I looked up at the full moon and remembered that tonight is the total eclipse of the moon starting at 7:43 eastern time for those of us in the viewing range, which is parts of North America. I realized how much we take science for granted in what was such a terrifying event is now just something which occurs with such mathematical predictability, thanks to what we learned from Newton. For those of you which are not familiar or interested in what happens during a total lunar eclipse, the full moon passes through the shadow of the earth for a period of time, turns red then re-emerges into a full moon. The moon is such a dominant aspect of the night sky, that I can only imagine how horrifying it was when it turned red with no apparent regularity. It must have felt as those those observing this routine celestial event that the heavens were completely out of their control. Can you imagine how much of our "modern" lives we do not understand and chalk up to the mystical? Fast forward time to February 5008, when someone else is writing on how naive those living in 2008 thought it was to actually believe there was an afterlife, or that the earth does not expand and retract in regular cycles? I am not in any way saying that the earth expands and retracts, but I can only imagine what "truths" we hold which are almost completely ridiculous to future versions of ourselves.
Note to future Tom, please do not judge me for believing that I exist in only the current version of myself.
Link to lunar eclipse details - click here
1 comment:
haha, excellent post. I've often thought similarly.
A friend of mine once told me a story abot when the conquistadors came to the americas and spoke to the indigenous people.
the conquistador had knowledge of a solar eclipse that was to occur. He told the indigenous people, "I am a god! and if you don't give me your gold and silver, I will block out the sun!" The next day the moon slid in front of the sun. And he was a god.
I don't know if it's true, but I'm willing to accept it as true because it has more meaning for me that way.
We take science (and its fruits) for granted to such an insane degree. Look at the things we use everyday. I'm looking at an LCD screen. If I were alone on the earth, I would have no idea where to find 'liquid crystals'... let alone blog with them.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. - Arthur C. Clarke
Post a Comment