doesn't hold much water)

But the og idea, not to butcher it-- let's focus on a person. Let's take you, the reader. Let's say you walked outside today and almost got hit by a car, but survived. In Quantum Immortality, there is a universe where you DID die, but your consciousness was shuffled to the one where you didn't. So you died, but you would have no idea, because your consciousness went to the place where you survived. To you it's all one timeline of survival because you don't know/remember the places where you died. You live on the one timeline where you lived for as long as possible.

Maybe the "will of the universe" is more like that? Every time something happens that could shorten/end the universe's life/meguca meals, it's overwritten by the universe where that DOESN'T happen.

So "the will of the universe" might actually exist, but not as an actual will or a person. It's more that they exist in the one timeline where things will always work out that the universe continues to exist the longest it can.

[factsandstuffbyd]

Unveiling the Mysteries of Black Holes

Black holes, enigmatic cosmic phenomena predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity, have captivated scientists and the public alike for decades. These mysterious entities, formed from the remnants of massive stars, possess gravity so strong that even light cannot escape their grasp. Exploring black holes has reshaped our understanding of space, time, and the fundamental laws of physics.

Birth of a Black Hole: Stellar Collapse Black holes originate from the explosive aftermath of massive star deaths. When a star exhausts its nuclear fuel, gravity overpowers the outward pressure, causing the star's core to collapse. If the core's mass exceeds a critical threshold, known as the Chandrasekhar limit, it collapses into a singularity, an infinitely dense point, surrounded by an event horizon – the boundary beyond which nothing can escape.

The Gravity Abyss: Warping Space and Time Einstein's theory of general relativity describes gravity as the curvature of spacetime caused by massive objects. Black holes embody this concept to the extreme, warping space and time so severely that they create a gravity well from which nothing, not even light, can emerge. This phenomenon challenges our classical understanding of gravity and beckons us to explore its most extreme consequences.

Revealing the Unseen: Detecting Black Holes Detecting black holes poses a unique challenge due to their invisible nature. Scientists rely on indirect methods. X-ray emissions from matter spiraling into black holes can betray their presence, as can gravitational effects on nearby stars. The LIGO and Virgo observatories have pioneered gravitational wave detection, allowing us to sense the ripples in spacetime generated by black hole mergers.

Size Matters: Stellar and Supermassive Black Holes Black holes vary in size. Stellar-mass black holes, formed from individual star collapses, typically range from a few to several tens of solar masses. In contrast, supermassive black holes inhabit galactic centers and can weigh millions or even billions of times our sun's mass. The processes behind these size differences remain active areas of research.

Dance of Destruction: Black Hole Accretion Disks As black holes pull surrounding matter into their grasp, they create accretion disks – swirling discs of gas and dust. Friction and heat generated within these disks cause them to emit powerful X-rays and other forms of radiation. Studying these emissions provides insights into black hole properties and behavior.

Event Horizon Telescope: Peering into the Abyss In April 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope made history by capturing the first-ever image of the event horizon of a supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy M87. This feat involved coordinating multiple radio telescopes globally, simulating a telescope the size of Earth. The image not only confirmed the existence of black holes but also provided visual evidence of their mind-bending nature.

Hawking Radiation: Black Holes Aren't So Black Black holes aren't completely dark. According to physicist Stephen Hawking, black holes can emit radiation due to quantum effects near the event horizon. This phenomenon, known as Hawking radiation, challenges our perception of black holes as purely consuming entities. It implies that they can slowly lose mass and evaporate over time.

Black Hole Information Paradox: Cosmic Conundrum The nature of information within black holes is a conundrum known as the "black hole information paradox." According to quantum mechanics, information cannot be destroyed, yet black holes seem to violate this principle by absorbing everything that falls within their grasp. Resolving this paradox is a frontier in theoretical physics.

Black Holes and the Cosmos: Galactic Evolution and Beyond Black holes play an integral role in galactic evolution. Supermassive black holes influence their host galaxies through processes like quasars, which emit immense energy. Black hole interactions and mergers also contribute to the universe's dynamism. Understanding these roles enhances our grasp of cosmic evolution.

Beyond the Horizon: Ongoing Exploration The exploration of black holes is an ongoing endeavor, intertwining multiple disciplines, from astrophysics to quantum mechanics. As technology advances, we inch closer to unlocking the secrets of these cosmic enigmas. With initiatives like the upcoming LISA mission to detect gravitational waves from space, our understanding of black holes is poised to expand further, offering glimpses into the deepest corners of the cosmos.

In conclusion, black holes stand as some of the most enigmatic and awe-inspiring entities in the universe. Their influence stretches across space and time, defying our conventional understanding of reality. From their mysterious birth to the intricate dance of matter around them, black holes continue to challenge our intellect and inspire us to unravel the mysteries that lie within their gravitational grasp.

[sciencestyled]

Galactic Guesswork: The Bizarre Hunt for Dark Matter and Dark Energy

Welcome, intrepid explorers of the cosmic carnival, to the most mind-bending show on this side of the Milky Way: the enigma of dark matter and dark energy! Imagine, if you will, that our universe is like a ginormous cosmic burrito, and we’re only tasting the spicy salsa without even realizing there’s a whole fiesta of flavors hiding underneath. Yep, that's right – about 85% of the universe is this mysterious stuff called dark matter and dark energy, and we’re still figuring out what on Earth (or in space) it all means!

Now, grab your metaphorical popcorn, because this rollercoaster starts with the mystery of the universe's missing mass. Picture the early astronomers like Galileo and Newton as the original Ghostbusters, looking for all the visible stuff in the cosmos. Fast forward to the 1930s, when Fritz Zwicky, with a name that sounds like a retro comic book hero, noticed that the galaxies in the Coma Cluster were moving around like kids hopped up on sugar. He figured out there must be something invisible giving them a gravitational push. Voilà, dark matter was born – the invisible hand in the cosmic cookie jar!

Enter Vera Rubin in the 1970s, the real MVP who confirmed that galaxies spin way faster than they should if only visible matter was in play. It’s like if you saw a frisbee flying through the air and realized it’s being propelled by an invisible jetpack. Thanks to her, we know dark matter exists, even if it’s as elusive as that one sock you always lose in the laundry.

But wait, the universe had more tricks up its sleeve. Enter stage left: dark energy, the Beyoncé of cosmic phenomena – fabulous, mysterious, and always in the spotlight. In the 1990s, astronomers noticed that the universe isn’t just expanding, it’s doing so at an accelerating rate, like a YouTube video buffering at hyperspeed. This was thanks to observations of distant supernovae, which, much like surprise guest stars on a TV show, gave us unexpected clues about the universe's plot twists. And thus, dark energy was thrust into the limelight, making us question everything we thought we knew about the universe.

Now, let’s get to the juicy part: what exactly is this dark stuff made of? Scientists have thrown around more theories than Marvel has superheroes. Dark matter might be composed of WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) or MACHOs (Massive Astrophysical Compact Halo Objects). And if those acronyms sound like characters from a sci-fi buddy cop movie, you’re not far off. These particles are like the undercover agents of the universe, working behind the scenes to keep galaxies spinning and the cosmos in order.

Dark energy, on the other hand, might be the universe’s version of anti-gravity – a force that’s pushing everything apart. Think of it as the cosmic equivalent of your favorite cartoon character running off a cliff and somehow staying afloat. Scientists have cooked up theories involving quantum fields and vacuum energy, but pinning down dark energy is like trying to nail jelly to a wall.

To hunt down these elusive entities, scientists have rolled out the big guns – and by guns, I mean colossal detectors and telescopes. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is like the universe’s ultimate science fair project, smashing particles together at ludicrous speeds to see what secrets pop out. Space telescopes like the Hubble and the upcoming James Webb are the cosmic paparazzi, snapping pics of the universe's red carpet events to catch dark matter and dark energy in action.

But even with all this high-tech wizardry, detecting dark matter and dark energy is trickier than convincing your parents that video games are educational. We’re talking about stuff that doesn’t interact with light, making it essentially invisible. It’s like trying to catch a ninja who’s also a ghost. Yet, with every experiment and observation, we get a smidge closer to understanding these cosmic ninjas.

Now, what does all this mean for science education and our understanding of the universe? Buckle up, because this is where it gets wild. Dark matter and dark energy aren’t just footnotes in the cosmic story; they’re the plot twists that change everything. They shape the structure of the universe, influencing galaxy formation, cosmic microwave background radiation, and even the ultimate fate of everything we know. It’s like discovering that the secret ingredient in grandma’s famous pie recipe is something you’ve never even heard of – it changes your whole perspective.

The implications are profound. If we crack the dark matter and dark energy codes, we could revolutionize our understanding of physics, potentially leading to new technologies that make today’s sci-fi look like child’s play. Imagine harnessing dark energy to power spaceships or using dark matter as the ultimate stealth tech. The future could be stranger and more fantastic than any blockbuster movie.

In conclusion, the quest to unravel the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy is the ultimate scientific odyssey – an adventure filled with intrigue, discovery, and mind-boggling revelations. As we continue to probe the cosmic shadows, each piece of evidence brings us closer to the truth, turning science education into a thrilling narrative that rivals the best Hollywood thrillers. So, stay curious, my fellow cosmic detectives, because the universe has many more secrets to spill, and we’re just getting started on this wild ride through the dark!

[jack-of-crowns]

@flashfictionfridayofficial

'To Gather Paradise' by @jack-of-crowns

Their forms are silhouettes here in the Shadow beyond the farthest boundaries, three Jinn magi backlit by the bright incandescence of nascent stars, three vessels of dark energy bourne upon the mnemonic currents of spacetime who are come to unwind the warp and woof of an inevitable tapestry.

The eldest extends herself in somatic patterns, her consciousness splayed wide, upswept as the branches of the sharpened thorns of reality that hedge them in. Mistress and apprentices; each lesson pierces her more deeply than either of them, for she has tasted the bitter fruit of her past many timelines now; she knows that eventuality brings her only the comforts of having played that role again, but to the uncharted courses of the children...

"Lane, recite," Qeral commands, voice thundering as a breaking wave through the quantum foam as the incantation of intentionality begins to manifest.

"The One Whom is All effaces what He wills and establishes what He wills, and with Him is the Mother of the Book." Lane's shadow lengthens as her spoken syllables acquire resonance and echo.

Mile's essence contracts in a deep fana. "Forgive me, Yüce Büyücü, but does not the natural expansion of the multiverse already create new spacetime? Why do we seek to intervene?"

Qeral laughs harshly, cataphracts of standing anger dashing over jagged crescendos of what cannot be undone. "Was our exile by The Eleven natural, Mile? Perhaps our next field lesson takes us back to Sheol, and -" She composes herself, adding "- and your question is valid. Yes, the multiverse expands, but it expands under the unblinking gaze of our so-called illuminated kin in accordance with their unyielding will, who shape reality into predictable patterns, easy to control. We create...alternatives. Observe."

The sama begins, an ecstatic whirl of antiquarks and fermions, of dark matter and Shadow in an intricate weave. The motion and sound of collapsing probability fields reverberate; the tableau of reality beyond them shimmers, and all six dimensions of spacetime fold into a construct of ineffable beauty. "This," Qeral says softly, "is an Empty House."

"How...how does one even attempt to operate this," Lane muses, her Shadow-self flickering in consternation. "I thought pure Chaos was a theory."

"And, is this...thing even ethical?" Mile chimes in sternly. "Aren't we also guilty of superimposition?"

Qeral drifts motionless for several moments; casting spells of this magnitude unaided are taxing. "Remember that I was there." The apprentices are silent, knowing their place. "I was there when we fell. All that was beautiful to be found in the darkness, cast out from every probable future and consigned to be nothing more than the stuff of superstition and fear-mongering. No, children, this is not a sigil of superimposition. This is liberation."

"Come, feel the fibrations of true freedom."

Qeral draws the apprentices within the flows of her own essence, for their unprepared consciousnesses would otherwise be overwhelmed by sheer sonsuz. Even so, they can not help but be dizzied by the onrush of potential, the vertigo of unrestrained choice as the three explore the impossible geometries of the Empty House. Within its chambers lie the branes of every possible future, every road not taken, every choice yet to be made.

They are at once and at one with each other; their interconnectedness expressing itself in desire, desire manifesting as seeds bringing forth the fruits of what else and what if. Instead of the proto-nebula before them birthing hot suns destined to fuel the fiery judgments of the Luminarians, their mingled selves are stirring the elements of reality, weaving it into ever-branching filaments of a cosmic web.

- The Darkline? It must be! -

- The dark past of what never became, yes -

- And of all those unrealized yesterdays? -

- They are only realities as yet unchosen, -

- And the Darkline is a never-ending path, -

- From possible pasts to improbable futures. -

- Infinite lanes, and each an unchartable course!

- Infinite miles, and neither starting point nor stop! -

- And all shall be all; everywhen and nowhere. -

They are all as children now, imaginations playing in a garden of delights, rewriting the pages of history's hellscapes with their limitless volumes of hope. Where the architects of authoritarianism seek to build dead ends of self-fulfilling apocalypses, there an Empty House shall stand, creating intersections of refuge and salvation. Manifold gardens all along the Darkline will blossom in the cold of the cosmic voids, and the magi of the Nightshade Jinn will go forth to gather Paradise with shadowed hands.

[compassionmattersmost]

Metaphysics and Modern Science: Dark Energy, Awareness, and Expansion

How the Mysterious Forces Shaping Our Cosmos Reflect the Boundless Potential of Awareness, Transformation, and Free Will in the Mind In the vast reaches of the cosmos, scientists have discovered a force they call dark energy. It is a mystery, one that baffles and intrigues, for it behaves in a way that defies everything we know about matter and gravity. Dark energy doesn’t pull things together;…

[clowncary]

Shifting Theories

Theories related to shifting are made because no one understands or knows why it takes place, why it is the way it is, and why it is varied between experiences. Generally, all shifters believe that they are born a shifter or are wired to be one, but don't have to shift/do not always have the ability to shift. What makes a shifter is the permanent meta/physical changes to any of the forms, somatic phenomena, and visible appearance morphing.

Shifters usually fall under these categories; A1 - Active 1 A2 - Active 2 IN1 - Inactive 1 IN2 - Inactive 2 UN1 - Unspecified 1

Active means that you have the ability to partially or fully shift in your lifetime.

Inactive means that you do not have the ability to shift in your lifetime.

Unspecified means that you are unsure or you have not been evaluated.

1 means that you transform into another being while 2 means that you grow your body into another being.

....

Genetic Shifting

An extremely common belief in shifting is Genetic Shifting, where the traits are passed down family lines. Usually described using punnett squares. Many believe in genes or hormones that are carried and build energy for a shift.

Viral Genetic Shifting

Uncommon and often misunderstood in the community. Here, small amounts of traits are passed through blood or bodily fluids, but this does not make one a shifter - it only gives them blood/ hormones like a shifter.

Pleio Shifting

In Pleio Shifting, energy is built from external sources like food and water. There will be p-flares for months or weeks, meaning that the body is aching/calling for a shift. This is the first part of fully shifting. This energy will be used to build on the shifter gene, activating it at the time the shift is due. Here, the shifter gene is a pleiotropic gene, making it able to affect other genes and their phenotypes. If a bear shifter has a dark brown eye color, the shifter gene may change that based on what the body needs to grow out. The growing features (aka apparent phenotypes) are unique to the shifter and not all shifters feel the need for a tail or fur or teeth to be grown.

Ritual Shifting

Many practices are used from Ritual Shifting to aid those who are unable to shift, pushing them closer to an actual shift by conjuring energy that they can't build themselves. Rites, meditation, occultism, and magick make up the majority of these practices.

Conservation Shifting

Based on the Conservative of Mass, which describes how mass cannot be destroyed or created in an individual, isolated system. This theory states that a shifter does not lose or gain mass during shifting, and will stay the same no matter what form.

Changing Eyes Theory

Animal eyes and human eyes are very different, from pupil to eyeball. The cones in the eyes change the way we see things and colors. When talking about iris changing colors, we refer to the idea that human eye colors; brown, blue, and green, could change to brown, amber, yellow, gray, green or red. This theory states that this is possible due to the change in perception of the body, including a difference in sight playing a role in how iris’ are colored to reflect.

Multiverse Theory

On this one, the universe we live in is not the only one, but rather one of many. Using the theory of quantum physics, there are infinite universes, allowing every possibility to exist simultaneously. Any difference, big or small, could exist out there.

Consciousness Theory

Shifting allows us to observe our reality and alter it to become another. Since consciousness creates reality, the reality we are currently in is just as real as anything you can imagine.

[thefirstknife]

Before I dive deeper into the new season (I've been having some errors), I checked out the latest Veil Log and the final one for the next three months. I'm insane. Not on DLV yet so my video and transcript:

Osiris: I found no more logs from Dr. Esi, but I have used her algorithm to crack the data core of the Vex Conceptual Mind. Nimbus: That's the doodad we got from the Black Garden, right? Osiris: Indeed. The data within contained the Vex's blueprints for their artificial Veil: the Black Heart. It all but proved Dr. Esi's theory. Dr. Esi theorised that the paracausal energy of the Traveler operated on a quantum wavelength parallel to electrons. Nimbus: Um... magnets? Osiris: In simpler terms: the Traveler's power runs parallel to the forces of nature. Gravity, magnetism, sound, light. The Veil does this too. It is synchronised with the Traveler. Wherever the Traveler came from, the Veil may have as well. But what the Vex made, while connected to the Traveler, was inherently flawed. It did not create the link the Witness desired. Instead, it weakened the Traveler, created... "static" in the flow of their cosmic forces. But it did reveal one intriguing possibility... That at one time, they may have been... united. Part of a whole. Nimbus: Whoa! So, wait... does this mean the Light and Darkness... were the same once? One force? Osiris: Dr. Esi believed so. I am... not as convinced. But it is a theory. One many scholars will explore once this data is shared. But this data allowed me to calculate the telemetry of the beam the Veil fired at the Traveler. When the Witness linked to the Veil through a Ghost, it created a faster-than-light connection of Darkness to the Traveler's Light... A bridge to the Traveler's consciousness. If it has one. But the beam did not stop at the Traveler... rather, a point inside of it. Nimbus: Inside? Wait, what's inside the Traveler? Osiris: No one knows. But if the data I have been able to extrapolate here is correct, that is where the Witness is now: inside the Traveler. It may be the reason why the Traveler has gone dormant - its attention directed inward, where the true threat is. But I am speculating. There is more I need to study, but I fear it will take a substantially longer amount of time. Nimbus: How long do you need? Osiris: Months. If we have that long left, that is. Until then, I suppose.

THIS WAS SO JUICY. I love when Osiris shows that he's a scientist first and foremost.

This is a lot of stuff, some partially also related to what we just learned in the showcase. I'll write down my initial thoughts and stuff that got me thinking.

First, such a good idea to bring back the Conceptual Mind; the final boss of the Black Garden mission in Lightfall. I just replayed it a week ago for no reason other than to snoop around and remembered that they talk about the core of the Vex we kill at the end (Conceptual Mind, the architect of the Black Heart) and that Osiris said he would study it, but we haven't had an update since. Until now!

The stuff about the Traveler (and the Veil) running "parallel to the forces of nature" that include "gravity, magnetism, sound and light" reminded me of when I talked about the OXA In this post, specifically about the term "odyle" from the full name of the OXA. The OXA's full name is Odyle Xenotaph Anarchive; I explained each word in my post, and here the most relevant is the first one; odyle. This force, the odyle, was thought to be responsible for natural phenomena such as magnetism, electricity, light and others. I don't know if this is deliberate, as something like this can easily just be a coincidence when we're talking about space magic and paracausality, but it definitely reminded me of that, especially since I talked about it in the same context of the Veil's power. Remains to be seen, but when I heard that sentence, my first thought was "odyle." This old-timey term might be used here for the purpose of explaining a time of the universe where everything began and when the Traveler and the Veil were connected.

Speaking of, Osiris talks about how the conclusion is that the Traveler and the Veil may have been united before, that they are parts of a whole. This is absolutely not new for him and I've mentioned it before pretty much the moment Ahsa said the same. Osiris has mentioned this in one of his prophecies:

Two siblings cleaved by time and space, reflections never found alone, The ending of the eldritch race—a path long seen but never known.

And from Ahsa:

Shrouded in… Darkness. A promise of something more… Two halves of a whole… long divided. A… schism between them. Reunited. [exhales in joy] A glimpse beyond… to the beginning…

The rest is heavily contingent on our glimpse into what's beyond the portal. Osiris talks about how the Veil connected to something inside the Traveler; he is correct. We know from the showcase that it is connected to the Pale Heart.

Destination The Pale Heart There is a place where we will find eternity being torn asunder. An unraveling landscape that echoes with the deeds of our past. Persevere in this impossible place and uncover what lies at the heart of this war.

It's a place where the Traveler is rebuilding stuff from what it remembers of us. It's a place that can reconstruct places that existed, places it touched or affected. We still don't know a lot, but this little bit of information and scenes we've seen are a decent start. Osiris also mentions that the beam connected to the Traveler's consciousness, which is something that makes sense for the Veil, given that it is the power of consciousness made manifest. Perhaps together, the Traveler and the Veil can reconstruct things and places that were, as well as construct things and places that will be. Traveler to give them physicality, the Veil to seed consciousness. If they were truly as one before, perhaps this is how the universe started in the first place. But... as Osiris said... I am speculating.

And now the long wait. Three months for the final log. I'll definitely be revisiting this analysis from Osiris multiple times over the next months.

[mysticstronomy]

WHAT WAS BEFORE THE BIG BANG??

Blog#407

Wednesday, June 5th, 2024.

Welcome back,

The Universe has not existed forever. It was born. Around 13.82 billion years ago, matter, energy, space – and time – erupted into being in a fireball called the Big Bang. It expanded and, from the cooling debris, there congealed galaxies – islands of stars of which our Milky Way is one among about two trillion. This is the Big Bang theory.

A universe popping into existence out of nothing is so bonkers that scientists had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the idea. But the evidence is compelling. The galaxies are flying apart like pieces of cosmic shrapnel. And the heat of the Big Bang is still around us. Greatly cooled by cosmic expansion, this ‘afterglow’ appears not as visible light but principally as microwave radiation – the ‘cosmic background radiation’, which was discovered by radio astronomers in 1965.

When a stick of dynamite explodes, the detonation occurs in one place and shrapnel flies into the void. In the Big Bang, there was no centre and no pre-existing void, so it didn’t happen at any ‘location’. Space itself popped into existence and began expanding everywhere at once.

Astronomy books often liken the Universe to a rising cake, with raisins representing galaxies. As the cake grows, raisins recede from each other, with no centre of expansion – just like the Big Bang. But of course, a cake has an edge, unlike the Universe, which may go on forever. No analogy is perfect!

In the beginning of the Big Bang there was the inflationary vacuum. When it doubled its volume, it doubled its energy; when it tripled its volume, it tripled its energy. If banknotes were like this and you pulled apart a stack, ever more would appear. Physicists call inflation the ‘ultimate free lunch’!

The inflationary vacuum expanded ever faster. But it was a ‘quantum’ thing. And quantum things are fundamentally unpredictable. Randomly, all over the inflationary vacuum, parts of it ‘decayed’ into ordinary, everyday vacuum.

Think of tiny bubbles forming in a vast ocean. In each bubble, the inflationary vacuum disappeared, but its enormous energy had to go somewhere. It went into creating matter and heating it. It went into creating a Big Bang. Our Big Bang Universe is merely one such bubble among a possible infinity of other Big Bang universes in the ever-expanding inflationary vacuum!

To start all this, a chunk of inflationary vacuum of only a kilogram was needed. Incredibly, the laws of quantum theory permit this to pop into existence out of nothing.

The basic idea – that the Universe began hot and dense and has been expanding and cooling ever since – is incontrovertible. But cosmologists have had to make tweaks to the theory, to account for certain observations.

First, in the standard Big Bang model, galaxies grow by gravitationally pulling in matter. But if this were the only thing going on, it would take much longer than 13.82 billion years for them to form. Astronomers fix this by postulating that the visible stars and galaxies are outweighed by a factor of six by invisible ‘dark matter’, the extra gravity of which speeds up galaxy formation.

Second, the basic Big Bang predicts that the gravitational attraction between the galaxies acts like a web of elastic, slowing cosmic expansion. However, in 1998, astronomers discovered that the Universe’s expansion is speeding up.

They fix this by postulating the existence of ‘dark energy’, which is invisible, fills space and has repulsive gravity.

A final tweak to the basic theory is needed to explain why the Universe has the same temperature everywhere. To account for this, astronomers think that the Universe early on was smaller than expected, then underwent a super-fast expansion in its first split-second – an ‘inflation’. This was driven by an ‘inflationary vacuum’, a high-energy version of the vacuum that exists in space today.

Originally published on www.sciencefocus.com

COMING UP!!

(Saturday, June 8th, 2024)

"A COSMIC GLITCH IN GRAVITY??"

[lunarsilkscreen]

Energy and Vaccums

The Vaccum of space was thought to have an energy that pulls on whatever is in it. They call this idea "Dark Energy".

However; if Cold is simply the absence of heat, then it's really the energy repelling itself to where there is less energy.

Except in the case of gluons. Which keep particles from getting too far apart.

My quantum particle understanding is lacking, so forgive me for inaccuracies.

These gluons prevent particles from drifting too far apart and even require *more* energy in which to break their bonds.

This understanding might confirm my theories on both the *attractive* force and the *repelling* force that I had said on the Sun before. Creating a "Virtual String".

Which leads us back to "String Theory". That the Macro and Quantum scale are so similar in operation creates many more questions than answers. Especially ones like; why don't we see it at our human level and only when we look outside or inside of something?

...Those string-slinging toys aside...

[cozmic-reality]

Existence Theory #4: The Cosmic Connection – Exploring Consciousness and Causality

Have you ever wondered how the universe is intricately connected and what truly binds us to the cosmos? In my previous blogs, we explored the interplay between Shiv (consciousness) and Shakti (energy/matter). Today, let’s go further and weave in quantum science, spiritual teachings, and the essence of causality into our understanding.

1. The Universal Thread: Entanglement and Unity

In the world of quantum entanglement, two particles behave as if they are one, even when separated by vast distances. If you alter the state of one, the other responds instantly. This phenomenon challenges our everyday understanding of space and time and hints at a deeper interconnected reality.

Advaita Vedanta supports this concept with its teaching that all of existence is a projection of a single, unified consciousness (Brahman). It suggests that perceived separations are illusions created by Maya. Just as entangled particles reveal unseen connections, Advaita’s philosophy teaches that all beings share a single essence.

2. The Power of Light and Energy

Photons, or light particles, are unique in that they traverse through the vacuum of space without needing a medium. This property makes them symbolic of Shiv, representing consciousness permeating through the universe. Just as light illuminates darkness, consciousness (Brahman) is the light that reveals the truth beyond illusion.

3. Causality: The Web of Karma

In classical philosophy, causality means that every action has an effect. However, quantum physics has shown that particles can influence one another instantaneously, challenging our traditional view of cause and effect. This echoes the spiritual law of karma, which states that every action, however subtle, ripples through existence.

Advaita Vedanta asserts that while karma operates in the realm of Maya, true realization (moksha) comes when one understands that Brahman transcends causality. The observer effect in quantum mechanics, where the act of observation changes a system's outcome, aligns with this view: consciousness shapes reality itself.

4. Bringing It All Together: A Unified Perspective

When we weave these threads together, a new picture emerges:

Consciousness (Shiv/Brahman) is the ultimate reality.

Energy and matter (Shakti) are expressions of this consciousness.

Causality and interconnectedness govern the perceived world, but are transcended in the realization of oneness.

The Takeaway

Reflect on the light that touches your skin and the thoughts you share. Everything is connected by a universal thread of consciousness and causality. Recognizing these connections allows us to align more closely with our true nature and move toward liberation from the illusion of separateness.

Quote Highlight: “We are the eternal witness, untouched by the flux of cause and effect.”

Stay tuned as we continue exploring how ancient teachings and modern science converge to explain existence and consciousness.

R. R. S.