It is a science kind of day.
Oh. Wait. Every day is a science kind of day because science studies our world. And through that pursuit of knowledge, we gain an understanding of this planet, of the Universe, and ourselves.
It is a systematic methodology based on evidence.
I’m not sure why 50% of the American population rubs up against science. I guess people tend to disbelieve that which they do not understand.
Don’t get me wrong here. I do not understand the larger part of science. But I can observe that some brilliant people are following best practices when discovering the unknowns of this world. I can see my life improved because of science.
For instance. I could not begin to tell you how to make a Tylenol. But I can say with certainty that it will relieve our aches and pains if we take a couple.
But I’m getting off track.
Today is a special kind of science day for many reasons. But in particular, this.
It was on this date, October 14, 1908, Albert Einstein presented his quantum theory of light. Don’t let the quantum theories scare you. It simply means that people are studying how things work at an atomic level.
And that is what Einstein said about light in his theory. He told us that light travels in tiny, little bundles of energy called photons. And also that the energy in those bundles is vibrating. It says a few more things too, but that is the core concept, mostly.
And now for more fun science about Einstein’s Light.
Anyone who knows cornbread has probably had Jiffy brand Cornbread Muffin Mix. It is a staple for a corn casserole.
They named it that way, I bet, because it means you can have your mix fixed quickly. In a jiffy.
But, when we say in a “jiffy,” we are referring to an actual unit of measurement. For the record, a “jiffy” is the time it takes light to travel one centimeter in a vacuum. Imagine making that measurement.
This works out to approximately 33.3564 picoseconds. And, if you were wondering, a picosecond is one trillionth of a second. Holy heck.
That was light in a vacuum. But what about light in the deep dark depths of the ocean? I hope you’ve seen Finding Nemo, the movie. In it, we will all remember the scene when the Angler Fish hypnotizes Dory with its “dangling little lightbulb” — in truth, a bioluminescent light.
But wait! There’s more! There is also the less-known “Stoplight Loosejaw Fish.” A lot of fish can not see red light. So this Loosejaw fish has a little red-light flashlight attached to its head. It shines that red light around in the darkest of water so that it can see its prey, but they can’t see Loosejaw. Gotcha.
Speaking of seeing the light.
How about colored light? Here is one I think we need in the United States.
In countries such as Japan and Scotland, the streetlights switch to blue at night. As a result of this switch, those countries have experienced lower crime rates and fewer suicides. This offers proof of the theory that blue light has a calming effect on human beings.
Finally, you look marvelous. In fact, you’re glowing.
Oh, but it is true. Human beings glow. We are bioluminescent. It is sort of like jellyfish and fireflies. However, the light we humans emit is too weak for our eyes to detect.
And this is the science I speak of when I say we humans cannot perceive it all. We have a long way to go to understand the facets of our Universe. You never know. There might be someone standing right next to you.
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There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
— Edith Wharton
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Shadow owes its birth to light.
— John Gay
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Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.
— Buddha
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The Light. Like Albert said.
