Features
5 Cosmic Concepts That Will Change How You See Reality
by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Distinguished cosmologist and particle physicist Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes readers on a mind-altering journey to the boundaries of the universe in her new book The Edge of Space-Time. Only at the edge of the universe, she argues, can we see the big picture and begin to learn about ourselves. The five cosmic concepts below represent just a few realities that should make us all question what we thought we knew about the universe, and how that changes our position in it.
5 Cosmic Concepts That Will Change How You See Reality:
1. Particles are non-binary. They are particles and waves at the same time!
2. Space-time is expanding and this is a gravitational effect. The distance between galaxies is increasing and this is best explained by our most fundamental theory of gravity, Einstein’s general relativity.
3. There are non-trinary particles. Neutrinos are fundamental particles that randomly oscillate between three flavors as they move through spacetime.
4. A Black physicist provided some of the earliest affirmation of quantum physics. In his 1918 PhD, Elmer Imes (who was married for a while to Harlem Renaissance novelist Nella Larsen) showed that atoms had quantum properties.
5. Black holes have the best laid edges in the universe. A black hole event horizon can’t be disrupted, and it is a hard edge. Once you cross into the black hole, you’re never coming out.
To explore more of the universe, check out Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein’s new book:
A fresh, charming, socially conscious tour of the mysteries of space-time, from the award-winning author of The Disordered Cosmos. In The Edge of Space-Time, Prescod-Weinstein embraces the cosmic wonder, taking readers on a mind-altering journey to the boundaries of the universe, inviting us to spend time at the edge of what we know about space-time and about ourselves. Through Prescod-Weinstein’s clear-eyed and unique perspective, and informed by her deep knowledge of postcolonial history and Black feminist thought, The Edge of Space-Time argues that physics is an essential way for everyone to look at the universe and presents a compelling case that “the edge” is a powerful vantage point from which to see the big picture.
