Ouroboros; that's what fascinates me about cosmology. When the very largest of the large intertwines intimately with the smallest of the small.

Prime example by Nobel prize winning [[Roger Penrose]]: [[conformal cyclic cosmology]]. You need some medium potent psychedelics to fully grok the idea, or some serious maths (which I don't have, which is why [[I will never understand reality]].)

The fun part of cosmology is having your mind blown

• [[j.Cosmology makes me cry - and thats why i like it]].
• [[j.twenty seven zeroes made me cry]]

Anyway, here things make brain go boom:

• [[five to the power of 500 possible universes]]

Questions Cosmology Cultivated in Me and Topics that Tickle me Physical Fancies

• [[t.does the universe make it up as it goes along]]?
• [[t.Problems With the Simulation Hypothesis]]
• [[Fermi's Paradox and the Psychology of Galactic Empires]]

Size, Eternity, Infinity, Multiplicity, the End

• [[causal disconnection]]
• [[five to the power of 500 possible universes]]
• [[q.The universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space]]
• [[multiverse - one universe or many]]

Ways in Which the End May Come

• [[heat death of the universe]]
• [[The universe is flat and will not collapse]]

Cosmology Quotes

• [[q.The universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space]]
• [[q.Everything Has its Wonders, Even Darkness and Silence]]
• [[q.the fine-structure constant – a pure number that shapes the universe to an astonishing degree]]

People

• Alan Guth Revered, subtle sense of humour
• Andrei Linde Russian, but smiles and has a sense of humour.
• Kip Thorne
• Brian Greene String theory, does a lot of panels.
• [[Roger Penrose]] So matter-of-fact you can possibly be without becoming arrogant and condescending. Not the most jokes, but I have a fondness for him. Closing in on 90 years old and sharp as a tack.
• Neil Turok
• Stephen Hawking

Other

• [[fine structure constant]]

Videos to Watch

World Science Festival

• [[multiverse - one universe or many]]
  Maybe the most fun panel, especially thanks to the moderator.
• [[Beyond einstein - in search of the ultimate explanation]]
• [[Biggest thing in the universe – the hercules-corona borealis great wall]]

Life in the Universe

• Abiogenesis
• [[Fermi Paradox]]
  • [[Fermi's Paradox and the Psychology of Galactic Empires]]
• The [[Drake equation]]
• The [[fine-tuning hypothesis]]
• The [[anthropic principle]]
• The [[rare earth hypothesis]]
• [[The Great Filter]]
  • [[t.voluntary great filter]]
• [[causal disconnection]]

Life in the very early universe

15 million years after the big bang the temperature was 24C. Planets, if they had formed then, could have harboured life in the "endless" summer of the universe. Even [[rogue planet|rogue planets]] could have had flowing water in that cosmic climate. Like a universe-sized womb, stretching for millions of years.

Life in the very late universe

Red Dwarf Stars

Planets could orbit [[red dwarf|red dwarves]], and albeit tidally locked and hazardous solar flares, life could have had trillions of years to evolve.

Planets possibly capable of sustaining life

There might be 50 billion planets like earth in the [[Milky Way]] galaxy alone (based on 1/4th of stars having rocky planets in the [[habitable zone]], ref. this [[a.LIFE BEYOND Chapter 1. Alien life, deep time, and our place in cosmic history|Life Beyond youtube video]])

That gives us approximately 50 billion stars in the [[Milky Way]] galaxy with potentially habitable planets. Add as many zeroes behind that as you feel like, preferably somewhere in the vicinity of eighteen – then you have an abundance of worlds for life to inhabit.

Yes, many will lack a breathable atmosphere, be too cold, too warm etc., so take away a couple zeroes. Hell, take away ten zeroes, we still have 5 000 000 000 000 000 000 possibilities for somebody inventing capitalism, [[lies-to-children]] and warm, snuggly blankets.

Moons in our solar system

Enceladus

Icy, but with subsurface ocean with hydrothermal vents.

Titan

Methane lakes and organic compounds. NASA plans a drone to Titan in 2026.

Speculative, spectacular, imagination fodder

• [[exotic lifeforms]]
• [[a.LIFE BEYOND Chapter 1. Alien life, deep time, and our place in cosmic history]]
• [[a.TIMELAPSE OF THE FUTURE - A Journey to the End of Time]]

See Also

• [[astronomy]]
• [[space missions]]
• [[melodysheep]] for videos of an (awe-)inspiring and spectacular nature, with cinematic soundtracks.

Related:

• [[physics]]