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Science ka Adda Episode 2: Do you know where you live?

Science ka Adda Episode 2: Do you know where you live?

In this episode of Science ka Adda, we search for our cosmic address, starting from Karachi.

Salman Hameed September 12, 2015

The search for our identity starts at home. But how do we define home?

In this episode of Science ka Adda, we search for our cosmic address, starting from Karachi and ending with some of the farthest galaxies discovered by astronomers. Such an exercise immediately provides a humbling perspective in light of the sheer immensity of the universe. We may be worried about the day-to-day happenings on a relatively small portion of the Earth, but in some ways, these are pale in comparison to the known universe that contains more than hundred billion galaxies, each containing a hundred billion stars.

Our sun is just one of these stars.

But what is truly amazing is that inhabitants of a planet orbiting an ordinary star located in the outskirts of our galaxy have discovered their cosmic address.

Join me on Science ka Adda in searching for our place in the universe.

WRITTEN BY:
Salman Hameed The author is an associate professor of integrated science and humanities at Hampshire College, Massachusetts, USA. He runs a Youtube channel of astronomy videos (KianaatAstronomyInUrdu) and tweets @salmanahameed (https://twitter.com/salmanahameed)

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

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COMMENTS (24)

Miyagi Jr. | 9 years ago | Reply Yes Sir, it is a stalemate in as far as empirical evidence is concerned, Science is asking for an empirical evidence of something which is not material and is beyond time and space so to speak, just as there can never be an empirical evidence of multiverse hypothesis, which in turn could very well be true, but that still doesn't negates God's existence. If He can bring our universe into existence with a Bang, why not more. Einstein also said: "That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God." and "That humble attitude of mind toward the grandeur of reason incarnate in existence, which in its profoundest depths, is inaccessible to man." and this too. "A belief bound up with deep feeling in a superior mind that reveals itself in the world of experience, represents my conception of God." and this "I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it. Let's just agree to disagree here, this is getting nowhere :) though it was nice talking to you. Peace.

Miyagi Jr. | 9 years ago | Reply Well, I guess its a stalemate. Just like Science wouldn't work without empirical evidence. religion wouldn't work without faith. but perhaps the primary reason for rejecting God and religion is religion itself. The atheistic scientist is certainly justified in despising religious dogmas and scriptures that imply a God whose grandeur does not match up to the grandeur of the universe he knows. Peace.

harkol | 9 years ago Nos sir. It isn't a stale mate, we are arguing the same thing! >Just like Science wouldn't work without empirical evidence. religion wouldn't work without faith. Which is what I said. Most atheists aren't 'God haters'. They just don't agree with religion. They have no problem with a concept that a super natural power created universe, because it is a perfectly legitimate hypothesis to make. But as Einstein said - God doesn't play dice with universe. i.e. A supernatural power doesn't guide every minute thing that happens within the universe. And earth is too unimportant (from human perspective - earth is smaller than electron that exists in an atom of a spoon that we hold). And he won't be making rules for some entity within that electron. Religions claim such rules came from god, which is what atheists don't believe. Besides, multiverse hypothesis has a higher mathamatical probability (and some mathematical proof, with holes) - Not the super natural entity theory. For believers, Super Natural entity theory is an article of faith that can't be altered or questioned. Which is the dogma, which men of science reject. In science there are no dogma.

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harkol | 9 years ago | Reply Sir, Religion = an organized system of faith/belief & rules that are followed by its followers, without questioning the tenets. Religion doesn't require empirical evidence, it tells people to trust the tenets. Thus existence of god, what is assumed to be his words & rules has to be accepted without questioning it. Thus, it is anti-thesis of science. Science believes in empirical evidence, thus promotes skepticism and questioning. A person with scientific temperament, will either not be religious, or suspends his temperament for the sake of religion.

Miyagi Jr. | 9 years ago These days, the atheists have found another way of avoiding the God question, Multiverse! In one version of this phantasmagorical theory, uni-verses are springing up everywhere. But please do not ask the atheists where and how, as these universes are inaccessible from our own universe! So what is the empirical evidence for oscillating a parallel and multiple universes? There is none. Atheists have invented a complicated set of circumstances to circumvent a much more obvious solution. They seem to abolish one seemingly un-observable God by making up an infinite number of un-observable substitutes, which rightfully belong to the Hollywood genre of science fiction movies. Have a nice day. Peace.

Miyagi Jr. | 9 years ago Atheism = a religion, atheists just wouldn't call it that. It has its own set of beliefs, like, rejecting God Almighty's existence at all costs all the time as if their sole purpose of life, e.g Richard Dawkins. Ridiculing religious beliefs on the basis of Science etc, which is kinda true when you take every religious teaching and belief literal to the word. Its simple, atheists say, if you cannot prove something on the basis of science, it doesn't exists. But at the same time they do believe that, there was nothing,and nothing happened to nothing and then nothing magically exploded for no reason, creating everything and then a bunch of everything magically rearranged itself for no reason what so ever into self-replicating bits which then turned into dinosaurs = Atheism . Makes perfect sense of course!

captain pasha | 9 years ago | Reply In science old in not gold.Where are the modern days scientist..

Miyagi Jr. | 9 years ago Mohammad Abdus Salam. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdus_Salam I do not think i have to say anything more than this. And if someone thinks He was not a Muslim, then it's their problem not His.

Queen | 9 years ago | Reply I can't say about other religions but Islam encourages Muslims to seek knowledge about education, science, and technology. Muslim history is abound with examples of scientific and cultural ingenuity. The Holy Quran encourages study and contemplation of the universe that surrounds us and is particularly concerned with those sciences that give human beings the ability to benefit from the world around them. While encouraging investigation, the Qur’an contains references to a variety of subjects which have been shown to be scientifically accurate. For some, religion can be a source of suffering and suffocation while for some it can be a guiding light toward knowledge. It all depends on the point of view.

captain pasha | 9 years ago Future Islamic doctors,scientist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3lwa8faV9s

abhi | 9 years ago what is this concept of muslim history? after muslim land, muslim sience is this a new invention?

vinsin | 9 years ago | Reply But science is hard and not within grasp of everyone compare to Abhrahmic religion which demands nothing but blind faith. Eastern religion do not demand any faith, the practitioner is free decide what he or she wants to believe.

Miyagi Jr. | 9 years ago "Eastern religions do not demand any faith" funniest line of your comment. You don't need blind faith, you need blind rituals to satisfy the faith which is missing in eastern religions.

harkol | 9 years ago | Reply Makes you realize how silly the concept of religion is. Religion, in its simplest of definition - is a knowledge handed down, without questioning its tenets. The fundamental principle of religion is - Faith in the tenets. Science is the reverse of religion. The foundation of science is questioning & verifying everything. Nothing is sacred from challenge. Newtons thoughts were overshadowed by Einstein and his thoughts will be tempered by someone in future for sure. Since it is constantly evolving science is so fascinating, and religion is so suffocating & source of most of human races differences..

Miyagi Jr. | 9 years ago Science without Religion Is Lame, Religion without Science Is Blind.

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