The Creation of The Universe

Hello internet. Today, I will be talking about how the universe formed, and the events that happened after the formation.

First, there was nothing. Nothing but a tiny little speck that was unimaginably small, and unimaginably hot. That little speck was the universe. In that little speck, the four fundamental forces (electromagnetism, gravitation, weak and strong nuclear interaction) are all combined as a superforce.

Then, suddenly, it exploded. The universe then entered the Planck Era. In this era, temperatures were still high enough for the fundamental forces to still exist in together in a superforce. After, the universe entered the Grand Unified Era. In this era, the temperature started cooling, and the one of the forces separated from the superforce. That force was gravity. But the other forces still were combined. The forces that were still combined were known as the Grand Unified Force.

After that, the universe entered the Electroweak Epoch. In this short and brief period, the strong nuclear interaction separated from the electroweak force (the term for the combination of the electromagnetism and the weak nuclear interaction). Then it enters the Inflation Era. in this era, the universe started expanding significantly. 

By the way, keep in mind that all of this happened in less that one second. MIND BLOW.

About 3 minutes later, the universe cools down enough for atomic nuclei to form. The element hydrogen forms. Some hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium.

After 380,000 years later, the universe goes into the Photon Epoch. Photons form and light travels through the darkness.
  After 1 billion years later, the first stars and quasars form (for one of the oldest stars, click here), producing heavier elements such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, etc. A few billon years later, galaxies formed. After about 12 billion years later, here we are. The universe kept on making more stars and galaxies...until its death.

Want to know the fate of the universe? Well, I already posted something about it. Go ahead and take a look at it. Here's the link: http://thefalconpawncher.blogspot.com/2012/12/universes-fate.html

Interesting fact of the day: If any bird was put in a "zero-gravity" area, they wouldn't survive because birds need gravity to swallow prey. Wow. Just wow.

Bit of a rest

Hello internet. This post is to notify you about my posting. As you may have noticed, it's been taking me more time to create and publish a post.

This is because of my very unorganized schedule (I would take a picture of my schedule, but it seems I've lost it, which is kind of why I said "unorganized schedule"), my homework (the fact that finals start next week is not helping), and just basic inaccessibility (which means "no access) to an electronic at most times, and sometimes, when I do, there's no freaking signal.

Anyways, I'm sorry, but this "delay" will continue for quite a while. This "delay" will continue until, at the most, June 10. That doesn't mean I won't be posting until June 10, I still will post, just not as quick. Just, for the time being, enjoy my other posts, or you can look at some YouTube channel links that I highly recommend you look at.

http://www.youtube.com/user/RoosterTeeth (gaming, news, funny stuff)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Vsauce (random stuff)
http://www.youtube.com/user/SciShow (science stuff)
http://www.youtube.com/user/CGPGrey ("complex things explained")
http://www.youtube.com/user/MinutePhysics (random physics stuff explained in a minute)
http://www.youtube.com/user/LetsPlay (only gaming stuff)
http://www.youtube.com/user/robjnixon (gives cooking recipes)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Quirkology (random illusions)
http://www.youtube.com/user/kipkay ("hacks, pranks, and how-to" stuff)

So yeah.

Interesting fact of the day: There was a monkey named Jimmy, who once bit the finger of a lady. Jimmy was brought to the court. The judge said that she couldn't commit a monkey. Jimmy then respectively took off his hat, climbed atop the judge's desk and attempted to shake the Judge's hand.

AT5s #3

Hello internet. Before talking about the list, I first would like to give a shout out to my friend, Brandon, and his blog.

Link: http://www.glitchesandtricks.blogspot.com

He talks about his favorite games and how they work and also glitches, tricks (as the URL suggests) and mods for the games he talks about. You should check it out if you like games. If you don't, I still insist that you go and take a look for yourself. Anyway, onto the list.

Today I will be listing the top five rarest astrological events that happened and will happen. By the way, some people told me that the order of how I order my list was a bit confusing. The order goes from the fifth (which is number 1) to first (which is number 5, on the bottom of the page). I'll probably change the order in the future.

1. Blue Moon
This event takes place when a full moon is seen a second time in a single month. The atmospheric particles that the first full moon of the month gives the second new moon a bluish tint. Happens about every 2.5 years.

2. Planetary alignment
This event occurs when two or more astrological bodies align. The next one is expected to occur during September 2040, where the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will align. Happens around every 57 years.

3. Halley's comet
This comet is famous for its recurring omen, Halley's was last seen in 1986 and it will return in 2061. This comet is possibly the best known comet in history. It can be clearly seen with a naked eye, being pretty bright. This comet is mainly made up of gases and dust. Seen every 75-76 years.

4. Transit of Venus
This event happens when Venus passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, and while this is happening, you can see is from Earth with UV ray blocking glasses.. This event can last hours, with the last one lasting six hours. Happens every 243 years (when the transit occurs, the next one is eight years from the first one, however, after the second, it takes another 243 years).

5. Comet ISON
Little is known about this comet. This comet is up to 15 times brighter than the moon, and will be visible from November 2013 to January 2014. This comet, as it's reaching the sun, will be within the Roche limit, and it will probably disintegrate, or it'll survive, and orbit around. If it does, it will pass Earth and has an orbital period of around 10 million years, and may not be seen again.

Interesting fact of the day: This is pretty sad, so you don't have to read this. A Pokémon episode in 1997 caused hundreds of kids to be rushed to the hospital because of the intense lighting effects of the episode, as it cause dizziness, vomiting, and in epileptic children, seizures.

The hardest thing to kill?

Hello internet. Today I will be talking about the hardest animal to kill...the tardigrade.

The tardigrade is a really small animal, only growing to about 1 millimeter when they're fully grown.
They're short and plump with 4 pairs of legs and 4-8 "claws". They usually grow and live in moss or lichen and, if collected, can be viewed even with a low-power common microscope. Heck, you can even see it with your naked eye (if you have really good vision).

A tardigrade under a microscope.

This animal is known as a extremophile [comes from the Latin term extremus (extreme) and the Greek term philia (love)]. Extremophiles are basically organisms that can thrive in very harsh conditions that would usually kill most life on Earth.

The following categories are the things the tardigrade can withstand:

• Temperature

The tardigrade can withstand being heated to 151°C (304°F) and being chilled to -273ºC (-458ºF), which is about one kelvin away from absolute zero!

• Pressure

Tardigrades can withstand very high pressure, some even surviving 1,200 times atmospheric pressure. They can also survive very low pressure too, even surviving outer space. In fact, they were sent to and exposed to the vacuum of space, and also harmful (to humans) UV rays on a mission codenamed "TARDIS". 

• Dehydration

Some tardigrades can withstand being without water for up to ten years. In fact, they can do something that very little other species can do. They can go into a state called cryptobiosis.  Cryptobiosis is basically hibernation, but a bit more advanced. In this state, their metabolism lowers to less than 0.01% of normal and their water composition lowers to about 1% of normal. In this state, tardigrades are also known as a tun.

• Radiation

One species of tardigrade, called the milnesium tardigradum can withstand over about 5000 Gy while a dose of 4-10 Gy can kill a human. Their ability to lower their water composition provides fewer reactants for the radiation to react to. Ha! Suck it, cockroach!

• Environmental toxins

The tardigrade can also survive toxins via chemobiosis, which is, as you probably guessed, another way of entering the state of cryptobiosis.

• Outer space

I know I'm covering this topic again, but this subject is really cool, and I have something else to mention. Remember when I said several specimens were exposed to the vacuum of space? Well, some even reproduced and gave birth to more tardigrades! When they came back, they were like "Hey! You look familiar! Anyways, say hello to my kids! They're healthy as ever, but it was a little cold up there, however I didn't know we could fly!" Just kidding, I made that up, but the giving birth to new tardigrades and being healthy part, that was real.

So yeah. Anyways, sorry about the late post. I was on a tight and homework-filled schedule.

Interesting fact of the day: Hong Kong is the only place name that you can say without moving any part of your mouth (including teeth, tongue, lips, etc.). Also, I bet a lot of people will try it after reading that (seriously, it works).