The sun and its solar system are moving through the universe significantly more slowly than astronomers had previously believed, too slowly to generate the bow shock wave that researchers had thought preceded it.
These are Hubble photos of bow waves elsewhere in the universe, and there are many such. Evidently we don't have one, and that's rather unexpected. It does make me chuckle that people get worked up over things like this, as if they haven't always been that way and as if there is anything we can do about it. Which they have and we can't, but it's human nature to think the worst of the unknown. But to me, the knowing is worth it. I studied paleoanthropology in college and grad school, and although it wasn't the most useful knowledge in the world, it was dang interesting and I miss being up on all the newest stuff these days. One bad thing about being a teacher, you're not in the thick of things any more, and it's hard to keep up with the ever changing body of knowledge that science produces. I still get a kick out of reading about what is going on in the field I was once immersed in, but now observe much like we observe the bow waves in the photo above--from a great distance.
Now, I've been told that a) because I accept evolution is as close to fact that science ever gets I can't possibly be a Christian, and that b) that because I believe in God I can never be a good scientist. Both of these are wrong, of course. I think Linnaeus had it right: the more you know about nature the more you know God. If you want to know how incredibly amazing God is, learn about how incredibly amazing this universe is. Why? Because He set it in motion 14+ billion years ago and it has been going like gangbusters ever since.
Awesome in every sense of the word.
(Tip o' the ol' Chapeau to Evon at GCP)
No comments:
Post a Comment