Recent content by somebodyelse

I don't think that is acceptable if we think of the survival of the human species. Sooner or later humans *need* to settle on another planet to avoid accidental extinction. So the problems of radiation, prolonged weightlessness, etc. need to be solved. And one cannot assume that the first few...

Can anyone living in those areas verify that the Milky Way is indeed visible there and where? I read somewhere that most Americans have never actually seen the Milky Way in the sky and I know I'm one of them.

I live in the Virginia suburbs of Washington DC where the light pollution is such that it is impossible to ever see the Milky Way in the sky. Where is the closest place one could go to actually see the Milky Way and more stars?

Thank you. It seemed rather against the odds that the moon would have 0 tilt at all.

Are there any explanations, theoretical or otherwise, as to why the Earth has a tilt (causing the seasons) while the moon does not?

You're a good explainer Bandersnatch. Thanks.

Thanks for your explanation. Can you comment about what causes that "initial rotation of the collapsing cloud of particles"?

Because there are so many possible variations of globular shapes that settling on something so relatively flat would seem almost "artificial". I am guessing it is the rotation that makes it happen. Without it, a flat spiral would have to be unlikely. That is why I was wondering about why...

Interesting. I had guessed the rotation had to do with objects in linear expansion straight motion falling into a gravity well. But that would poorly explained individual objects rotating. Glad I asked. Why the relatively flat spiral galaxy. I know that not all of galaxies are flat spirals...

Do we know why everything in the universe rotates? The dust clouds, stars, planets all rotate. Even galaxies rotate. Why is that? Gravity causes the dust particles to accrete into rocks and then asteroids, planets, and stars. But why the rotation. Similarly, why is our galaxy such a relatively...

Thank you all. I forgot that the universe is expanding further during the 13.8 billion years it takes for the oldest light to reach us.

Please help me understand this. The age of the universe is given as being about 13.8 billion years. The size of the universe is estimated to be 93 billion light years ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe) Since the oldest light to reach us comes from 13.8 light years away, why do we...

Thank you all.

No, I just mean that the natural selection does not require the suspension of common sense to believe in it. But then, common sense is not always right either.

Thank you both for your patience and time. I truly appreciate appreciate it as I try to understand. I should read up a lot more before I shoot off my mouth again. As for theories, I know what you mean and how they are developed and proven. I was just attempting to unsuccessfully verbalize the...