Giant Sheets Of Dark Matter Detected 231
Wandering Wombat writes "The largest structures in the universe have been, if not directly found, then at least detected and pounced upon by scientists. 'The most colossal structures in the universe have been detected by astronomers who tuned into how the structures subtly bend galactic light. The newfound filaments and sheets of dark matter form gigantic features stretching across more than 270 million light-years of space — three times larger than any other known structure and 2,000 times the size of our own galaxy. Because the dark matter, by definition, is invisible to telescopes, the only way to detect it on such grand scales is by surveying huge numbers of distant galaxies and working out how their images, as seen from telescopes, are being weakly tweaked and distorted by any dark matter structures in intervening space.' By figuring how to spot the gigantic masses of dark matter, hopefully we can get a better understanding of it and find smaller and smaller structures."
So ... (Score:5, Funny)
Heh (Score:5, Funny)
a) Interesting
b) Not interesting
c) Both (don't you love quantum superpositions
Let me be the first to say (Score:4, Funny)
Soon all your adherents will have to move to studying a crazy theory that can't disproven, like String Theory!
pounced upon? (Score:5, Funny)
Thread Count? (Score:3, Funny)
Pounced upon? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:The Rubber sheet analogy is WRONG!!! (Score:5, Funny)
Makes a lot of sense, though.
When LOLcats attack (Score:2, Funny)
Re: Interesting / Not interesting / Both (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Three times larger? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:The Rubber sheet analogy is WRONG!!! (Score:5, Funny)
And there's good reason. I grew up in Los Alamos, NM, and the best part about doing our swimming merit badges at the county pool was having the dad of one of the scouts -- a LANL physicist -- come early to pick up his son. He'd have all of us at the shallow end of the pool, and he'd be standing there holding a pendulum. Based on the pendulum's swing, he'd either yell "jump in!" and we'd all jump in simultaneously, or "get out" and we'd all get out simultaneously. After doing this for four or five minutes, the entire pool was sloshing back and forth, spilling over onto the deck on each end, getting everyone's towels wet if they weren't on the bleachers.
We thought it was awesome. The lifeguards didn't.
Re:So ... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:The Rubber sheet analogy is WRONG!!! (Score:2, Funny)
You have 10 minutes.
Re:So ... (Score:5, Funny)
Holly? is that you? (Score:3, Funny)
Holly: Well, the thing about a black hole - its main distinguishing feature - is it's black. And the thing about space, the colour of space, your basic space colour, is black. So how are you supposed to see them?
Rimmer: But five of them? Five massively collapsed stars, millions of miles across. How could you miss them?
Holly: It's typical, isn't it? You wait three million years with nothing, then five come along all at once.
Re:Heh (Score:4, Funny)
e) we won't know until "they" open the box
f) mostly harmless
Re:pounced upon? (Score:4, Funny)
Am I smarter than a Scientist? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:The Rubber sheet analogy is WRONG!!! (Score:3, Funny)
Well sorry guys, you're just too primitive to understand REAL physics. [uncyclopedia.org] Come back when you figure out where you're going to keep all the necessary penguins.
What? You don't even know about the penguins? Shocking! You'll never reach lightspeed the way you're going.
-Al Facentuari
Re:Simulation error (Score:3, Funny)
Re:pounced upon? (Score:3, Funny)
haha. I can has Nobul Pryzze?
Finally ... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Three times larger? (Score:3, Funny)
As the venerable sage, Grover, taught us all so long ago... "Near!" *bounce* *bounce* *bounce* *bounce* "Far!" *bounce* *bounce* *bounce* *bounce* "Near!" *bounce* *bounce* *bounce* *bounce* ...
It all depends on one's perspective.
Re:Simulation request to God (Score:3, Funny)
I would like to draw your attention to the eBay listing from which you purchased your universe. You'll notice that your warranty period has expired and God Inc. can no longer supply you with end-user support. If you would like to purchase a new universe please subscribe to the apropriate religion for your area.
Kind Regards,
God Inc.