I WILL BE TAKING OFF THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF JANUARY FROM BLOG WRITING DUE TO AN EDITING DEADLINE FOR MY UPCOMING BOOK. THANKS FOR READING.
This is a good time to talk about time.
We have spent nearly 527,040 minutes of time this past year.
One minute at a time.
So, what is it about time? Man made it up. A way of measuring our lives, really.
Time is a fascinating concept that has intrigued scientists, philosophers, and artists for centuries.
And here are some things about it.
Time Dilates with Speed:
According to Einstein’s theory of relativity, time slows down as you approach the speed of light. This phenomenon, called time dilation, has been experimentally confirmed. It hurts my brain to consider this.
Moving on. What about old stuff?
The Oldest Known Object:
The oldest object in the universe is a star named HD 140283, often referred to as the “Methuselah star.” It is estimated to be about 14.46 billion years old—older than the universe itself, which creates a scientific mystery. Okay. It hurts my brain to consider this too.
So then, what about the present moment? That’s what people tell us. To stay in the “now.” And yet?
No Universal “Now”:
Relativity also tells us there is no universal “now” across the universe. What one observer considers “now” could be the past or future for another observer moving at a different speed or located elsewhere in the universe. Same brain here. Still hurting.
When did all of this “time” business begin? The Big Bang, of course. But what happened before then?
Time Before the Big Bang:
What “time” was before this is unknown and may be unknowable.
Who is keeping track of the official time? Every major country seems to have a timekeeper. But the two big hitters on the planet are:
– The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM)
– The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S.
Just for the record, these guys are adding seconds. Due to Earth’s irregular rotation, we sometimes add a “leap second” to our clocks to keep them synchronized with Earth’s actual rotation time.
Here’s another thing. Time doesn’t flow at a uniform speed everywhere. Gravity affects time, so time moves slower in stronger gravitational fields. This phenomenon is called gravitational time dilation and has been demonstrated with clocks placed at different altitudes on Earth.
And, who’s counting? Well, someone keeps track of the small. The shortest measurable unit of time is the zeptosecond (10⁻²¹ seconds). Scientists have used this unit to measure how long it takes light to cross a hydrogen molecule. Zooooom.
Finally, there is this. Human perception of time is subjective. Factors like emotions, age, pain, joy, and experiences can make time feel like it’s speeding up or slowing down. Something “fun” goes by a lot faster than holding your hand over a lit match.
So, as the New Year approaches, it will bring more time. Precisely 527,040 minutes of time.
May we use every moment wisely.
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“Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.” — Nathaniel Hawthorne
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“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” — Leo Tolstoy
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“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” — Theophrastus
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