Here is wishing you a happy but humble and lesson filled 2016.
We have more than enough reason as a specie to be humble, and be humbled by a lot of things around us which we do not know, or do not notice even if we know.
We have entered a new year which in our way of counting we designate as the year 2016 Anno Domini.
But what it really means is that our earth has completed yet another revolution around the sun in the solar system. The earth actually moves at a breakneck speed of over 100,000kms/hour on a defined orbit around the Sun; constantly without stop. It takes approximately 365 days to complete this, and we call that a year, as calculated by Julius Caesar, Rome 's first and only Perpetual Dictator.
While it moves around the sun, the earth also moves on its axis at a not too slow speed of about 1,600km/hour.
We of course perceive nothing of these movements. This is not to mention the fact that our sun and it's entire complement of planets are moving around the Centre of our Milky Way galaxy at a speed of about 250km/second. Even at that speed, it takes the sun over 200 million years, measured in earth years that is, to complete a single orbit around the Centre of our galaxy.
Now, the above does not end the movements we are involuntarily involved in. Our Milky Way Galaxy, with all its stars, also moves within our local galaxy group at a speed of over 300km/second.
Now what do we say to all these? It means we never stand still. When we are standing still, so called, we are engaged in at least 4 different kinds of movement, without our permission! Scary, isn't it?
It's almost like being marooned on a spaceship moving through space without the passengers being in control. This spaceship prison, if you like, is where little humanity acts out all its foibles and stupidities, (but also some few good actions).
So, as we wish ourselves a happy new year, let us have a scientific perspective: a new year simply means the earth has completed a revolution around the sun, and has started another one. In a universe of constant movement as above explained, this is merely one of them.
This should make us humble because the mechanism of the universe, the physical universe that is,is far too great for our comprehension. We should behave ourselves in our spaceship prison and obey the simple rules of the universe, which are all for our benefit.
Have a happy, humble and lesson filled new year!
We have more than enough reason as a specie to be humble, and be humbled by a lot of things around us which we do not know, or do not notice even if we know.
We have entered a new year which in our way of counting we designate as the year 2016 Anno Domini.
But what it really means is that our earth has completed yet another revolution around the sun in the solar system. The earth actually moves at a breakneck speed of over 100,000kms/hour on a defined orbit around the Sun; constantly without stop. It takes approximately 365 days to complete this, and we call that a year, as calculated by Julius Caesar, Rome 's first and only Perpetual Dictator.
While it moves around the sun, the earth also moves on its axis at a not too slow speed of about 1,600km/hour.
We of course perceive nothing of these movements. This is not to mention the fact that our sun and it's entire complement of planets are moving around the Centre of our Milky Way galaxy at a speed of about 250km/second. Even at that speed, it takes the sun over 200 million years, measured in earth years that is, to complete a single orbit around the Centre of our galaxy.
Now, the above does not end the movements we are involuntarily involved in. Our Milky Way Galaxy, with all its stars, also moves within our local galaxy group at a speed of over 300km/second.
Now what do we say to all these? It means we never stand still. When we are standing still, so called, we are engaged in at least 4 different kinds of movement, without our permission! Scary, isn't it?
It's almost like being marooned on a spaceship moving through space without the passengers being in control. This spaceship prison, if you like, is where little humanity acts out all its foibles and stupidities, (but also some few good actions).
So, as we wish ourselves a happy new year, let us have a scientific perspective: a new year simply means the earth has completed a revolution around the sun, and has started another one. In a universe of constant movement as above explained, this is merely one of them.
This should make us humble because the mechanism of the universe, the physical universe that is,is far too great for our comprehension. We should behave ourselves in our spaceship prison and obey the simple rules of the universe, which are all for our benefit.
Have a happy, humble and lesson filled new year!
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