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1_PREAMBLE
2_STARS
3_DESCENDANT STARS

1_PREAMBLE

Previously, I looked at myths and their influence on our thoughts and ideas. How one reality of a distant time, is converted into a new reality when more substantial evidence is discovered, and the word is spread, to those who have an interest to know.

I discussed how Oog and Ooga might have absorbed the myths of their times into the realities of their times, and how we clearly know now, what they did not know then.

I pointed out how Physics is the code to decipher the Universe and how pervasive Physics is throughout our world.

We peeked at how our world was thought of throughout history by the peoples alive in those times, and how this all changed in the blink of an eye,

historically speaking, when the new scientific revolution produced new revelations at a mind boggling rate.

Universe. Then let us explore the scientific evidence supporting the age of our Universe and the age of  our  Earth  in

‘Time’, Time will go quickly.

2_STARS

Here is the scoop. The scientific evidence concludes that in the beginning, the only component of the newly created Universe was energy, and energy is the only component of matter. Since energy is needed to emerge matter, we need to think of a nascent universe as one with extreme forms of energy in extremely large quantities. Energy collisions slowed these energies and coalesced into various particles and these particles combined in energetic forms to form the first organized matter in the form of hydrogen atoms, simply 1 proton with 1 rotating electron. Hurrah, step 1. (the strong nuclear force)

Hydrogen is the fundamental building block of all matter in the entire Universe. Created by slowing energy, one tiny positive charged proton, and one very tiny negatively charged electron locked in an eternal dance by the forces existing within the hydrogen atom. This was a momentous occasion for all of us because it started the process that emerged our Universe and its ability to sustain life, and thereby, us.

Amazingly, that is all that was needed to produce all the matter we see today. There is a rhythm to the Universe. Can you feel it? Stay with me. Bing, bing, bing.

Gravity is weak but it works over immense distances through the distortion of space-time. Mass distorts space-time. Everything is in motion relative to everything else One atom of hydrogen would be attracted to another atom of hydrogen through their mass and the electromagnetic force over immense distances. Two atoms of hydrogen would have more mass and therefore more attraction. Over very long time periods, gravity pulled the atoms of hydrogen from here, from there, throughout the Universe into massive clouds of hydrogen over huge distances. Sort of like grains of swirling sand creating a desert over a vast distance.

These clouds drew closer and closer together as gravity grew stronger with the increased mass produced by all that hydrogen. At the same time angular momentum created spin on the condensing mass of hydrogen gas creating something like a spinning top effect. As gravity pulled the mass of hydrogen ever so closer, temperatures rose immensely due to this compression, until they reached in the thousands of degrees. At these temperatures, under immense pressure and heat, the hydrogen atoms become unstable and break apart only to be reformed as a larger atom of helium, the next heaviest element. This combination of pressure and temperature creates a condition known as critical mass. This is how the first emergent properties materialized.

It takes four hydrogen atoms to make one helium atom. The new helium atom weighs less than the four hydrogen atoms. The difference is converted energy being radiated by the star. This is the process of nuclear fusion, (strong nuclear force). Remember this force. The joining of elemental particles created from energy to form a larger, heavier atom. In this case, hydrogen to helium with a larger combination of protons, and electrons than hydrogen has. During this build up to critical mass, a chain reaction of enormous energy is radiated from the hydrogen atoms and critical mass engulfs the entire compressed mass of hydrogen and a star is born. Whew. Let there be light!

The process continues for a very long time, as it continues to this day. In our star, the Sun, until hydrogen becomes depleted and temperatures rise. As this happens helium now goes through the same process as the hydrogen did, forming the next larger element, Lithium, while discharging huge amounts of energy. Some hydrogen becomes isotopes like deuterium and tritium, having extra electrons. This continues through the life of the star producing heavier elements and all of our natural metals, in progressively rarer quantities. This is the process of nuclear fusion, the fusing of elements. Some elements are only formed at the last stage when the star’s gravity overcomes its ability to produce more outbound energy causing it to implode then react causing an enormous explosion, called a super nova, spreading its contents in every direction into the universe. This process is so beautiful to imagine.

Thus the heavier the element the scarcer it is. Scarcity is one reason gold and uranium are so rare, and so expensive. Hydrogen however, is everywhere in the Universe. Our Sun, at middle age is an enormous resource for determining relatively up close, the evolution of other stars. So hydrogen to lead, and everything in between. Then the rarest elements came out of the final explosion and implosion.

A star at the end of its long life will contain most of the elements on our periodic table up to lead. When the star explodes it creates the heaviest elements and blasts all these new elements out into the Universe to be mixed with the vast quantities of existing hydrogen. And the process starts all over again. Doe Si Doe.

3_DESCENDANT STARS

Hydrogen again condenses into a huge cloud, but this time it picks up some atoms of helium and some atoms of all the other new elements ejected from the exploded stars, including oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, lead, etc. etc. As the cloud spins under angular momentum, hydrogen settles to the reactive core, while the heavier elements are spun to the outer spinning disc regions of the star forming clouds, through angular momentum and centrifugal force. Sort of like the circular chair swing at the Vancouver PNE.

The new star forms in the same way with hydrogen as its primary fuel but other elements coalesce into a disc of denser heavier clumps

revolving around the star. Some of those clumps will eventually form planets, moons and other planetary debris. In our case, at least one of those planets had all the right emergent properties and circumstances for life to exist. This is a new reality. ‘Play it again Sam’.

Oh my goodness, does this implies that, except for hydrogen, all the atoms in our bodies, and everywhere else were created by nuclear fusion in the hearts of long ago hydrogen depleted stars, and distributed throughout the universe by their violent ejecta? This rhythm is perpetual, having existed at the beginning, and still today. Pretty cool.

The process of nuclear fusion creating elements is well documented to those who seek it out. Evidence shows that this process has taken a very long time indeed. It is currently being developed, slowly. Not like nuclear fission. Think huge free energy, without pollution, against bombs, and dangerous energy.

Much evidence has been gathered by; visual observations with very high power telescopes, deep space x-ray penetrating heat signals, and among other technologies, red shift calculations showing the expansion of the universe along with the trajectory of its past and future positions. The physics of how things need to be, to be. Amazingly, all of the evidence obtained from a variety of scientific disciplines is compatible and requires an enormous amount of time from our perspective for these events to happen. It also follows that every molecule of matter that we know of is a direct result of the combination of these elements forming molecules.

A rock, a human. What is the difference? We are all made of the same stuff.

Have a happy day. and don’t forget to be there

This is the rhythm of the emergent evolution of all matter. One awesome beat. Now lets us talk a little about how time fits into this story.   .