#physical existence of electromagnetic field

[thejournallo]

Explain the basic: Energy manipulation

Disclaimer: in this chapter you are going to learn the physical and spiritual meaning of energy! Everything I will talk about is information that I got from books and sites online and even videos on YouTube. In my years of practice, I learned as much as I could out of curiosity and what works best for me. I suggest you do the same by learning as much as you can on your own (I will be here making posts teaching this kind of stuff) from multiple sources.

tags: @koda-manifesting

As always, I will love to hear your thoughts! and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them! If you liked it, leave a comment or reblog (that is always appreciated!). if you are intrested in more method check the masterlist!

When it comes to energy manipulation, we have to remember the 12 laws of the universe!  According to these laws, we are all connected; everyone vibrates at different rates, and energy is always changing! We can use the knowledge that those laws gave us to manipulate the energy that is around us in different aspects. Before we start to talk about what energy manipulation is, let's learn what energy is, even in a more scientific aspect.

witchcraft: 

"Energy" is often referred to as the life force or spiritual power that flows through all living things and the universe itself. People who practice witchcraft often work with this energy to bring about desired changes in their lives or the world around them. This energy is believed to be manipulable through various practices such as rituals, spells, meditation, and visualization.of course Different traditions and practitioners may have their own specific beliefs and terminology surrounding energy, but it is generally understood to be a fundamental aspect of the spiritual and metaphysical realms of witchcraft.

manipulating energy: 

More often than not, we manipulate this energy, which can happen on a daily basis without our knowledge. In a more visual explanation, we are surrounded by a bubble. Bubble = spiritual energy. When we go out and do our daily things and have our daily experiences, we give some piece of bubble. Energy manipulation is understood if we are using our bubble, understood when we have to use it and use it to our own advantage. for example, "If I feel this kind of bad feeling from a person, I will use a piece of my bubble to protect myself." I used my spiritual energy to protect myself from negativity.

science:

Energy is defined as the capacity to do work or produce heat. It exists in various forms such as kinetic energy (the energy of motion), potential energy (stored energy), thermal energy (the energy associated with temperature), chemical energy (energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds), electromagnetic energy (energy carried by light and other electromagnetic waves), and many others.

The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another. This means that the total energy within a closed system remains constant over time, even as it may change from one form to another.

Energy plays a fundamental role in all physical processes and is a central concept in fields such as physics, chemistry, and engineering. It's a crucial aspect of understanding the behavior of matter and the interactions between different systems in the universe.

Why am I talking about physical energy?

because we can use physical energy to practice witchcraft. Let me give you another visual example.  We are going on a walk to feel relaxed and release some tense energy. We are using kinetic energy to protect our peace.  It is all in the intention and the mindset when you use this kind of physical manipulation; even lighting a candle before a spell means using thermal energy to protect the space. (I'm saying protection as an example.) You can do pretty much anything; a walk can equal aboundance if that's what you want.

NSFW TALK AHEAD (MINOR DO NOT INTERACT)

It is a bit uncomfortable for me to talk about this, but it has to be said. Carnal acts like sex or masturbation can also be used to manipulate energy, and it is a whole practice in itself called red magic, where you use the build-up energy of the orgasm and the peak release to put your intention in the world. The tricky part is to actually concentrate on your intention until you release it. 

[mysticstronomy]

WHAT IS "NOTHING" IN SPACE??

Blog#433

Wednesday, September 4th, 2024.

Welcome back,

We can define physical reality pragmatically as all that which exists in the cosmos, and there is no such thing as complete emptiness in it. Quite the opposite, it seems that the more we learn about nature, the busier space becomes. We can contemplate the idea of a metaphysical emptiness, a complete void where there is nothing. But these are concepts we make up, not necessarily things that exist. Even calling nothingness a “thing” makes it into something.

Leucippus and Democritus, the Greek philosophers credited with the invention of atomism — that everything is made of tiny bits of matter that cannot be divided — suggested the joint existence of atoms and the void. Atoms make up everything that exists, but they move in a complete emptiness, the void.

As an exercise in the always evolving way we figure things out about the world, we can make a list of the things we know fill up empty space. (The list does change. For example, 120 years ago, it would have included the ether, the medium in which light was supposed to propagate.)

Starting with classical physics, the key concept is that of a field. A field is a spatial manifestation of a source. If an object sensitive to the field is placed within its range, it will respond in some way, usually by being attracted to or repelled by the source that creates the field.

In classical physics we know of only two forces, gravitational and electromagnetic. Every object with mass attracts every other object. You attract and are attracted by everything that exists — by butterflies and whales, by the Sun and all the planets of this Solar System and across the Universe.

The intensity of an object’s gravitational field grows in proportion to its mass and decays with the square of the distance to it. In that sense, space is filled with interconnected fields that link us to the rest of the Universe.

Gravitational fields extend their threads to all corners of space. Since fields carry energy, we can say that space is filled with the energy of these gravitational fields. Electromagnetic fields also have energy, of course. But since electric and magnetic forces can be attractive and repulsive, they usually are neutralized and rarely manifest themselves at great distances.

At the quantum level, space gets even busier. Indeed, quantum physics tells us there is no such thing as zero energy. In the world of atoms and subatomic particles, movement is constant, and there is an energy associated with a particle’s residual motion called zero point energy, or vacuum energy.

If we now connect this fact to the famous E=mc2 formula, which states that energy and matter may be interconvertible, it is possible for particles of matter to spring out from the energy of the vacuum — the energy of empty space.

The Universe itself could emerge in this way, as we have discussed. The fact that matter may come out of what we would call “nothing” shows that the “nothing” of quantum physics is far from a complete void. Virtual particles appear and disappear like bubbles in a boiling soup. In the current view of quantum physics, the void bubbles continuously with the creation and destruction of matter particles.

We met the concept of fields in classical physics, but it carries over to quantum physics with even more dramatic effects. We no longer refer to particles, in fact, but to the fields that create them. An electron or a proton is an excitation of the electron or the proton fields, respectively, like small waves drifting on the surface of a lake.

Particles are pictured as knots of energy moving in their fields, with physical properties like mass.

The physical picture that emerges is that of space filled with quantum fields that boil up with real and virtual particles. As the Fox said to the Little Prince in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s fable, “What is essential is invisible to the eyes.” This is as true for love and friendship as it is for the “nothingness” of space.

Originally published on https://bigthink.com

COMING UP!!

(Saturday, September 7th, 2024)

"WHY IS EVERYTHING IN SPACE ALWAYS MOVING??"

[australianbeyonce]

𝒒𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒊’𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑱𝒐𝒆 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒛𝒂’𝒔 ‘𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇’

ch 1: the quantum you

we are part of a vast, invisible field of energy, which contains all possible realities and responds to our thoughts and feelings.

your thoughts have consequences so great that they create your reality.

we don’t have to settle for our present reality; we can create a new one, whenever we choose to.

your thoughts shape your destiny.

everything in your life is not solid matter—rather, it’s all fields of energy and frequency patterns of information.

energy responds to your mindful attention and becomes matter.

everything in our physical reality exists as pure potential.

if subatomic particles can exist in an infinite number of possible places simultaneously, we are potentially capable of collapsing into existence an infinite number of possible realities.

if you can imagine a future event in your life based on any one of your personal desires, that reality already exists as a possibility in the quantum field, waiting to be observed by you.

you are powerful enough to influence matter because at the most elementary level you are energy with a consciousness.

we don’t need to be touching or even in close proximity to any physical elements in the quantum field to affect or be affected by them.

the “you” that exists in a probable future is already connected to the “you” in this now.

when you hold clear focused thoughts about your purpose, accompanied by your passionate emotional engagement, you broadcast a stronger electromagnetic signal that pulls you toward a potential reality that matches what you want.

hold a clear intention of what you want, but leave the “how” details to the unpredictable and quantum field. let it orchestrate an event in your life in a way that is just right for you.

when you do create purposefully, request a sign from the quantum consciousness that you have made contact with it. dare to ask for synchronicities related to your specific desired outcomes. when you do, you are being bold enough to want to know that this consciousness is real and that it is aware of your efforts.

since the quantum field is nothing but immaterial probability, it is outside of space and time. as soon as we observe one of those infinite probabilities and give it material reality, it acquires those two characteristics.

chapters cont. below

ch 2: overcoming your environment

the subjective mind has an effect on the objective world.

an observer can affect the subatomic world and influence a specific event.

if you can influence your brain to change before you experience a desired future event, you will create the appropriate neural circuits that will enable you to behave in alignment with your intention before it becomes a reality in your life. through your own repeated mental rehearsal of a better way to think, act, or be, you will “install” the neural hardware needed to physiologically prepare you for the new event.

ch 3: overcoming your body

every potential already exists

when you have thoughtfully rehearsed a future reality until your brain has physically changed to look like it had the experience, you have emotionally embraced a new intention so many times that your body is altered to reflect that it has has the experience, hang on… because this is the moment the event finds you.

ch 4: overcoming time

in the present, all potentials exist simultaneously in the field. when we stay present, when we are “in the moment,” we can move beyond space and time, and we can make any one of those potentials a reality. when we are mired in the past, however, none of those new potentials exist.

if we focus on an intended future event and then plan how we will prepare or behave, there will be a moment when we are so clear and focused on that possible future that the thoughts we are thinking will begin to become the experience itself.

you have all the neurological machinery to transcend time.

ch 5: survival vs. creation

as our emotions become more elevated, we naturally ascend to a higher level of consciousness, closer to source… and feel more connected to universal intelligence.

when you’re living in the elevated emotion of creation, you feel so lifted that you would never try to analyze how or when a chosen destiny will arrive. you trust that it will happen because you have already experienced it.

do you it has already occurred in no space, no time, no place, from which all things material spring forth. you are in a state of knowingness; you can relax into the present and no longer live in survival.

to anticipate or analyze when, where, or how the event will occur will only cause you to return to your old identity.

ch 6: three brains: thinking to doing to being

it’s often useful to compare one’s brain to a computer, and it’s true that yours already has the hardware you’ll need to change your “self” and your life.

because you are thinking and feeling differently, you are changing reality.

you can’t think one way and feel another and expect anything in your life to change.

change your state of being… and change your reality.

choose a potential reality that you want, live it in your thoughts and feelings.

give thanks ahead of the actual event.

when your body experiences that the event is occurring in that moment and feels real to you, based solely on what you’re focused on mentally and feeling emotionally, then you are experiencing the future now.

ch 7: the gap

imagine how much good you could do by converting any destructive energy to productive energy. contemplate what you could accomplish if you weren’t focused on survival (a selfish emotion), but instead worked to create out of positive intentions (a selfless emotion).

ask yourself: what energy from past experiences (in the form of limited emotions) am i holding on to that reinforces my past identity and emotionally attaches me to my current circumstances? could i use this same energy and transform it into an elevated state from which to create a new and different outcome?

and do you know the funny thing about not wanting of lacking for anything? that’s when you can really begin to manifest things naturally.

ch 8: meditation, demystifying the mystical, and waves of your future

decide to stop being the old you

once that emotion is created you begin to feel like your new ideal, and that new feeling will start to become familiar. remember that when your body begins to respond as if the experience is already present reality, you will signal your genes in new ways… and your body will commence to change now, ahead of the physical event in your life.

[internetskiff]

I've sometimes seen this sentiment, especially among reviewers, that SOMA's WAU ""monster plot"" contributes nothing to the main game's story, and that the storyline would infact benefit from the WAU's removal. If you ask me, that couldn't be further from the truth. The WAU is at the root of everything. Frankly, it's the main reason the game's moral dilemmas are.. well, dilemmas at all. If the WAU wasn't making monsters, wasn't there to warp the life around Pathos-II as it saw fit, the game wouldn't have even started. Pathos-II would've just remained dormant forever. Simon wouldn't be there, and neither would any of the obstacles he faces on his journey to preserve humanity. The main reason the WAU isn't directly beneficial to Earth is exactly because its understanding of "life" is so skewed. Its not just bringing things back - its bringing them back incorrectly. Every single "monster" we meet builds a case both against and for the WAU's continued existence.

The Construct shows the WAU's failure to understand humanity in the physical sense, shoving a Human brain scan into a misshapen robot body and calling it a day, leaving it to babble to itself as it aimlessly wanders the halls of Upsilon.

The same could be said for Carl Semken and the other Mockingbirds, though to a lesser degree - though capable of speech, they're still very delusional and oftentimes end up going insane. Still, in some ways you see the WAU's understanding of human psychology progress with each new mockingbird - they become increasingly coherent and increasingly sane, Catherine and Robin Bass being great examples. While the Construct has lost so much of itself you can no longer tell who it used to be, the other Mockingbirds have their sense of self intact. With the WAU's unreliable nature cemented, we move on to its attempts at preserving humans physically, with Amy Azarro being the first proper example Simon gets to witness.

She's kept alive in what seems to be a perpetual state of discomfort, and judging by the structure gel slowly overtaking her I believe the WAU may be slowly converting her into one of the Fleshers. Its keeping her alive, yes, but its doing so at any cost necessary - it doesn't matter if she's in constant pain as long as she doesn't flatline. Its treatment of actual organisms is practically an inversion of its treatment of the Mockingbirds - instead of prioritizing the mental wellbeing of the subject, the WAU prioritizes their physical wellbeing with little to no care for the mental state its "patient" is in the entire time.

Fleshers live and breathe, but they seemingly aren't "all there" at all. The lights are on, but no one's home anymore. All they do is wander the ruins of the CURIE and lash out at anyone who enters their territory - the WAU has basically reduced them to animals.

Terry's been driven insane from all the structure gel infesting his insides, and though his goal was "technically" benevolent (putting everyone into a permanent dream state where the WAU could make them live the best possible versions of their lives), he achieved it through incredibly violent means, conducting what was basically an attack on Theta and causing its downfall. So far, its attempts at preserving humans physically have simply resulted in increasingly grotesque and violent monstrosities - but I would argue you see that begin to change when Simon reaches Omicron.

When you reach it, you see the aftermath of a particularly gruesome procedure WAU had carried out - everyone's blackboxes have exploded, turning their heads to mush. We find out that one of the employees, with the help of someone particularly close to the WAU, had figured out how to poison it. They have been receiving "visions" and "messages" from a comatose Johan Ross - the WAU's "AI psychologist", someone it desperately tried to restore from a comatose state by manipulating structure gel with electromagnetic fields. Either the WAU deliberately retaliated when it figured out the poisoning plot, or it had simply overdone it when restoring Johan Ross - sacrificing an entire station's worth of lives to bring someone back. Either way this shows a tremendous amount of intelligence on the WAU's part - and also paints it as either exceptionally cruel or exceptionally empathetic depending on the perspective you view it from. Either it considered Johan so important to it that it was willing to sacrifice most Omicron staff, or it was willing to violently retaliate in order to preserve itself. Either way, Omicron houses what I believe to be a sign of the WAU's steadily improving understanding of humanity - Dr. Johan Ross.

He has been restored with both his physical health and mental faculties (relatively) intact. He isn't violent, and he perfectly understands what condition he is currently in - but despite that he doesn't seem to be physically suffering. He is still driven to eliminate the WAU, but it seems to be less out of personal suffering and more out of fear in regards to the suffering its other creations may go through. I believe he's an example of a semi-perfectly restored human - both him and Simon himself. They're both cases of, as Catherine puts it, "a sound mind in a sound body". But although the signs are there, there is no outright definitive proof that the WAU's creations will only continue to get better.

And that's what makes the game's final moral dilemma so compelling to me. The whole game has been providing us with both evidence and counterevidence towards the WAU's idea of restoring humanity. Now, it's up to you to act as its jury and executioner. By killing it you either stop it from torturing the memory of humanity, or you doom humanity to extinction in all senses of the word. By keeping it alive, you either doom the remnants of humanity to an eternal torturous existence, or you give the WAU a chance at creating something new. There is no way of knowing what choice is correct - because you don't know what the WAU is thinking. You never get to. You don't know its plans, you don't know if it even has the capacity to actually learn from its mistakes, hell, you don't even know if its capable of thought - but here it is. Making things. Terrible things, but there's a chance that it'll only get better with time. Simon himself is evidence of that chance. It has already managed to make what could be classified as a "complete" person. And if you kill it, Simon's going to be the last "complete" person it managed to bring back.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Some Science Vocabulary

for your next poem/story

Word — Science Meaning; Public Meaning

Bank - land alongside a river/lake; a place where people store money

Bar - unit of measure of atmospheric pressure; place to drink alcoholic beverages

Belt - collection of asteroids in a disc shape; materials worn around waist to support clothes

Bonding - electrostatic attraction between atoms; making an emotional connection

Charge - force experienced by matter when in an electromagnetic field; demand a price for rendered goods/services

Code - software/computer language; encrypted message

Crust - outermost layer of planet; edge of pizza/pie

Current - water or air moving in a direction; belonging to the present time

Cycling - flow of nutrients or elements; riding a bicycle

Dating - determining age of site/artifact; initial stage of romantic relationship

Driver - influential factor; someone who drives a vehicle

Dwarf - celestial body resembling small planet; characters from Snow White

Fault - fracture in a rock with movement; responsible for accident/misfortune

Fetch - distance traveled by wind/waves over water; go far and then bring back something/someone

Force - strength/energy of action/movement; make someone do something against their will

Grade - gradient/slope; level of proficiency

Hertz - the SI unit of frequency; rental car company

Jet - gas stream ejected from an accretion disk surrounding star; an aircraft powered by jet engines

Mantle - planet layer between crust and core; important role passed from person to person

Matter - physical substance in general; be of importance, have significance

Model - computer simulation; promotes fashion/product

Mole - SI unit used to measure amount of something; small rodent-like mammal

Plastic - substance that is easily shaped/molded; synthetic material

Pressure - force per unit area that gas/liquid/solid exerts on another; use of persuasion to make someone do something

Productive - creating organic matter through photo/chemosynthesis; busy and efficient

Sample - to take a sample for analysis; a small part of something

Scale - system of marks used for measuring; device used for measuring weight

Shear - difference in wind speed/direction; cut wool off of

Shelf - a submarine bank; a surface for displaying/storing objects

Stress - pressure/tension exerted on a material object; mental/emotional strain

Submarine - existing/occurring under the sea surface; a ship that stays submerged under water for extended periods

Surf - line of foam on seashore from breaking waves; riding a surfboard

Swell - sea movement in rolling waves that do not break; to become larger in size (e.g. a body part)

Source

[talonabraxas]

“The Lightbody is the human energy field body or Energy aura body that projects our consciousness through a holographic template that generates the physical manifestations we experience within this material reality. It is comprised of many interwoven layers of electromagnetic frequency (light and sound waves) that make up the consciousness intelligence identities that function in each dimensional layer that exists within the Universal time matrix. The lightbody is the holder of our consciousness record and identities throughout time, and it holds the living light code of our blueprint structure and maintains our direct connection and communication with our higher self, the Godhead or Source.” — Chantelle Renee

“The Manifestations of Love I (Illuminated Version)” by Joma Sipe

[defining-skyology]

Defining Light.

(For real this time)

Alright, I'll admit it. We throw around the word 'light' in here quite often. I'm not proud of it, but it's unfortunately a necessity.

To clear up some possible misconceptions, let's understand that throughout this blog's lifetime, I'll be using 3 primary versions of the word 'light'.

Light, or visible light, is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. 

The Light (in the Sky), also known as the Megabird.

Light; the direct physical substance/energy found in Sky's world.

So as we begin to prepare to Define Light, we have to remember that the subject matter for the day is #3:

Light: the direct physical substance/energy found in Sky's world.

Let's begin. [[[Long read/article ahead]]]

[[[Continue Reading]]]

Loremoths and even most non-Lore players do a fun little double take when first realizing that Light (the substance, not the Beings) has been around them in-game all along.

Walking across the butterfly field, as you step through the prairie, the blades of grass, tiny dandelions, and quaint colorful red yellow and white flowers light up around your feet, reacting and breathing in response to your presence and footfall. Their glow is genuinely incandescent; their light feeling alive.

You look around at the butterflies in the distance, the mantas beyond that, the birds traveling far beyond where you can catch them.

You think back to the tales of the conceptual Megabird, and how everything is made of Light. All things.

The Flora (plants) of Daylight Prairie are made of Light too.

We can determine this due to the way they react to our presence. It's not even the ones you touch; just that you get near them is enough. The fields are not just sensing you, they are sensing your Light.

This is intriguing, but it's not even the strangest thing to focus on here. Reliving the memory of the Laughing Lightcatcher, we watch them as they harvest Light orbs from the Stream of creatures migrating through the land.

We can also see the Green Light Orb from Bird's Nest behave very similarly to the cutscenes, but since it is an Elemental Light, we can't be sure it's a perfect sample of evidence. These Orbs are tricky to analyze just from these two 10-second shots from a cutscene, but lets lay out both what we understand and what is a possibility.

What we know:

The Orbs travel inside the Stream just as the creatures do.

They are generally found closely gathered to/by groups of mantas.

They eventually fall out of the stream on their own.

Possible meanings:

The Orbs get stuck to the mantas.

The Orbs are Light shed from the mantas.

In general, what the existence of Light Orbs means for our investigation is that, in a broad sake of making sense; Light can gather itself into a substance.

Time to Define. Cambridge.org's dictionary has the most preferable wording on Substance, for our purposes anyhow.

substance

noun

material with particular physical characteristcs

We need to break this concept of 'Light' being a 'thing' down until it is truly just a material, a substance; a collection of mere utter compounds, atomic particles even. But in order to do that we need to Observe it.

Just like when we investigated Darkness, we need to find a Source. Well that's easy, due to concept art (and our work so far with Defining ol Megan); all Light falls down into the world, shed from the Megabird.

We have to assume this Light falls:

As shapeless content.

Anywhere and everywhere into the world.

Which means it can end up collecting anywhere and onto anything, clumping up, mixing together; and generally forming however it wants.

We know from here-on, that from here it can take the form of living Beings. (For reasons and with details we'll study on another day).

But this means that there has to naturally always be some sort of building blocks of life inside our substance of Light.

We can see from the Elemental Orbs found throughout the world that Orbs wander. Moving through the world, they float around listlessly, circling random spots. Even without consistently larger forms such as normal creatures of Light, this fallen substance of the Megabird (Orbs) seemingly are still naturally seeking purpose. With the visual affirmation of the Orbs shooting along in the Stream of Light, alongside creatures migrating to Eden, we can decide that the purpose is still the same as materialized Beings of Light; to rejoin the Megabird.

Perhaps it is easier for the Orbs to make the migration if they properly form into full creatures, and this is why they wander when outside of the stream; seeking some way to take the form of a creature. (Again, this formation will be discussed another day.) Otherwise, if they get caught/stuck on a creature of Light, or land conveniently in a Stream of migration, then they'll hopefully make it that much further to Eden. (Though it does show that they fall out of the Stream quite easily.)

Regardless, this intentional momentum shows that even Light substance is alive.

We can't assume it is technically a 'creature'; or even just an ill-bodied 'basic' creature of Light. Which means it has to be a group of organisms... organisms smaller than butterflies, perhaps smaller than singularly visible by the Ancestor's eye.

I'm talking about insinuating a concept of Light micro-organisms.

"A microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic size, which may exist in its single-celled form or as a colony of cells."

--Wikipedia

We're not gonna get too complicated trying to rationalize micro-organisms in Sky (in this post anyways ehe) but going forward with assuming that this is something along the lines of what our substance is supposed to be; this can change a lot about explaining why the traits of Light occur, as well as how they occur within our set environments.

Because now we observe the main, supernatural trait of Light;

the distortion of Space.

space /spās/

noun

"the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move."

[Sky concept art by Tom Zhao]

The most notable features of Light are as follows:

Defiance of gravity

Distortion of visible lightwaves

Ability to dramatically morph itself

Ability to draw in external content/material

Functionality as tether/access-point to the Megabird

We observe the first trait virtually everywhere in the world of Sky; with Captured Light levitating the kingdom's contraptions, corrupted Light swirling shattered power diamond shards through the air, and biologically through creatures of Light, Orbs, and Descendants.

The best example for the second trait is found all throughout the Vault of Knowledge. Captured Light is used to project holographic images, warping the imagery in front of us. This concept of Light visually distorting what we can see in front of us will also be important another day.

It's ability to draw in and absorb external material is Observed in the creation of Elemental Lights and the birth of Beings of Light; both of which draw on residual matter in their environment and are then influenced to create a form.

This distortion of Space occurs on multiple levels, notably:

visual

gravitational

[irregularly] polymorphic (inexplicable biological changes)

psychic/telepathic

Absolutely none of these traits are able to be 'explained' through 'science' as I traditionally do, unless someone in the Lore community wants to donate some useful information from Einstein's Theory of Relativity that I wasn't aware of yet. When we don't understand something, the best course of action is to just do our best to continue and observe. Perhaps it'll someday make more sense.

Either way, now that we can 'visually' comprehend our Substance of Light, we can understand that these 'micro-organisms' of Light are the substance somehow causing all of these traits.

And here we are at the end, after all. I packed a lot of information in, and without explaining half of it due to avoiding tangents, but there's still a lot we can put in our summary here, so let's roll and get Defining.

Light, as in the substance, is:

any collection of genetic (or biological) material/soup shed from the Light in the Sky

capable of distorting Space on a visual, gravitational, biological, and telepathic level

And we're done! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Of course there's a million nuances and a million unanswered questions, but I think this Definition is quite suitable to leave this topic on for now. And after all, aren't unanswered questions the Lore community's most favorite thing ever anyway?

I'm not sure if it'll be 'soon', but we will eventually tackle the Anatomy and phase of life of the creatures of Light; so the foundational groundwork we've made today will be incredibly important when that day comes. ⏳⏳⏳

I don't think this one was as important as some of the other groundwork articles I've worked on so far, but every little foothold of content I make will help so that, when I get to articles where it's just 100% my theories; the 2 people who read these all the way through will understand everything. But even if you're just one of the skimmers, I still thank you for checking out the deets. It's all important. ❤️💪

Have a good day/night y'all, and remember to check back on Friday night for the next post!

[archferret]

Alright I've got time before work and people did express interest so here's my headcanon on how Formie "Powers" and by extension Sparks Hat work.

So to start we know that the art book isn't true canon as Lake said if it's not in the games it doesn't count but given the minimal information given in the games it's really our only source of any kind of info. We also know Romalo functions off of Holographic Nanites and likely is the same for other "Nano Mage" units like the Qiqi's in 3. So let's start there. How I think (in an incredibly pesduo-scientific way as I'm not a real scientist and Spark isn't a hard sci-fi series) these robots (and by extension other Formie Powers) function is by the nanites they control emitting an electromagnetic field. The field simulates the properties of whatever is being made causing it to act as if it's really whatever is being simulated but the effect disappears if the nanites stop receiving power/a signal. So for example if Romalo makes a pie and throws it at you it feels like a real pie, but disappears as soon as he uses those nanites for another task. If you were to try and eat it the connection may become disrupted by your bodies own interference and it would vanish anyway, or if Romalo was damaged he might run out of power/disrupt the signal ect. Some effects might linger, for example nanties that cause fire aren't actually just fire they heat up already existing particles to cause real flames. Thus if you were to use a power to light something on fire it would remain on fire even when power/signal is cut.

Now onto Formie "Powers". The tools Spark picks up during Spark 1 are quite litterally just that, they're tools and toys used by other Formies in everyday life. And how I think they work is when you wear or hold the item it forms some kind of connection with a Formies nervous system through its electrical signaling. This allows a Formie to control the Power as if it was an extension of their own body. This would also mean overusing a Power too much can even cause physical exhaustion. They all come with an electromagnetic barrier (like Sparks Hat) which acts as "safety equipment" protecting the Formie from levels of physical harm to an extent. In this case I'm drawing more from pure theory than basis in examples but I'd wager normal commercial Powers tend to be fairly weak to allow them to be compatible with a wide range of people (since not every nervous system is identical) while modded/homemade gear like Sparks Hat tend to be more potent but more specialized to an individual. Not that it *couldnt* be used by others but the chance of "feedback" and damage from the connection would be much higher.

Now for Sparks Hat... in 1 he usually wears it in addition to the regular equipment provided by the Powers. For example the wind Scarf doesn't come with a hat yet Wind Spark still has hit hat on. What I'm thinking is Sparks hat while decently strong on its own is acting as an amplifier to the other equipment Sparks wearing. The stuff he's picking up are normal Powers and aren't as strong in the hands of someone else because Spark isn't using 1 Power he's using 2! So the regular Wind Scarf isn't anywhere near capable of what Spark can pull off with it.

And for the sake of just making things make sense in my head beyond gameplay mechanics being gameplay mechanics I like to headcanon the reason he doesn't use Powers in 3 the same way he does in 1 is that his Hat is actually too strong at this point and would overload any equipment he tries to use it with!

[burnandblind]

Freak with a Capital F

So like I said: I'm a shut-in. An introvert. A hermit.

A misanthrope, if you will. I know there's not actual causality but understandably, the correlation is high.

Just as it is high between intelligence and neurodivergence.

And neurodivergence and queerness.

Of course, being "conventionally attractive" makes the whole ordeal of existing that much more...complicated.

You can be a pretty one, or a strong one, or a smart one...but if you try to be all three? Or happen to be endowed with them and improve upon?

Well. I've found it's pretty rare to have High Stats all across the board.

But unfortunately, being mentally ill, weird af, and also chronically financially unstable?

Ha. Forget friends. At least for me.

Then there's the Paranormal Experiences. And the special interest in enlightenment, human potential, psychology, sociology, etc .. Interests in everything. Good at basically anything.

Except interpersonal relationships. Except.. being normal.

I've always been searching for someone I could relate to.

But that was never the problem. It wasn't that I didn't relate to other people.

I've seen myself in others and vice versa since I was very young. I've always been very understanding and compassionate.

Yielding.

But now?

Now, I wonder about this guy who used to work at a GNC.

He was a very attractive white man. At the time I would've been in my mid-twenties. I'd say he was around the same age, too.

Dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, gorgeous physique.

He ended up killing himself.

I think about him periodically. Along with everyone else I've ever known. Their lives, their struggles. Their bonds and their flaws. Their good and bad traits.

I see no real difference between us. I don't. Not really.

But this... intersectional existence I have? This... perception of reality?

Well. Maybe I give off a different Electromagnetic Field than others.

It's definitely possible, considering what I've done my whole life.

Focus on the impossible.

I want to find my people. My soulmates.

They look and act a certain way. I think they'd hold the same values, at least. Have some of the same experience, some of the same understandings.

I want to be attracted to someone 100%. Physically, mentally, and spiritually.

I've met/seen men, women, and nonbinary folx (or others) who I thought/felt.. I fell in love with how they looked at first sight.

I've had the privilege of experiencing that a half dozen times so far. Mostly women. Because I'm 90% attracted to women. More intensely than men or any others. Even more so if they're ciswomen. Even more so if they're mixed. Even more so if they're... compatible.

But I have not found a woman who I am physically attracted to who I am also compatible with.

I've only been with a handful. My brain is... odd. About who I find attractive and who I don't.

There's plenty of people who are definitely attractive that I don't want to kiss.

Even more so people who are attractive or cool or whatever... but they're not my people, you know?

Oh well.

I like being me. I don't like dealing with capitalism. Or people being fucked up about me being trans. Or being held to stupid standards.

I'm masculine enough. I'm feminine enough. I'm smart enough and I love to learn and grow. I always focus on getting better.

And all I can think is: When I finally get my shit completely together.. is that when I will find them?

But how could I trust anyone or anything by then? If all people seem to care about more is my financial stability and normacly?

I'm... kinda tired. Of just being cordial and diplomatic with people. People are what they are. Everyone is... relatively good. Just like I am.

But I'd rather be alone. Reading and exercising and focusing on enlightenment than interacting with anyone.

[megashadowdragon]

s [Comic] Don't make a bet if you can't afford to lose

source : www . reddit . com/r/toarumajutsunoindex/comments/1e7iyn9/comic_dont_make_a_bet_if_you_cant_afford_to_lose/#lightbox

reddit comments

The writings of the real life Aleister Crowley: en . wikipedia . org/wiki/The_Book_of_the_Law

supports accelerator x misaka

Hadit and Nuit are two gods that are central to Aleister Crowley's religion of Thelema. Hadit and Nuit are described as not just being "married" but also inseparable and being two sides of the same divinity. So if two characters are meant to embody Hadit and Nuit, then they would inevitably be deeply connected in a similar manner.

Hadit and Nuit are gods that belong to the Age of Horus, the new age of spiritual awakening that the real life Aleister preached about, and also how the Toaruverse Aleister describes his ultimate goal of remaking the world by replacing all older forms of magic with "Science" (aka Thelema). Since Aleister is trying to create the Age of Horus, this naturally leads to the question of if he is also trying to create the gods of the Age of Horus in some way, perhaps by cultivating the Level 5s. And when people analyzed the series with this in mind, it turns out that Accelerator's character deeply aligns with the traits of Hadit and Mikoto/the MISAKA Network with Nuit.

Nuit is described as "Lady of the Starry Heaven, who is also Matter in its deepest metaphysical sense, who is the infinite in whom all we live and move and have our being" and is depicted as a naked woman covered in stars.

Mikoto consistently gets star-related imagery ascribed to her in all of her major character moments and in the Level 6 Shift she literally looked exactly like how Nuit is depicted. Mikoto's power is over the fundamental force of electromagnetism, which governs essentially all macroscopic physical interactions between matter (electromagnetism is the underlying principle of all chemical reactions and the reason that solid things are even solid).

Nuit is also described as "Infinite Space, and the Infinite Stars thereof" and "a sphere whose circumference is nowhere and whose center is everywhere." Nuit is further described with "Note that Heaven is not a place where Gods Live; Nuit is Heaven, itself."

"Nuit is All that which exists, and the condition of that existence. Hadit is the Principle which causes modifications in this Being. This explains how one may call Nuit Matter, and Hadit Motion."

This is practically a perfect match of the MISAKA Network that covers the world and how the Network is the basis of an artificial heaven, devoid of the influence of the old gods, and eventually an entirely new world tree as the Clonoth. Nuit is the underlying field through which Hadit moves. The MISAKA Network is literally what allows Accelerator to move after his injury.

Now there is some dispute here over whether this means Mikoto herself is Nuit or if only the Network is Nuit, but there is actually no conflict here because the solution can be found in Mikoto's name. Misaka Mikoto = MISAKA no Mikoto 'the Lord who is MISAKA'. Mikoto and the MISAKA Network are ultimately one and the same.

Hadit is described as "the infinitely condensed point, the center of Nuit's infinite circumference", "eternal energy, the Infinite Motion of Things" and depicted as a "winged globe".

Accelerator's ability is fundamentally the ability to control the motions of all things. And as mentioned above, Accelerator is literally the center and focus point of the MISAKA Network which is Nuit. Out of everyone that has been depicted with wings, his are the only ones that appear to be innate to him.

Nuit is the "infinitely-expanded circle whose circumference is unmeasurable and whose center is everywhere." Hadit is "the infinitely small point within the core of every single thing" and "the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of every star, and the worshipper's own inner self".

Mikoto has the largest AIM field out of all ESPers by several orders of magnitude, and the MISAKA Network's AIM field literally covers the entire world. On the other hand Accelerator's ability is completely centered on himself and his AIM field extends barely a few millimeters away from the surface of his skin. Accelerator's ability also lets him completely cut himself off from the rest of the world, a literal physical manifestation of the concept of inner focus and solipsism.

Now there is also an argument for Touma being Hadit, centered on the lines of Hadit being depicted as a serpent and being an exorcist and a magician, but at this point, thing that Touma has over Accelerator is that Accelerator doesn't have any snake imagery associated with him (yet). In all other respects Hadit clearly matches with Accelerator. It was Accelerator who "exorcised" Choronzon at the end of NT and Accelerator is the only ESPer who can go up against magicians (besides, how is Touma even a magician anyway, magic literally stops working around him). But most of all, Hadit and Nuit are Thelemic deities and the ESPers are basically Thelemic magicians so the Level 5s becoming Thelemic deities is a perfect match on a conceptual level, whereas Touma's whole shtick is being beyond the framework of any supernatural systems.

Basically, Aleister Crowley himself ships Accelerator and Mikoto.

Ive never really been into the whole Hadit/Nuit thing (if i have to see one more debate about whether Misaka or Misaki is Nuit im going to go insane), so i dont really remember a lot of this stuff off the top of my head, but i do know that theres a lot more evidence for Touma being Hadit than you give him credit for, even if i cant actually remember the specifics. A big one i can remember is the blue/yellow and green/pink color dynamic associated with Touma and KnT in NT22R, which apparently is the color scheme specifically associated with Hadit or something. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can discuss this better, because im like 90% sure that saying Accelerator is more Hadit than Touma is just...not true. Especially if youre trying to use it to claim canonicity to a ship between characters that have like, 3 interactions max, one of which involves one of them traumatizing the other.

You can find detailed arguments on the 4chan archives: https://desuarchive . org/a/

These are only two main traits of Hadit which appear to point at Touma and not Accelerator:

Blue am I and gold in the light of my bride: but the red gleam is in my eyes; & my spangles are purple & green.

I am the secret Serpent coiled about to spring: in my coiling there is joy. If I lift up my head, I and my Nuit are one. If I droop down mine head, and shoot forth venom, then is rapture of the earth, and I and the earth are one.

I am the Snake that giveth Knowledge & Delight and bright glory, and stir the hearts of men with drunkenness.

I am the secret Serpent coiled about to spring: in my coiling there is joy.

The only time we saw those colors was with Touma's dragons and so far Accelerator has never been associated with snakes.

As I said before, I think the strongest argument against Touma being Hadit is simply that Imagine Breaker is supposed to exist outside of any frameworks of magic, Thelema included, so locking him into a rigid role within Thelemic Theology as the embodiment of Hadit just doesn't make sense. On the other hand, the power of ESPers is completely derived from Thelema.

Misaki is probably a backup plan for Nuit. At this point in the story, it is all but certain that the MISAKA Network is embodying Nuit, and if you look for Hadit based on that starting point then the evidence points to Accelerator (winged globe at the center of Nuit), not Touma.

Especially if youre trying to use it to claim canonicity to a ship between characters that have like, 3 interactions max

Kamachi has like 50 more volumes to develop that relationship. We are far from the point where the plot is going to start explicitly referring to certain characters as Thelemic gods.

[scotianostra]

On June 13th 1831 James Clerk Maxwell was born in Edinburgh.

It’s difficult to understand why this guy is still hardly known by ordinary Scots, but is one of the most influential scientists of all time. Albert Einstein acknowledged that the origins of the special theory of relativity lay in Clerk Maxwell’s theories, saying “The work of James Clerk Maxwell changed the world forever”.

Now I don’t pretend to know about science, the calculations involve make my head hurt, but I do know that James deserves his place at the top table of scientists past and present, and probably the future too. The praise heaped on him from many of the most eminent scholars is phenomenal.

Nicknamed “daftie” by his fellow pupils at Edinburgh Academy, earned by wearing home-made shoes on his first day, he went on to predict the existence of radio waves in 1865, and is considered by many to be the father of the science of electronics, he also found time to teach, and if you recall he taught yesterdays birthday boy astronomer, David Gill.

Born in Edinburgh in 1831 he attended school in the city and later studied at the Universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge. He was a very curious child, and this might amaze you, but he wrote his first scientific paper at the age of just 14, at the age of 25 he became Professor of Physics at Aberdeen University’s Marischal College.

Clerk Maxwell’s research into electromagnetic radiation brought about many of the things we know today like television, mobile phones, radios and infra-red telescopes. The largest astronomical telescope in the world, at Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii, is named in his honour, this is an indication of his standing to this day as a scientist.

In 1873 he created the four Maxwell equations. They are very complicated and you would have to be a scientist to figure them out. But these four theories played a very important role in Albert Einstein’s work on the special theory of relativity. Einstein praised him and said, “The special theory of relativity owes its origins to Maxwell Equations of the electromagnetic field.” Clerk Maxwell’s discovery of the nature of electromagnetic waves forms the basis for much of the modern technological society we take for granted. Radio, television, satellite communications and the mobile phone have their origins in his work.

In 1879, James Clerk Maxwell’s health began to fail. Following a summer visit to the family estate in Kirkcudbrightshire, he returned to Cambridge where he died on 5th November that year.

[thejournallo]

Explain the basic: the various entitis

Disclaimer: In this chapter, you are going to learn how to work with entitis and how to detect vampire entitis! Everything I will talk about is information that I got from books and sites online and even videos on YouTube. In my years of practice, I learned as much as I could out of curiosity and what works best for me. I suggest you do the same by learning as much as you can on your own (I will be here making posts teaching this kind of stuff) from multiple sources.

As always, I will love to hear your thoughts! and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them! If you liked it, leave a comment or reblog (that is always appreciated!). If you are interested in more methods, check the masterlist!

working with entitis might be fun! But let's learn about it first!

let's actualy start with a simple question...

what is an entity?

the term "entity" is used to denote something that has a distinct existence or identity, whether that's in the physical world, the realm of ideas, or the sphere of the supernatural. An entity, in a general sense, refers to something that exists and can be perceived or conceptualized as having its own distinct identity or essence. It's a term used across various fields, including philosophy, metaphysics, and the paranormal, to describe a wide range of phenomena. we are going to talk about the paranormal side of it, because we are still talking about witchcraft.

These entities are often encountered in paranormal investigations, spiritual practices, and accounts of supernatural phenomena. Here are some general knowledge:

Types of Entities: Entities encountered in paranormal experiences can vary widely in nature and characteristics. They may include ghosts, spirits of deceased individuals, demons, angels, elemental beings, extraterrestrial entities, and other supernatural beings.

Manifestations: Entities are often reported to manifest in various ways, including as apparitions, shadows, orbs, voices, sensations of presence, and disruptions in electronic devices. Some entities may also be perceived through psychic senses or during altered states of consciousness.

Interactions: Interactions with entities can range from benign to malevolent. Some entities are believed to be harmless or even benevolent guides or guardians, while others may be hostile or disruptive forces that cause fear, discomfort, or harm to individuals or environments.

Hauntings: Hauntings are situations where entities are believed to be present in a particular location, often repeating certain actions or behaviors. Haunted houses, buildings, and other sites are commonly associated with reports of paranormal activity attributed to lingering entities.

Possession and Attachment: In cases of possession or attachment, individuals may report being influenced or controlled by an external entity, leading to changes in behavior, personality, or physical well-being. Exorcism rituals and spiritual interventions are often employed to address such situations.

Investigation and Research: Paranormal investigators and researchers often use various methods and technologies to detect, document, and study entities and their manifestations. This can include techniques such as EVP (electronic voice phenomena) recordings, EMF (electromagnetic field) measurements, and psychic or mediumistic communication.

Belief Systems: Beliefs about entities and their nature vary widely across different cultures, religions, and spiritual traditions. Some view entities as manifestations of the deceased or spiritual energies, while others interpret them as interdimensional beings or aspects of the human psyche.

Debates and Skepticism: The existence and nature of entities are topics of ongoing debate and skepticism within the scientific and skeptical communities. While some researchers seek to investigate and understand paranormal phenomena using empirical methods, others remain skeptical of supernatural explanations and attribute reported experiences to psychological, environmental, or other natural factors.

What are the different entities we can work with?

In witchcraft, deities are not the only entities we can work with.  There are multiple types of entities you can end up working with in your journey as a witch:

Spirits: This category includes a wide range of non-physical entities, such as ghosts, nature spirits, ancestral spirits, and spirit guides.

Deities: Gods, goddesses, and other divine beings from various mythologies and pantheons may be invoked or worked with in witchcraft rituals.

Elementals: These are spirits or beings associated with the classical elements of earth, air, fire, and water, representing the forces of nature.

Familiars: Familiars are often depicted as animal companions or spirits that have a special bond with the witch and assist them in their magical workings.

Angels: Some witches may work with angels for guidance, protection, and spiritual assistance.

Demons: In certain traditions, witches may work with or summon demons for various purposes, such as acquiring knowledge, power, or material wealth.

Ancestors: Ancestral spirits, or the spirits of deceased family members, may be honored, invoked, or consulted for guidance and protection.

Plants and Plant Spirits: Witches may work with the spirits of plants and herbs for healing, divination, and magical purposes.

Animals and Animal Spirits: Animal spirits or totems may be invoked or called upon for guidance, protection, and magical empowerment.

Fairies and Other Folklore Beings: Folklore creatures such as fairies, elves, dwarves, and other mythical beings may play a role in certain witchcraft traditions.

Planetary and Celestial Energies: Witches may work with the energies of planets, stars, and celestial bodies for astrological magic and divination.

Sacred Symbols and Archetypes: Symbols, sigils, and archetypal energies may be used in witchcraft rituals to tap into specific aspects of consciousness and the collective unconscious.

The Shadow Self: Some witches work with the shadow self, exploring and integrating unconscious aspects of their psyche for personal growth and empowerment.

Guardian Spirits: These are spirits or entities that serve as protectors and guides for the witch on their spiritual journey.

warnings!

In your journey as a witch, you may come across some types of entities that are known, to my knowledge, as "energy vampires" or simply "vampires."  Those kinds of entities will manipulate you into believing that they are another more powerful entity to take your energy. You can easily identify these entities by the fact that you will start to feel very tired, they will keep asking to transgress your boundaries, they will flatter you, and they will use your weak spot to get energy. That's why protecting is most important when doing everything, because those entities are attracted by unshielded energy and they are little fuckers.  An entity that wants to help you and work with you will not act like this. 

general rules when working with entitis:

Don't disrespect the entitis. It may seem like a stupid rule, but it is the biggest one.

Set clear intentions and ask questions. be clear what you want from the entities and ask what they want from you!

set clear boundaries.

Trust your gut! If you feel something is wrong with the "entity" you are working with, you are right!

Don't force an entity to work with you.

Cleanse and protect yourself monthly and daily.

Learn about the entities before you even try to make contact with them or work with them.

If you are unsure, seek guidance and support from others.

Ground yourself before and after talking with an entity.

An entity will not fall in love with you, will not cuddle you, will not want you for themselves, and will not stop you from working with other entities.

An entity can be your friend; as long as the respect does not go away and the dynamic of working together is not transgressed (and obviously the entity does not transgress the boundaries), you are good to go.

You can worship an entity and have fun with their offerings. An offering doesn't have to be an object; it can also be an action. Painting and writing while vibing to music can be an offering to Apollo.

And let us know your tips and tricks! for the moment, that is all! If you have any questions, I will love to give you answers. I will probably do part two explaining the entities better because this discussion is the white rabbit hole! 

[mysticstronomy]

WHY IS THE SPEED OF LIGHT CONSTANT??

Blog#303

Wednesday, June 7th, 2023

Welcome back,

The speed of light in a vacuum is 299,792,458 metres per second, a figure scientists finally agreed on in 1975 – but why settle on that figure? And why does it matter?

Answering those questions takes us on an amazing journey through space, time, physics and measurement, and the tale hasn't quite been told yet. Modern-day studies are calling into question the speed of light for the first time in centuries.

To start at the start though, some history: at the beginning of the 17th century, the general consensus was that light didn't have a speed, that it just appeared instantaneously, either present or not.

During the 1600s this idea was seriously challenged. First, by Dutch scientist Isaac Beeckman in 1629, who set up a series of mirrors around a gunpowder explosions to see if observers noticed any difference in the when the flashes of light appeared.

Unfortunately for Beeckman and the progress of science, the results were inconclusive, but then in 1676 Danish astronomer Ole Rømer noticed strange variations in the eclipse times of one of Jupiter's moons over the course of a year.

Could this be because light took a longer time to travel from Jupiter when Earth was further away? Rømer thought so, and his rough calculations put the speed of light at about 220,000 kilometres per second – not a bad estimate at all, especially considering the data he would have had on planet sizes wasn't all that accurate.

Further experiments with beams of light on our own planet edged scientists closer to the right number, and then in the mid-1800s physicist James Clerk Maxwell introduced his Maxwell's equations – ways of measuring electric and magnetic fields in a vacuum.

Maxwell's equations fixed the electric and magnetic properties of empty space, and after noting that the speed of a massless electromagnetic radiation wave was very close to the supposed speed of light, Maxwell suggested they might match exactly.

It turns out Maxwell was right, and for the first time we could measure the speed of light based on other constants in the Universe.

At the same time, Maxwell's work strongly suggested that light was itself an electromagnetic wave, and after this idea was confirmed, it got picked up by Albert Einstein in 1905 as part of his theory of special relativity.

Today the speed of light, or c as it's commonly known, is considered the cornerstone of special relativity – unlike space and time, the speed of light is constant, independent of the observer.

What's more, this constant underpins much of what we understand about the Universe. It matches the speed of a gravitational wave, and yes, it's the same c that's in the famous equation E=mc2.

We don't just have the word of Maxwell and Einstein for what the speed of light is, though. Scientists have measured it by bouncing lasers back from objects and watching the way gravity acts on planets, and all these experiments come up with the same figure.

However, the story doesn't quite end there, thanks to quantum theory, that branch of physics hinting that the Universe might not be quite as constant as we think.

Quantum field theory says that a vacuum is never really empty: it's filled with elementary particles, rapidly popping in and out of existence. These particles create electromagnetic ripples along the way, the hypothesis goes, and could potentially cause variations in the speed of light.

Studies into these ideas are ongoing, and we don't know for sure one way or the other yet. For now, the speed of light remains the same as it has for centuries, constant and fixed.

Originally published on sciencealert-com

COMING UP!!

(Saturday, June 10th, 2023)

"WHAT WAS BEFORE THE BIG BANG??"

[witchofthesouls]

I wish to ramble about human/cybertronian and sparks/sparking.

Humans obviously have no sparks of their own, but I imagine a deeply in love cybertronian may naturally “open up” to attempt a spark merge regardless (that’s gotta be an awkward conversation later). Maybe even on purpose if there is enough love and trust, and want them to touch or even kiss their spark chambers.

Alternatively, humans DO produce very faint electrical pulses. Maybe cybertronians can “feel” their human partners souls like this, albeit very faintly.

Oh-ho! A very romantic or philosophically-inclined mecha would think that way, especially since humans don't have a literal spark in their chests.

But the general consensus leans more that humans have a really primitive form of EM field interaction compared to a Cybertronian. Yes, humans do have electromagnetic fields. However, their bodies/song is too damn chaotic to properly anchor or mimic, but a mecha can definitely "speak" with a human in that way of non-verbal language. Think of it as a mix of gut reaction, first impression, and "reading a room." Some humans are better than others. Some are complete bricks. But practice will make it easier to understand certain cues.

While I think it's hilarious that a Cybertronian could accidentally open their chassis as they're getting down, I'm willing to bet that doesn't happen. I say that because it's their literal embodiment of their essence. Humans still debate about the existence of a soul, but Cybertronians have a truth grounded in their own physicality, soooo-

Unless a Cybertronian was mentally/emotionally/medically compromised, it's going to be a serious talk between partners because it's a really vulnerable form of intimacy. Unlike how Cybertronian's ability to control their field, a spark is inherently honest.

But could you imagine the byplay of light and shadow with an open spark chamber? The way tendrils would wrap around fingers, kiss palms, seek out wrists, and splay over skin in a lazy, searching motion to teek out their biochemistry? The feeling of heated metal, vibrations, and a searing brightness of swirling, eddying colors as it tries, very well, to mimic your own heart? (I'm pretty sure a human would need a visor to protect their eyes, but damn, absolutely worth it!)

[zithcavooris]

After the arrival of Superman, the American government became uneasy with the existence of such powerful superhumans outside of their control. Once Superman revealed that his people were a race that had converted themselves into energy beings, top military scientists got to work attempting to replicate the process. Captain Nathaniel Adams volunteered for the project (animal testing proved impossible) and, utilizing the power of nuclear fission, his body was atomized.

At first, it seemed that the experiment was a failure, and he had simply died. It soon turned out, however, that Adams’ psyche had indeed survived through sheer force of will, albeit in a much less concentrated form than had been hoped, what with the limitations of mere human science. Even with intense effort, he could only barely interact with the physical world. But, over a period of months, he and the scientists were able to come up with a solution to this problem.

The military had salvaged a cache of semi-organic alien metal from the Brainiac invasion. Designed to house Brainiac’s electric consciousness, it turned out to be the perfect conduit to house Adams’. Working together, Adams and the scientists were able to concentrate his entire energy form into a new metal body, thus making him the energy being bound to physical form that they had always wanted.

Ever the loyal soldier, Captain Adams was undeterred by his ordeal, and continued with the plan to be a superhero in the employ of the U.S. government. He fights valiantly to protect the American people from threats both superhuman and military. He didn’t even question the orders to join the Justice League and gather intel on their weaknesses. The longer he fought alongside the heroes, however, the more conflicted his loyalties became. If he is ever given the order to turn on them, he will have a difficult choice to make.

Between his metallic body and the sheer power provided by his energy form, Captain Atom is approximately as strong and invulnerable as Superman. He is able to absorb or generate any form of energy or radiation–generally in the form of energy blasts–at varying intensities. He can even use electromagnetism to imitate telekinesis, though using it with any precision takes a lot of concentration. He mostly uses it to fly or generate force fields. Unlike Superman, however, whose energy is infused into every cell of his body, Captain Atom is more like an energy being contained within a metal-flesh suit. This means that in the rare event his metal skin is pierced, the energy within tends to explode outward, leaving Captain Atom weak or even unconscious, and a wide surrounding area devastated.

[justforbooks]

In 1964 the theoretical physicist Peter Higgs, who has died aged 94, suggested that the universe contains an all-pervading essence that can be manifested in the form of particles. This idea inspired governments to spend billions to find what became known as Higgs bosons.

The so-called “Higgs mechanism” controls the rate of thermonuclear fusion that powers the sun, but for which this engine of the solar system would have expired long before evolution had time to work its miracles on earth. The structure of atoms and matter and, arguably, existence itself are all suspected to arise as a result of the mechanism, whose veracity was proved with the experimental discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012.

The Nobel laureate physicist Leon Lederman infamously described the boson as “the God particle”. Higgs, an atheist, found this inappropriate and misleading, but the name stuck and helped bring fame to the idea, and to Higgs. He in turn became a Nobel prizewinner in 2013.

It was at Edinburgh University, as a young lecturer in mathematical physics in the early 1960s, that Higgs became interested in the profound and tantalising ways in which properties – mathematical symmetries – in the equations describing fundamental laws can be hidden in the structures that arise.

For example, in space, unaffected by the earth’s gravity, a droplet of water looks the same in all directions: it is spherically symmetric, in agreement with the symmetry implied by the underlying mathematical equations describing the behaviour of water molecules. Yet when water freezes, the resulting snowflake takes up a different symmetry – its shape only appearing the same when rotated through multiples of 60 degrees – even though the underlying equations remain the same.

The Japanese-American physicist Yoichiro Nambu first inspired interest in this phenomenon, known as spontaneous symmetry breaking, in 1960.

Inspired by Nambu’s work, in 1964 Higgs’s own theory emerged with its explanation of how equations that call for massless particles (such as the quantum theory of the electromagnetic field, which leads to the massless photon) can, via the so-called Higgs mechanism, give rise to particles with a mass.

This idea would later be at the root of Gerardus ’t Hooft’s proof in 1971 that unification of the electromagnetic force and the weak force, responsible for radioactivity, where a massive “W” particle plays the analogous role to the massless photon, is viable. The subsequent discovery of the W in 1983 gained Nobel prizes, both for the experiment and for theorists who had foreseen this. Underlying this success was the so-called Higgs mechanism, which controlled the mathematics in this explanation of the weak force.

When Nambu won the Nobel prize in 2008, it began to seem likely that the way was being prepared for Higgs’s eventual recognition.

A problem though, as Higgs was always the first to stress, was that he had not been alone in discovering the possibility of mass “spontaneously” appearing. Similar ideas had already been articulated: by the condensed matter physicist Philip Anderson, though in a more restricted way, and by Robert Brout and François Englert in Belgium, who beat Higgs into print by a few weeks. A former colleague of Higgs at Imperial College, Tom Kibble, and two colleagues were to write a paper along similar lines weeks later.

Where Higgs had justifiable claims to uniqueness was in the boson. He drew attention to the fact that in certain circumstances spontaneously broken symmetry implied that a massive particle should appear, whose affinity for interacting with other particles would be in proportion to their masses.

It would be discovery of this particle that could give experimental verification that the theory is indeed a description of nature. Although even this boson was arguably implicit in other work, it was Higgs who articulated most sharply its implications in particle physics.

The eponymous “Higgs boson” became the standard-bearer for the Large Hadron Collider. In the early 1990s the science minister William Waldegrave issued his challenge: explain the Higgs boson on a sheet of paper and help me to convince the government to fund this.

Among the winners, the most famous was the analogy, by David Miller of University College London, of Margaret Thatcher – a massive particle – wandering through a cocktail party at the Tory conference and gathering hangers-on as she moved. Higgs, whose politics were diametrically opposite to hers, expressed himself as being “very comfortable” with the description.

He was always uncomfortable as a celebrity. When Cern – the European Organisation for Nuclear Research – prepared to switch on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in 2008, the media promoted it as a quest for the Higgs boson.

Higgs felt that Cern was misguided to talk up “the” boson – he was always the first to stress that others had had much the same idea and that naming it after him was unfair. He once modestly described the detection of the boson as “tying up loose ends” and regarded the main excitement of the LHC as its potential to reveal the secrets of dark matter and other kinds of new physics.

Nonetheless, in July 2012, Cern announced the discovery of a particle “with Higgs-like properties”. Media frenzy grew, and Higgs bravely accepted his fate as a centre of attention.

Although most physicists were sure that the eponymous boson had been discovered, several months’ more study would be needed before complete confirmation could be assured: the Nobel prize for 2012 went elsewhere. By 2013 the evidence was compelling; there was a general expectation that 2013 would be the year.

By this stage, 49 years had elapsed since Higgs had written his first paper on the subject. In a final, nailbiting twist, the announcement of his long-awaited success was delayed by an hour as the Nobel committee struggled to reach the famously reclusive scientist. Aware of the media attention he was likely to get, Higgs had decided to be “somewhere else” when the announcement was made, and told colleagues that he planned to take a holiday in the north-west highlands of Scotland.

As the date approached, however, he realised that this was not a good plan for that time of the year, so he decided to stay at home and be somewhere else at the right time. At around 11am on 8 October, he left home and by noon, when the announcement should have been made, he was in Leith, by the shore, in a bar called the Vintage, which Higgs famously attested sold both food and “rather good beers”.

Thus with Higgs incommunicado (he largely avoided using mobile phones or the internet), after more than an hour of unsuccessful attempts to reach him, the Swedish Academy decided to make the public announcement anyway. The ironic result was that by 2pm, the news that Peter Higgs and Englert, of the Université Libre de Bruxelles, were the winners of the Nobel prize for physics was known to the world, but not to Higgs himself. (Englert’s colleague Brout had died in 2011, and was unable to be included as Nobel prizes are not awarded posthumously.)

Higgs later recalled how, “after a suitable interval”, but still ignorant of the news, he had made his way home from lunch. However, he delayed further by visiting an art exhibition, as “it seemed too early to get home, where reporters would probably be gathered”.

At about three o’clock he was walking along Heriot Row, heading for his flat in the next street, when a car pulled up near Queen Street Gardens. A lady got out “in a very excited state” and told Higgs: “My daughter’s just phoned from London and told me about the award.” To which Higgs replied: “What award?” As he explained, he was joking, but that is when his expectations were confirmed.

His plan had been a success, as, “I managed to get in my front door with no more damage than one photographer lying in wait.” A little more than a decade later, the main focus of the LHC has been to produce large numbers of Higgs bosons in order to understand the nature of the omnipresent essence that they form.

During the coronavirus lockdown I talked with him for hours on the phone at weekends in the course of researching the biography Elusive: How Peter Higgs Solved the Mystery of Mass (2022). When asked to summarise his perspective on public reaction to the boson he said: “It ruined my life.” To know nature through mathematics, to see your theory confirmed, to win the plaudits of peers and win a Nobel prize, how could this equate with ruin? He explained: “My relatively peaceful existence was ending. I dont enjoy this sort of publicity. My style is to work in isolation, and occasionally have a bright idea.”

Higgs spent more than half a century as a theoretical physicist at Edinburgh University. Perhaps because of this, he was described in many media reports as a “Scottish physicist”, whereas in fact he was born in Newcastle, of English parents, Thomas Ware Higgs and Gertrude Maud (nee Coghill).

His father was a sound engineer with the BBC, and the family moved almost immediately to Birmingham, where Peter spent his first 11 years. In 1941, with the second world war intensifying, the BBC decided that Birmingham was too dangerous, and its operations were transferred to Bristol. The Higgs family duly moved there, with the intention of avoiding aerial bombardment, but the following weekend the centre of Bristol was heavily bombed.

In Bristol, Higgs attended Cotham grammar school, where a famous former pupil had been the Nobel physicist Paul Dirac. Dirac’s name was prominent on the honours board. Higgs followed him, but initially in mathematics rather than physics. Higgs’s father had a collection of maths books, which inspired Peter and enabled him to be become far ahead of the class. His interest in physics was sparked in 1946, upon hearing the Bristol physicists, later Nobel laureates, Cecil Powell and Nevill Mott describing the background to the atomic bomb programme. Although this helped determine his career, Higgs himself later became a member of CND.

At King’s College London he studied theoretical physics, going on to gain his PhD in 1954. He was working on molecular physics, applying ideas of symmetry to molecular structure. His interests moved towards particle physics, although his office was on the same corridor as those of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins, two of the co-discoverers of the structure of DNA, though his own work had no immediate link to their programme.

He won research fellowships, first at the University of Edinburgh (1954-56), then in London at University College (1956–57), and at Imperial College(1957–58). He was appointed lecturer in mathematics at University College London in 1958, and then moved to the University of Edinburgh in 1960, where he spent the rest of his research career. Initially lecturer in mathematical physics, in 1970 he was appointed reader and, in 1980, professor of theoretical physics. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1974, and FRS in 1983.

He met his future wife, the linguist Jody Williamson, at a CND meeting in 1960. They married in 1963, and had two sons, Christopher and Jonathan. Although they separated, they remained friends until her death in 2008.

Higgs won several awards in addition to the 2013 Nobel prize. In addition to numerous honorary degrees, these included the 1997 Dirac medal and prize from the Institute of Physics, the 2004 Wolf prize in physics, the Sakurai prize of the American Physical Society in 2010, and the Edinburgh medal in 2013. That year he was also appointed Companion of Honour, and two years later he won the Copley medal of the Royal Society, the world’s oldest scientific prize.

His sons survive him.

🔔 Peter Ware Higgs, theoretical physicist, born 29 May 1929; died 8 April 2024

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