“Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics.
You are all stardust.
You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded. Because the elements, the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars. And the only way they could get into your body is if the stars were kind enough to explode.
So forget Jesus. The stars died so you could be here today.”
– Lawrence Krauss
love this…such a great wonderful way to explain things. thanks for sharing!
pixie dust, after all!
LOVE this about physics too. Its so fundamental and mind-blowing at the same time.
To attribute the majesty of the universe to some conscious, judging being is absolutely absurd when you *really* think about it. And arrogant too – what do we puny humans matter??
This is beautiful. Thank you for posting this. I needed the boost today
Thank you for that, so much.
Yes. This.
OMG, this is beautiful. It brings tears to my eyes.
Beautiful post, thank you!
That I feel such a spiritual connection to the Universe makes even more sense now.
Yep – who needs religion when we have physics.
Well, being stardust is a sort of romantic explanation. But I never forgot how my 9th Grade Science teacher explained to the class what took place bringing us all to this place between when the stars exploded until now.
Long, long ago the stars exploded. A carbon atom fell to earth and a tree’s root system picked that carbon atom up. Then a great big brontosaurus came along and ate some leaves from the top of that tree.
Then the dinosaur took a dump.
Then the pile of dinosaur shit got recycled. So please remember to recycle.
This might be the best thing I’ve read all weekend. I might write this down.
Well JK: that explains everything.
Yes, yes, I like this thought. Very much- thanks.
hey why isn’t “nuclear physics” or “science” a tag in this post? (the rant of a physicist here!) Us physicists get to be called boring all the time, when the truth is nothing can get the heart pumping with excitement like the sudden realization that you understand a deep truth about the universe and our own existence. And this is what we try to unveil every day with hard work. So give good science some credit 😉 It can be just as beautiful and sublime as art in my humble opinion.
We are all start stuff and will return to being star stuff.
Beautifully written, and thank you for posting.
Cat, you’re right – hats off to good science!
Have heard (read) this before and believe it to be stunning in its beauty and simplicity.
this is wonderful, I’m reblogging it on my tumblr if you don’t mind x
Ironically, the complexity of physics is almost divine..
hey! i wrote a (bad) poem for english class with this exact thesis. the more you learn about astronomy, physics and life/evolution, the less you can wrap your head around how we are here now contemplating these things with our fucking amazing brains… just passing it off saying “god did it” is so mundane.
beautiful beautiful beautiful – the only words I can manage for now!
I love Physics, always have. But the guy having to put the stab at Jesus at the end seems really petty. Are their stupid politicians using religion to get votes? Why Yes! But I don’t blame the religious, I blame the politicians.
stardust. I’ll go print it on a t-shirt
Jesus died for us, that’s a scientific fact that can’t be debated by all the demonic witchcraft you want to throw at it. Just kidding. I love this, it’s so comforting to me. It makes me feel a little more important and connected in this world.