kylezy ([personal profile] kylezy) wrote2010-02-09 12:50 pm

In which I show you my geek

Day 14 → a non-fictional book





To be completely honest, I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but I really like this one. The first section is my favourite because I get irrationally excited when people explain just how big and just how small things in the universe can be.

Excerpt from the book

NO MATTER HOW hard you try you will never be able to grasp just how tiny, how spatially unassuming, is a proton. It is just way too small.

A proton is an infinitesimal part of an atom, which is itself of course an insubstantial thing. Protons are so small that a little dib of ink like the dot on this i can hold something in the region of 500,000,000,000 of them, rather more than the number of seconds contained in half a million years. So protons are exceedingly microscopic, to say the very least.

Now imagine if you can (and of course you can't) shrinking one of those protons down to a billionth of its normal size into a space so small that it would make a proton look enormous. Now pack into that tiny, tiny space about an ounce of matter. Excellent. You are ready to start a universe.

I'm assuming of course that you wish to build an inflationary universe. If you'd prefer instead to build a more old-fashioned, standard Big Bang universe, you'll need additional materials. In fact, you will need to gather up everything there is--every last mote and particle of matter between here and the edge of creation--and squeeze it into a spot so infinitesimally compact that it has no dimensions at all. It is known as a singularity.

In either case, get ready for a really big bang. Naturally, you will wish to retire to a safe place to observe the spectacle. Unfortunately, there is nowhere to retire to because outside the singularity there is no where. When the universe begins to expand, it won't be spreading out to fill a larger emptiness. The only space that exists is the space it creates as it goes.

It is natural but wrong to visualize the singularity as a kind of pregnant dot hanging in a dark, boundless void. But there is no space, no darkness. The singularity has no "around" around it. There is no space for it to occupy, no place for it to be. We can't even ask how long it has been there--whether it has just lately popped into being, like a good idea, or whether it has been there forever, quietly awaiting the right moment. Time doesn't exist. There is no past for it to emerge from.

And so, from nothing, our universe begins.


DOESN'T THAT JUST BLOW YOUR FREAKING MIND?

In other news, January sucked and February isn't looking that much better. I can't even tell you why, life is just poo.

On the bright side, Merlin fans, how adorable was that horse video? I said this somewhere else but I really want to buy them ponies and force them to make horse puns forever, just for my amusement. And Katie, HOLY FUCK, she is stunning and totally dorky, I want to marry herrrrr.

Speaking of Merlin, I really want someone to write me a fanfic to this song by the Magnetic Fields.



I don't know what to say...

I could say I want you, that would be a bore.
Maybe in a font you haven't seen before?
I could say I'll haunt you 'til your dying day,
I could tease and taunt you but what would I say?

See, I don't know what to say...

I could say I crave you, still, you little brat,
I could rant and rave, you know I can do that.
I could say I gave you everything I had,
I could say I'll save you, you might think me mad.

So I don't know what to say...

I could try and lead you down the garden path,
I could say I'll feed you, you can do the math.
I could say I need you, offer you a ring,
I'll be guaranteed you don't believe a thing.

It's so perfectly adorkable-Arthur-trying-to-tell-Merlin-how-he-feels-but-not-knowing-how.

Also, what happened to my m/a fanmix drabble writers? *pokes*

Album rec for you guys: Erland and The Carnival (Myspace link here for track previews). I've been listening to this one non-stop since I got it a couple days ago.

[identity profile] plumora.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 03:33 am (UTC)(link)
If I could study the entire universe and see everything that has ever happened in it (or before it, or will happen after it), I SO WOULD. I used to be so interested in astronomy and that kind of stuff when I was a kid. Unfortunately, that kind of dwindled down as I got older - I'm surprised I was never a huge sci-fi nerd - but I still find it, as Spock would say, fascinating. And totally unfathomable. I've seen lots of "now imagine this - this is something what the distance from the sun to Earth is like," or whatever, but I can never ACTUALLY imagine it. It's ~~~astounding~~~

Ok, uh. xD

:( I'm sorry 2010 isn't spectacular so far. I can't say mine's been great, either - just kind of typical, not too exciting, and I've been feeling a bit down. I think it may have to do with the weather, here. I THOUGHT THE NEW DECADE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AWESOME? ffffffffff

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, the complete VASTNESS of the universe in itself is astounding, our brains actually can't comprehend it! This kind of stuff gets me so excited and I'm not a sci-fi nerd at all either.

I'm sorry your year isn't great either :( I think we may have been grievously mislead in terms of the levels of awesome new decades are supposed to bring.

[identity profile] plumora.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
Want to go to space instead? :D We could find awesome new planets where every DAY brings astronomical (pun intended) levels of awesome.

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
Are you sure you'd want to go with me? I'd hate to be a waste of space.

xD

[identity profile] wholly-crepe.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
Hey, I loved that book too! And I'm the absolute opposite to a science geek. Actually, Bryson also wrote a biography of Shakespeare (which is much more suited to my particular brand of geek) which was also great.

OMG KATIE. I tell you, bloody 'Merlin' has too much pretty in it. TOO MUCH. My poor heart can't take it!

Ooh. OOOooh. That is a very tempting prompt.

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
He wrote a book about Australia too, not long before the 2000 Olympics, which I'm going to check out soon. I'm interested to see what he said about our little country.

OMG WRITE IT, YOU WOULD MAKE IT AWESOME. Thinking about it, it would work as a Bradley/Colin too, but either way, YOU WOULD MAKE IT AWESOME.

[identity profile] wholly-crepe.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 05:14 am (UTC)(link)
BUT I CAAAAAN'T. I've got two m/a's and one b/c on the go already!

I mustn't I mustn't I mustn't...

(...oh but it would be so fun...)

NO! MUSTN'T

(But...)

GAH.

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 05:28 am (UTC)(link)
Boo, you whore, you temptress of sexy boy love!

[identity profile] wholly-crepe.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
No, boo you! Oh ye who posts sinfully adorkable oblivious!Arthur prompts where impressionable minds can see them and be distracted from such good, pure pursuits as Catholic!Colin angst/smut.

Grrar.

O HANGON. Maybe I can use this as an incentive to finish? If I can knock off one of my others, I can move onto this!

:D :D

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 05:49 am (UTC)(link)
*is distracted immediately by mentions of Catholic!Colin*

He...what...I...

*brain is stuck on that idea*

I WAS ONLY THINKING ABOUT THIS THE OTHER NIGHT, BECAUSE I AM SOMEWHAT CREEPY AND THINK ABOUT THEM OFFLINE TOO. I was like, everyone always writes Bradley as the one with the gay problem and I like it and all (like your other one, which is one of my favourite rps stories EVER), but if you think about it, it's more likely to be Colin to be the one with the problem. I think it was Bradley that said Colin was raised to have those Catholic values and whatnot, and that he himself, Bradley, was raised in the opposite way. And I angsted because I think I've only read one other fic before that really got into that.

[identity profile] wholly-crepe.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 06:02 am (UTC)(link)
I know, right? I think I saw the same interview, and I was like, "Oh. Hey. Hang on. That makes sense. Oh. Hmm..."

And the idea kinda grabbed hold of my head and hijacked me from my Arthur/Merlin stuff, because, see, I was raised as a Catholic too. And I had gay issues because of it. Sooo, I kind of feel like I HAVE to write it, yknow?

Edit: (Oh, and it's ok. I think about them offline too ;). You are not alone in your creepdom)
Edited 2010-02-09 06:04 (UTC)

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 06:29 am (UTC)(link)
FUCKITY FUCK, I CANNOT WAIT TO READ IT! Do you see how easily I am distracted? Song prompt, what song prompt? THERE IS PROMISES OF CATHOLIC!COLIN, I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ANY SONG PROMPT.

PS. YOUR ICON. I want to gnaw on that muscle in his neck.

[identity profile] wholly-crepe.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 06:31 am (UTC)(link)
ON IT! ;)

PS. Om nom nom nom nom...

[identity profile] a_shadow_there.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 06:13 am (UTC)(link)
This drabble writer has been swamped with uni, I'm afraid. But I've a few days off later this week, so am planning on getting it done then :)

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 06:34 am (UTC)(link)
♥ ♥
I feel bad for asking because there honestly is no rush, but I hadn't heard anything from anyone and I was wondering if everyone was waiting for me to do something, you know? I am very awkward at this interaction thing!

[identity profile] openmoments.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
You should totally upload that music pour moi ;)

-facepalm- I am soooo sorry. I had completely forgotten about the fic. -is terrible- I promise that I'll get it finished for you before I leave on Thursday. Link to the mix again for ideas and what not? Where do you want the fic to fit in?

And that book sounds brilliant! I'll definitely have to see about checking it out. =D

WHAT IS IT WITH THIS TIME OF THE YEAR?!?!? I don't understand. Why can't things just start working out and motivation kick in and my life just reline itself?!?!?!?

And you should totally write that song fic pour moi aussi. =D

<3<3<3<33333

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Don't worry about it, you were the one I was least concerned about actually because I'm still waiting on one of the other girls to decide which part she wants to write. So you're off the hook! For now, dun dun DUUUUUN.

This time of year is officially on notice, it's being a bastard!

[identity profile] openmoments.livejournal.com 2010-02-10 05:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Yaaaaay meeeeeee!!!! Well, in that case, don't expect anything til after the 21st. I is not here. I is drinking and seeing and photographing and whatnot. GO MEEEEE!!!

HERE HERE!

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-11 12:03 am (UTC)(link)
How am I supposed to survive all that time without yooooou? *wibble*

[identity profile] openmoments.livejournal.com 2010-02-14 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
By writing me pr0n? -puppy dog eyes-

[identity profile] ems.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 09:18 pm (UTC)(link)
I love that book so much, it's really really amazing.

[identity profile] kylezy.livejournal.com 2010-02-09 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Gosh, yeah, it really is <3