Editing 2240: Timeline of the Universe
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
+ | {{incomplete|Created by the BIG BANG. Should include a list of the events, their times, and if they're real, explain what they are, and if they're jokes, explain what they are. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
− | This comic is about the size of the | + | This comic is about the size of the universe, presented as a timeline. Some events it describes as being caused by inflation or causing it are real, but others are jokes. The size history of the universe is also embellished for the sake of jokes; the actual size history of the universe has one period of inflation shortly after the Big Bang, followed by comparatively gentle but accelerating expansion. This is artistically depicted in [https://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/media/060915/060915_CMB_Timeline150.jpg this image from NASA]. Part of the humour in this comic comes from the fact that the events leading to the change of the expansion rate not being steady are explained by means that are less likely to exist to "dark matter" and "dark energy". |
− | + | The title text is a mathematical joke, based on the Intermediate Value Theorem (IVT). Note that the actual size (A) of the universe is zero at the Big Bang (time t = 0), while the corresponding size of the comic (C) is positive (the shape there has a small but nonzero thickness). Thus, A(0) - C(0) < 0. Also, the actual size of the universe at the present day is larger {{Citation needed}} than the corresponding size of the comic. So we have A(present) - C(present) > 0. Assuming the sizes of the universe and the comic are continuous {{Citation needed}}, by the IVT, there exists a time u in the interval (0, present) such that A(u) - C(u) = 0. Noting such a time u is likely reached very quickly after the Big Bang, it is represented close to the left of the comic. Hence, technically, Randall is correct. | |
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The events presented in the timeline are: | The events presented in the timeline are: | ||
− | * '''??''' (more than 13.8 billion years ago ({{w|Billion years|Gya}})): the unknown state of the universe prior to the Big Bang, if such a statement is even sensible | + | * '''??''' (more than 13.8 billion years ago ({{w|Billion years|Gya}})): the unknown state of the universe prior to the Big Bang, if such a statement is even sensible (is it possible to be "south of the South Pole"?). |
* '''{{w|Big Bang}}''' (13.8 Gya): The model of the origin of the universe which has achieved consensus among astronomers. We have observed that all galaxies are receding away from Earth at rates that are roughly proportional to their distance, and the simplest explanation for this is that the universe is expanding. If the universe is expanding, then (unless new physics are discovered) it must have at one time been very, very small and dense; that moment in time is called the Big Bang. | * '''{{w|Big Bang}}''' (13.8 Gya): The model of the origin of the universe which has achieved consensus among astronomers. We have observed that all galaxies are receding away from Earth at rates that are roughly proportional to their distance, and the simplest explanation for this is that the universe is expanding. If the universe is expanding, then (unless new physics are discovered) it must have at one time been very, very small and dense; that moment in time is called the Big Bang. | ||
− | * '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Planck_epoch|Planck Epoch}}''': The time period starting | + | * '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Planck_epoch|Planck Epoch}}''': The time period starting with the Big Bang. |
− | * '''Medium Bang''' (a joke): If there's a Big Bang, why not have | + | * '''Medium Bang''' (a joke): If there's a Big Bang, why not have medium one? There should probably also be a Little Bang, but maybe it's just too little to be featured on this chart. |
− | * '''{{w|Inflation (cosmology)|Inflation}}''' (10^-36 to 10^-32 seconds after the Big Bang): A theory developed to explain the large-scale structure of the universe that postulates a period when the universe expanded | + | * '''{{w|Inflation (cosmology)|Inflation}}''' (10^-36 to 10^-32 seconds after the Big Bang): A theory developed to explain the large-scale structure of the universe that postulates a period when the universe expanded faster than the speed of light |
* '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Quarks_epoch|Quark Epoch}}''' (10^-12 seconds after the Big Bang): The universe is a quark-gluon plasma, up until 10^-6 seconds when it cools enough to coalesce into hadrons, including protons and neutrons. | * '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Quarks_epoch|Quark Epoch}}''' (10^-12 seconds after the Big Bang): The universe is a quark-gluon plasma, up until 10^-6 seconds when it cools enough to coalesce into hadrons, including protons and neutrons. | ||
* '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Lepton_epoch|Lepton Epoch}}''' (1 second after the Big Bang): Leptons, including electrons, and their associated neutrinos dominate. | * '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Lepton_epoch|Lepton Epoch}}''' (1 second after the Big Bang): Leptons, including electrons, and their associated neutrinos dominate. | ||
* '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Photon_epoch|Photon Epoch}}''' (10 seconds after the Big Bang): The universe is dominated by photons. | * '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Photon_epoch|Photon Epoch}}''' (10 seconds after the Big Bang): The universe is dominated by photons. | ||
− | * '''Cool Bug Epoch''' (a joke): There was a period around 10-17 million years after the Big Bang in which the cosmic background radiation was between 273 and 373 K, the temperature range for liquid | + | * '''Cool Bug Epoch''' (possibly a joke): There was a period around 10-17 million years after the Big Bang in which the cosmic background radiation was between 273 and 373 K, the temperature range for liquid water. Cosmologists {{w|Avi_Loeb#Early_Universe|have speculated}} that primitive life could have arisen during this period and dubbed it the 'Habitable Epoch of the Early Universe'. |
− | * '''Molded grip''' (a joke): Some tools (e.g. knives) have molded finger-wells so that the user's hand settles easily and securely into a comfortable position. This epoch of the universe features repeated expansions and contractions so that this part of the timeline resembles a molded grip, at least in profile (it would be much too large to be held by any known animal's hands{{Citation needed}} | + | * '''Molded grip''' (a joke): Some tools (e.g. knives) have molded finger-wells so that the user's hand settles easily and securely into a comfortable position. This epoch of the universe features repeated expansions and contractions so that this part of the timeline resembles a molded grip, at least in profile (it would be much too large to be held by any known animal's hands){{Citation needed}}. |
* '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Cosmic_Dark_Age|Stars form}}''' (100 million years after the Big Bang): The universe cools enough to allow ordinary matter particles to group into stars. | * '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Cosmic_Dark_Age|Stars form}}''' (100 million years after the Big Bang): The universe cools enough to allow ordinary matter particles to group into stars. | ||
− | * '''{{w|Stagflation}}''' (a joke): In addition to ''cosmic'' inflation, inflation can also refer to the economic phenomenon in which prices increase over time. Stagflation is | + | * '''{{w|Stagflation}}''' (a joke): In addition to ''cosmic'' inflation, inflation can also refer to the economic phenomenon in which prices increase over time. Stagflation is combination of the terms "stagnation" and "inflation", and refers to a situation in which monetary inflation is high, economic growth is slow, and job creation is low. This epoch of the universe shows the universe beginning to contract in size, much as economists would talk about an economy contracting. |
− | * '''Settling''' (a joke): | + | * '''Settling''' (a joke): Perhaps the universe has been very busy, and needs a rest. |
− | * '''Rebound''' (a joke): | + | * '''Rebound''' (a joke): Rest time is finished. |
− | * '''Someone tripped and accidentally hit the "Inflation" switch again''' (a joke) | + | * '''Someone tripped and accidentally hit the "Inflation" switch again''' (a joke) |
− | * '''Emergency Stop triggered''' (a joke) | + | * '''Emergency Stop triggered''' (a joke) |
* '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Galaxy_epoch|Galaxies form}}''' (12.8 Gya) | * '''{{w|Timeline_of_epochs_in_cosmology#Galaxy_epoch|Galaxies form}}''' (12.8 Gya) | ||
* '''{{w|Formation_and_evolution_of_the_Solar_System#Formation_of_the_planets|Earth forms}}''' (4.5 Gya) | * '''{{w|Formation_and_evolution_of_the_Solar_System#Formation_of_the_planets|Earth forms}}''' (4.5 Gya) | ||
* '''Present day''' | * '''Present day''' | ||
− | * '''Future cosmological development handed over to {{w|J.J. Abrams}}, outcome unknown''' (a joke): J.J. Abrams is a science-fiction writer and filmmaker. If he were in charge of the future development of the cosmos, he might decide to subject all of us to some strange plot twist. Among many other movies, he has directed the 2009 reboot of ''{{w|Star Trek (film)|Star Trek}}'', in which the "future history" of ''Star Trek'' is altered from the timeline of the original series by Nero and Spock traveling backwards in time. | + | * '''Future cosmological development handed over to {{w|J.J. Abrams}}, outcome unknown''' (a joke): J.J. Abrams is a science-fiction writer and filmmaker. If he were in charge of the future development of the cosmos, he might decide to subject all of us to some strange plot twist. Among many other movies, he has directed the 2009 reboot of ''{{w|Star Trek (film)|Star Trek}}'', in which the "future history" of ''Star Trek'' is altered from the timeline of the original series by Nero and Spock traveling backwards in time. |
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− | + | The dashed lines coming off the end of the timeline represent the possible fates of the universe: | |
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− | + | * The universe could stop expanding and begin contracting, resulting in the {{w|Big Crunch}}. In our universe, cosmological measurements have shown that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, so the Big Crunch is considered to be the least likely fate. | |
− | + | * The universe could eventually settle into thermal equilibrium, which would leave no energy available for any interesting phenomena to occur. This is called the {{w|heat death of the universe}} or "Big Freeze". | |
+ | * The universe's expansion could continue accelerating to the point that the accelerating expansion overcomes all forces between particles, turning the universe into a collection of particles isolated from each other by rapidly-expanding space. This is called the {{w|Big Rip}}. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | |
− | : | + | :'''Timeline of the Universe''' |
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:?? | :?? | ||
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:Big Bang | :Big Bang | ||
:[The Universe comes in as a circle with action lines around it. It stays the same size for a while.] | :[The Universe comes in as a circle with action lines around it. It stays the same size for a while.] | ||
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:Planck Epoch | :Planck Epoch | ||
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:Medium Bang | :Medium Bang | ||
:[The Universe starts inflating very slowly] | :[The Universe starts inflating very slowly] | ||
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:Inflation | :Inflation | ||
:[The Universe briefly inflates very rapidly, and returns to its normal rate of expansion.] | :[The Universe briefly inflates very rapidly, and returns to its normal rate of expansion.] | ||
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:Quark Epoch | :Quark Epoch | ||
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:Lepton Epoch | :Lepton Epoch | ||
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:Photon Epoch | :Photon Epoch | ||
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:Cool Bug Epoch | :Cool Bug Epoch | ||
− | :[The Universe starts inflating and deflating rapidly, | + | |
+ | :[The Universe starts inflating and deflating rapidly, as if to form a grip.] | ||
:Molded grip | :Molded grip | ||
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:[Stars appear in the timeline. The Universe starts inflating slightly faster than before.] | :[Stars appear in the timeline. The Universe starts inflating slightly faster than before.] | ||
:Stars form | :Stars form | ||
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:Stagflation | :Stagflation | ||
:[The Universe starts deflating slowly.] | :[The Universe starts deflating slowly.] | ||
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:Settling | :Settling | ||
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:Rebound | :Rebound | ||
:[The Universe starts inflating slowly again.] | :[The Universe starts inflating slowly again.] | ||
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:Someone tripped and accidentally hit the "Inflation" switch again | :Someone tripped and accidentally hit the "Inflation" switch again | ||
:[The Universe starts inflating at the same rate as the Inflation section.] | :[The Universe starts inflating at the same rate as the Inflation section.] | ||
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:Emergency Stop triggered | :Emergency Stop triggered | ||
:[The Universe abruptly stops inflating, and stays level.] | :[The Universe abruptly stops inflating, and stays level.] | ||
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:[Galaxies appear in the timeline. The Universe starts inflating at a medium pace.] | :[Galaxies appear in the timeline. The Universe starts inflating at a medium pace.] | ||
:Galaxies form | :Galaxies form | ||
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:Earth forms | :Earth forms | ||
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:Present day | :Present day | ||
:[We see the edge of the Universe, with a rounded shape. Various dotted line predictions are on the edges.] | :[We see the edge of the Universe, with a rounded shape. Various dotted line predictions are on the edges.] | ||
:Future Cosmological development handed over to J.J. Abrams, outcome unknown | :Future Cosmological development handed over to J.J. Abrams, outcome unknown | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
+ | [[Category:Space]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Star Wars]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Timelines]] | ||
[[Category:Charts]] | [[Category:Charts]] | ||
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