11e A History from the Big Bang

Physician's Notebooks 11 - http://physiciansnotebook.blogspot.com - See Homepa11e  A History to Earth Today - Update 24 Septr 2021.

  Universe is everything we can see with farthest space telescope. We have evidence that it began 14-billion years ago. All matter and energy were combined in a single massive body of small dimensions, the forces holding it all together were exactly balanced against opposing internal expansive forces, and, then, for unknown reason, a sudden un-balancing in favor of expansion started; thus, the Big Bang! We are still in the Big Bang (i.e., spectroscopic astronomy focused on the edges of Universe shows the universe is expanding based on the shorter wavelength bluer part of the color spectrum shifting toward the longer wavelength red). 

Most recent data show that the total mass of the universe is greater than previously thought and exceeds the value that would sustain a constantly expanding universe; so, eventually, the gravitational effect of this increased mass should overcome and reverse the expansion and initiate a contraction leading to a return to the primordial atom. Thus, Big Bang should end in Big Crunch. The matter in the Big Bang consisted of the simplest stuff. It formed hydrogen atoms (H), but, rapidly, by attraction and compression and fusion followed by fission of atoms, the primordial hydrogen made the at least 114 atomic elements we now know.
   The expanding mass of matter formed the groups of stars we call galaxies, and within galaxies, many stars produced each its own solar system with planets.
   Today, the condition of Universe is myriads of galaxies hurtling outward in continuing expansion and between them huge amounts of space occupied by cosmic dust and smaller clumps of atoms.
   Our Galaxy is a flat-plane spiral type and Sol, our sun is located about 2/3's out on its disc. Circling Sol are the nine planets and many asteroids, planetoids, comets and meteorites.
   Earth is the 3^rd planet out of the nine. It is at the perfect distance from Sol for life to have developed and evolved into intelligence and civilization. From our one example here on Earth, we can well guess that life, intelligence and civilizations have developed in other parts of Universe. Life's development is based on Earth's temperature, its rotation, and planetary mass, giving it enough gravity for a stability of orbit. Also, and most importantly, this stability will last billions of years.
   Earth is 4.6-billion years old and it is estimated that first life—-early RNA and DNA inside single cell structured of protein molecule—-appeared in oceans one half-billion years after Earth's formation, or 4-billion years ago. By evolution, life developed from non-life to DNA-protein to single cell to many-cell organisms through the animal family of primates (apes and humans) to us Homo sapiens. Our closest living animal relative is the chimpanzee and it diverged by 10-million years ago. Homo sapiens is c.100,000 years old and our agriculture-based proto-civilization began 10,000 years ago. The present civilization would date from Mesopotamian, Chinese and Egyptian roots going back 5-to-10-thousand years and developing through two main lines - Ancient Greece and Ancient China.
  Our present historical period begins symbolically in 1492 with Columbus’ landings in the New World. It coincides, and was part of the European Renaissance in Art and Science. Human intellect was stopped-up during the Dark Age, from the fall of Rome to the barbarians (457 AD), but, then, in the 1400s, intelligence broke free of restraints and the result is today's Science, even though our society is flawed due to leftovers of the Dark Age and medieval times. 

So here we are today in what has been labeled post-industrial society, whose name may be dated fom the introduction of Computers in the 1960s.

  Each one of us is a pinpoint in the history of time. We have no idea why we should be here. We each have our own temporary, individual consciousness which, collectively, makes up the greater reality that has gone on since the first life.  And the concept that we can do something about anything may seem very futile to many but I would hope some ought to catch a feeling of connectedness of each of us with the history of Universe.

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