Expansion leads to cooling. That’s what I was taught anyway. And so when I read that the expansion following the Big Bang caused the universe to cool, I first thought, “okay…” But then I thought some more. “Wait a minute! Expansion against what???” The reason a system cools as it expands it that it pushesContinue reading “What caused the expanding universe to cool? (It may not be what you think)”
Tag Archives: Big Bang
Impactful illustrations of scientific concepts
I took a wonderful one-day seminar by Edward Tufte a long while ago titled “Analyzing/Presenting Data/Information” and was blown away by the possibilities he opened inside my mind. I walked out of the seminar deeply inspired to create illustrations for my book beyond the standard linear timelines and black & white photos of the earlyContinue reading “Impactful illustrations of scientific concepts”
Happy birthday, Henrietta Leavitt!
You’ve likely heard of the Big Bang theory and the name of Edwin Hubble associated with it. But a person you may not have heard of is Henrietta Leavitt. Leavitt played a critical role in enabling Hubble’s accomplishment. Seeing as today’s her birthday, let’s celebrate her, her achievement, and her impact on astronomy and cosmology.Continue reading “Happy birthday, Henrietta Leavitt!”
Identifying the Micro behind the Macro 