For the non-scientists on the list who would like to try and wrap their minds around the reality (as we currently perceive it) of this view I can recommend Bill Bryson's book, "A Short History of Nearly Everything". A Guardian reviewer said, "Truly impressive...it's hard to imagine a better rough guide to science".
It's great read, full of astonishing information, delivered with Bryson's intelligent fascination with the physical universe and cheeky wit. I've found myself gasping in wonder at what we know, think we know and accept that we haven't got a clue about. The humour of the author provides light relief while one is processing the astonishing mystery of it all. best wishes, Robyn M: 0424 587 262 P: 08 9331 8642 Skype: robyn.williams16 "Everything is moving and what we perceive as stable structures are but the momentary, slice in time, freeze-frame constructs of our imagination. Heresy? Psychobabble? Advanced esoteric insight? – None of the above, I think. As a matter of fact, Ralph’s observation is nothing but a short (poetic?) version of the (now) standard scientific understanding of the nature of the cosmos. Starting with the Big Bang it is all flowing energy, albeit now clumped in momentary configurations – but still flowing energy for all of that. Scratch any rock hard enough and its essential nature comes through – a whirring bunch of quarks and neutrons doing the cosmic dance. Doubtless my physicist friends would take issue with my phrasing – but not, I think, with the core message. Everything is moving." * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
