Bonus question, if the USSR had decided to escalate the space race again after they lost the moon and committed to a semi permanent moon base, how quickly could they have got it done with either Proton or Energia?
I’ve been reading about the long-term future of the universe—specifically heat death and the possibility of proton decay—and I’m trying to understand what this means for life in the absolute far future.
From what I understand, heat death (driven by increasing entropy) would eventually leave the universe with no usable energy, and proton decay (if it occurs) would cause all matter to break down over extremely long timescales.
My question is: do these processes effectively place a hard limit on the existence of any form of life, no matter how advanced? Or are there any serious scientific ideas suggesting life (or something like it) could persist or adapt even under those conditions?
I’m not asking from an existential angle—just genuinely curious about the physics constraints and whether this is considered a true “end point” for complexity in the universe.
It's amazing to see how long the Voyager missions have lasted and how far they have reached. I was thinking, if they were launched today, how much farther we could reach and how much better the technology would be for instrumentation to study the far reaches of our solar system? How long with modern rocket design and fuels would it take to reach the same distances the probes are now?
I would imagine improved technology would also help keep the instrumentation alive much longer plus drastic improvements would mean much more data.
Lastly, are there any comparable missions like Voyager happening now or in the future?
I took this photo around 2022 on my phone out the window while i was trying to sleep. From what I remember it was pretty bright because it distracted me from going to sleep.
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Welcome to my theory. As you can see in the photos, I liken the universe to a body. For example, a black hole doesn't just pull something in and send it to a different dimension; in my opinion, it breaks it apart and transforms it into something necessary for the universe's growth. Or pulsars, like a heart, keep the energy from the black hole alive by scattering it into space. If there were no pulsars, new stars wouldn't be born. So pulsars are like a heart; they keep things alive and constantly emit energy or radiation. If there were no black holes, pulsars, or things like the sun and planets, the body couldn't survive. They all work together and support each other. For example, when a cell in our body gets very old, when it loses its old properties, just like suns and planets, it disappears, it self-destructs, and then it transforms into another substance. Or when it's torn apart by a black hole, it's sent elsewhere, helping another star or something else to be born. So the universe both renews itself and something like a body comes into being. In the end, just like us, the body, the universe, will get very old and die.
Say hello to my hypothesis: imagine if the universe functions as a body. That's what I was thinking. Listen before you judge me. For example, black holes work like mitochondria; they're not like a gateway to another dimension. They break down matter and convert it into energy or other matter necessary for the expansion of the universe. Or pulsars; they're like a heart, keeping energy waves alive, or nebulae, and they work together. One can't function without the other, just like our bodies. For example, after a star or planet breaks apart, it leaves behind dust that becomes a nebula, or a pulsar, or something like a black hole. Nothing is wasted; everything has a purpose. The universe is like a human body; it will age and die. God created us to witness this, to show His power. If we didn't exist, there would be no purpose in creating these things.
Hi,
I live in Limoges (France) without a car and not even a driver's license.
Does anyone know the best places to travel to using only public transit and manage to experience the total solar eclipse, in terms of easiness of access, transportation cost, accomodation cost, tourist density ?
In terms of national train, it seems the closest I'll get is through a 7-8 hour multi-layover ride :
Then there's transportation to whichever's the best destination from there to figure out.
In terms of international train, there's only a 10 hour multi-layover ride to Barcelona, still "20mi" from totality, for almost 115€, though I'm guessing the final step of transit would be easier from there.
In terms of international bus :
What do you think ? I mostly need help regarding local logistics.
Also, flying is out of the question, and carpooling is too risky in case of cancellation for such a very time-sensitive occasion.
Thanks !
Land is own by many countries, people there after that. When country own some land, do they own space above them? or upto how much kilometers?
my plan for space is i'll find startup who working on humanoid and space tech company we make robot work on solar power and launch it as capsule on to targeted planet for research
Hi everyone, I’m curious about the fundamental physics of rocket propulsion.
According to Newton's Third Law, we often say 'for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.' In many textbooks, the 'reaction force' that pushes the rocket upward is described as the gas molecules pushing against the internal walls/nozzle of the engine.
My question is: Is it more accurate to view thrust as the pressure exerted on the engine's internal structure, or is it strictly the conservation of momentum from the high-velocity exhaust gases? I’d love to hear a more technical breakdown of how this force is actually transferred to the rocket's frame.
It was taken on an iphone so granted It could just be a glitch and it wasn’t a Plane or some sort of aircraft as the sky was clear other than the obvious stars when the photo was taken. Thought I would ask just to see what people say or if it would just be an error with Iphones Autofocus on images. It’s not the greatest quality either but seen it today and thought it was interesting.