The universe is full of mysteries and inexplicable phenomena. Its sheer size is already a mystery in itself. And, in the end, no one knows what the Universe is. In this review, we have collected the most incredible mysteries that still haunt scientists today.
1. How old is the universe
At the dawn of the 21st century, despite all the inventions and scientific and technological progress, the age of the universe remains a mystery. According to the latest estimates of experts, the age of the universe is 13.8 billion years.
2. How galaxies form
There are so many discussions about how galaxies formed, but no one really knows for sure. Scientists do not know what happened after the Big Bang: small particles began to slowly combine and gradually form stars, star clusters and galaxies, or whether the Universe was originally a structure in the form of clumps of matter, which later split into galaxies.
3. Rectangular Galaxy
It's called the "emerald-shaped galaxy" and was recently discovered by an international team of astronomers from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. The gem-shaped galaxy was discovered using the Subaru telescope by Japanese astrophysicist Lee Spitler. The unusual shape is thought to be the result of a collision between two galaxies.
4. The universe before the Big Bang
Did anything exist before the Big Bang? This is something that people will probably never know.
5. How life appeared on Earth
Scientists know that the Earth was devoid of life when the solar system formed. However, whether the first forms of life arose on Earth or elsewhere is a huge mystery that is the subject of serious scientific debate. Previously, scientists believed that all life could have arisen spontaneously, but some scientists believe that complex organic molecules could have originated in space and were brought to Earth by comets or meteorites.
6. Dark matter
No one knows exactly what dark matter is, which is supposedly 22% in the universe. Because it (presumably) does not emit or interact with electromagnetic radiation, direct observation of dark matter is impossible. The conclusion about its existence was made on the basis of the behavior of astronomical objects and gravitational effects.
7. How big is the universe
Everyone knows that the universe is huge. Although the size of the observable universe is about 13.8 billion years, the distance to the edge of the observable universe is about 46 billion light years. This is because the universe is constantly expanding and constantly getting bigger all the time the light was coming towards the earth.
8. Black holes
The concept of black holes goes back to the 1780s, when John Michell and Laplace proposed the existence of "dark stars" whose gravity was so strong that it attracted even light radiation. However, people still don't know much about black holes. For example, in 2014, scientists discovered galaxies with three supermassive black holes in the center (and it was previously assumed that there could be only 1 black hole in the center of the galaxy).
9. Gamma-ray bursts
One of the biggest mysteries of astronomy over the past three decades has been the nature of gamma-ray bursts (the most powerful bursts of energy in the universe). Scientists can detect them and observe them, but they still have no idea why they appear randomly and why they happen at all.
10. Dark energy
According to the most commonly accepted theory, dark energy should act in opposition to gravity. It is she who makes up approximately 68% of the universe and causes its expansion. In all other respects, what it is is a complete mystery.
11. Was there a Big Bang
Our universe, according to Einstein's theory, is about 13.8 billion years old and was formed from an infinitesimal point during the Big Bang. Although most scientists today accept this model, the scientific community still cannot explain what happened at this small point before the explosion and why it happened.
12. Are people alone in the universe?
This is another great mystery that many thinkers and scientists have tried to solve throughout the history of human civilization, but so far they have not found an answer to it. It's also a question of whether people will even be able to realize a completely different life - after all, maybe right now a different type of life is watching people, and they don't even understand it.13. The origin of life
This is without a doubt one of the oldest questions and the biggest mystery in human history. Although there are theories out there that try to explain this with complex chemical reactions, in reality, scientists do not have a clear, unambiguous explanation for life.
14. Is everything around true
Since people began to think analytically, this question has been lurking somewhere in the subconscious. And it consists in the following: is what people see what it really is.
15. What is gravity really
Gravity played a big role in creating the universe as it is today. Thanks to gravity, pieces of matter “stuck together” into planets, moons and stars. Because of gravity, when a person drops something, the object falls down instead of up. But what kind of power it really is is unknown. Although scientists can observe and understand how gravity "behaves", they have no idea why it exists. For example, if gravity is the force that causes all matter to be attracted to all others, why inside atoms are mostly empty space.
And in continuation of the unearthly theme - incredible.
Energyland: Poems for children on energy security, riddles, tests.
Guys!
This material will introduce you to the rules of safe handling of electricity in a fun way. Remember them, and electricity will become your reliable friend and assistant.
Signor Plugselion
Energyland + Igrolandia.
In the country of Energyland -
A wondrous light shines
In the country of Energyland -
What is not here!
Electrical appliances
There are no useful ones here.
Lamps, soldering irons,
Ovens, chandeliers, kettles
Seen everywhere here.
Also TVs
Fireplaces, hair dryers, mixers,
Garlands, refrigerators,
Floor lamps, boilers,
Computers and toasters -
All in all, in short, enough here ...
Country Energyland –
It is so comfortable to live in it!
But life is more comfortable
For those who know the rules
And who's ready with the laws
Be friends with this country!
And who about these rules
Knows nothing
To remind politely
The most famous connoisseur about them -
Signor Plugselion!
Don't go near this wire!
There are many big troubles in it!
I saw the wire - tell others,
Let the adults know about this!
If next to a broken wire
It turned out yourself, remember then:
Goose step should go to the side,
So that trouble does not happen to you.
Guys! Do none of you know that it is forbidden to play here, in the security zone?!
You are deeply mistaken, girl! This tree will not save you - A powerful electric strike of lightning, Know: it hits a lonely tree!
Guys, remember: it is dangerous to turn on electrical appliances in the bathroom! Otherwise, from the current, not only health, A young life can be lost in an instant!
Remember: forgetting about the included iron, You can suddenly lose your home and everything!
Stop, baby! Stop! Your life is at stake! In addition to the plug, nothing must be inserted into the socket! Even a five-year-old boy should know this for sure!
Stop! Above the roof of the wire! Current flows through them all the time! And therefore, you, my friend, learn the following law: Neither with hedgehogs, nor with friends Do not strive to get there!
Guys! Get away from the tree! Dangerous in the branches of the wire! And if, besides, damp weather - They are twice as terrible then!
This Alla, young friend, do not imitate! Otherwise, trouble awaits you - a fire!
Not! Don't touch this wire! Do not touch with your little finger - let alone with your hand! The current does not forgive mistakes and stupidities. A second - and everything will turn into trouble! Sparking wire is deadly - This must never be forgotten! And in order to avoid trouble, you need to immediately call adults for help.
The arrow is drawn here for a reason - After all, this, my friend, is a transformer! Killer power lurks in it current! You don't have to get close to him!
Children! Remember the main rule: Whether with a stick, a branch, a pole - never Do not touch the electric wire - Big trouble can happen!
For those who go fishing, guys, You need to remember the most important rule: If you see a power line if it is near the river, Try to find another place, And lower the fishing rod when you pass where the wires are visible. The fisherman must remember this and know, Otherwise, he cannot avoid trouble!
He runs on wires
Light brings us to the apartment.
For devices to work:
refrigerator, monitors,
coffee grinder, vacuum cleaner,
He brought energy.
(Electricity)
High white cabinet in the kitchen
Cool food boldly
Will make ice floes in no time -
These are kids, - …
(Fridge)
You see, the cheerful steam curls,
The tea is boiling, the cake is baking:
Puffed up for a reason
Our electro...
(Electric stove)
Here are the sheets being ironed by my mother:
Who is scurrying stubbornly?
Above the board - hot south!
Well, what is it?..
(Iron)
Not a bowl for jam
Not a flower bud on a branch -
This thing is without a doubt
It's called...
(Socket)
What do your appliances eat:
Hairdryer, washing machine?
Electricity is not porridge
But of course they eat...
(Fork)
The house is a glass bubble
And lives in it - a light!
During the day he sleeps, but when he wakes up,
It will ignite with a bright flame.
(Bulb)
What a miracle, what a box?
Himself a singer and himself a storyteller,
And besides, at the same time
Shows movies.
(Television)
He willingly swallows the dust,
Not sick, not sneezing.
(A vacuum cleaner)
Night. But if I want
Click once -
And turn on the day.
(Switch)
Very strict supervisor
Staring from the wall
Looks, does not blink:
All you have to do is turn on the light
Or plug in the stove -
Everything is spinning.
(electric meter)
I run along the paths
I can't do it without a path.
Where am I, guys, no,
Lights won't come on in the house.
(Electricity)
To distant villages, cities
Who is on the wire?
Bright Majesty!
It...
(Electricity)
How well do you know electrical safety rules? To find out, I suggest you answer the following questions. Some questions may have more than one correct answer.
Test "Electricity on the street".
1. I know what the sign “Caution: electrical voltage!” looks like. It:
1) yellow triangle with black lightning;
2) white square with black lightning;
3) a red circle with a white rectangle inside.
Answer: 1.
2. If your friend invites you to climb into the territory of a substation or power lines, play next to a transformer, then you ...
1) I won’t go myself and I’ll try to dissuade him;
2) categorically refuse: it is dangerous;
3) let's go together, we're friends
Answer: 1.2.
3. Is it possible to lean or lean against a power line pole, for example, a bicycle, to climb onto the pole?
1) absolutely not, it can be very life-threatening;
2) yes, nothing terrible will happen;
3) I don't know, haven't tried it.
Answer: 1.
4. What should you do if you see a broken wire lying on the ground, hanging on a power line pole or on a tree?
1) fold the wire with a stick;
2) move away from him far, far away with a goose step;
3) do not approach, inform adults or call power engineers by phone 8-800-50-50-115.
Answer: 2.3.
5. Is it possible to fly a kite near power lines and throw objects on the wires?
1) yes, you can, but what is it?
2) it is possible, but only so that adults do not see;
3) is strictly prohibited, it is deadly to life.
Answer: 3.
6. If you decide to go fishing with your friends, which place should NOT be chosen for fishing?
1) a place under the wires of power lines;
2) a place where nothing was caught last time;
3) a place where there are no fishermen nearby.
Answer: 1.
7. Is it safe to climb tall trees near which power lines pass?
1) no, it is very painful to fall from a tall tree;
2) yes, whether the wires pass or not - it does not matter;
3) climbing such trees is very dangerous, because you can get an electric shock.
Answer: 3.
8. You go fishing with a fishing rod on your shoulder and pass under the power lines. What will you do?
1) Raise the fishing rod higher, after checking whether it reaches the wires;
2) you won’t change anything: as the fishing rod lay on your shoulder, so let it lie;
3) lower the rod parallel to the ground so that it does not touch the wires.
Answer: 3.
9. A man was walking down the street and fell next to the wire. What will you do?
1) pass by;
2) run up, help to get up;
3) I will remove the wire with a stick and help you up; 4) call an ambulance and call adults.
Answer: 4.
Home electricity test.
1. If the device is broken, you need to:
1) wait for the parents;
2) repair it yourself.
Answer: 1.
2. Electrical appliances are dangerous to use ...
1) in the kitchen;
2) in the bathroom;
3) in the living room.
Answer: 2.
3. Is it possible to touch electrical appliances, wires, plugs, sockets with wet hands?
1) it is possible, at the same time the dust will be wiped off;
2) you can, what's the difference with which hands to touch?
3) You can't, it's very dangerous.
Answer: 3.
4. When you have finished using an electrical appliance, how do you disconnect it from the mains?
1) sharply pulling the wire with your hands, you don’t have to stand on ceremony with the technique;
2) holding the socket, carefully remove the plug of the appliance;
3) grabbing metal scissors, you begin to pick the plug in the socket with them so that it does not get stuck.
Answer: 2.
5. A thunderstorm caught you at home. How will you do it?
1) turn off electrical appliances from the network, close doors and windows;
2) open doors and windows wide open: let fresh air enter the house;
3) walking in a thunderstorm is scary, turn on the TV.
Answer: 1.
6. What protects against electricity?
1) water;
2) rubber;
3) dry tree;
4) metal.
Answer: 2.3.
7. A person has grabbed a wire and is shaking. What will you do?
1) a person indulges, I will pass by;
2) a person is shocked, I will try to pull him away;
3) a person is shocked, I will not touch anything, I will call adults.
Answer: 3.
8. The light went out in the apartment. What NOT to do?
1) call the emergency service;
2) light a flashlight or a candle;
3) turn on electrical appliances;
4) open the electrical panel, trying to independently figure out what is the reason for the shutdown.
Answer: 4.
Did you know, for example, that if Saturn is placed in a bath of water, it will float, that a day on Venus lasts longer than a year, and that the Moon moves away from the Earth by 3.8 centimeters every year. There are more than 8,000 pieces of space debris flying in Earth's orbit, and there is a diamond floating in the Galaxy, the size of which exceeds the size of the Earth. Astronauts say space smells like fried steak, hot metal and welding smoke, while scientists say the Galaxy tastes like raspberries and smells like rum. Sometimes scientists manage to solve these riddles, and sometimes you have to struggle for answers for many years and not find them. Perhaps because some mysteries must remain? So, "Ytro.ru" presents the ten most interesting mysteries of the universe
1. The Big Bang Theory
Scientists are sure that the cosmos was formed after the so-called Big Bang, before which nothing existed - neither time, nor matter, nor light. And then an inexplicable expansion of energy (an explosion) happened, and the greatest mystery was formed - the Universe. Moreover, the explosion occurred in a matter of seconds, after which the Universe, which at first was a fireball, began to grow rapidly and cool down. And by the way, the Big Bang is not like fireworks at all, it was rather a very rapid expansion of space.
2. We are waiting for the Big Freeze
Since the Universe came into being as a result of an explosion, the most likely demise for it is the Big Freeze, scientists believe. And it will happen as a result of the fact that due to the constant movement and expansion of many galaxies, the Universe will eventually lose heat, that is, useful energy.
Approximate age of the universe - 13.7 billion years
3. The universe is 13.7 billion years old
In fact, 13.7 billion is not an exact figure, but the closest to the truth. That is what the WMAP team calls, which has collected all the necessary information for a rough estimate of the age of the Universe. And this information is based on measurements of relic radiation and changes in the content of some radioactive nuclei. Observations made on globular clusters that contain old stars also point to values close to this, 13.7 billion years.
4. Black holes
This is perhaps the most terrible and strange phenomenon in the universe. Black holes lurk in the cores of galaxies, devouring millions and billions of stars, and they are so heavy that they warp space and time. By the way, the Sun will never become a black hole, scientists say, since this requires a mass that is 10 to 15 times greater than the sun's. And in order for a black hole to swallow, for example, the Earth, one must still try to get closer to it.
5 Shooting Stars
Surely you have seen a shooting star at least once in your life and even made a wish. So, in fact, these are not stars, but meteorites that burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. But the good news is that shooting stars also exist. One in a hundred million. And scientists discovered the first of the "shooting stars" not so long ago - in 2005. It moved through the Galaxy at a breakneck speed of about 900 km/s, ten times the normal speed. On the other hand, approximately 275 million new stars are born in the universe every day.
About 275 million new stars are born in the universe every day.
6. Dark matter
What we call "dark matter" makes up about 23% of the universe and is invisible to the human eye. This is a hypothetical form of matter that does not have electromagnetic radiation and is not consistent with it. Therefore, most of the matter in the universe is invisible. And everything visible - planets, stars, comets, asteroids, dust, gas and particles - is only 4% of the Universe. Scientists have been feverishly trying to see "dark matter" with their instruments for many years, but so far they have not succeeded.
7. Dark energy
And then there is "dark energy". In the Universe, it occupies 73%, penetrates space and removes galaxies from each other at super speeds. The pace of this growth is so great that one day, according to British scientists, it will lead to the Great Schism. That is, the force of "dark energy" will overcome gravity and a chain reaction will begin: it will separate the stars from the planets, then the forces that hold the particles together, then the molecules of these particles, and, finally, the atom and subatomic particles. This is where the big split happens. But we probably won't live to see it.
8. Planets
We live on Earth and at least roughly imagine how everything happens here, but the rest of the planets of the solar system, and, especially, outside it, still remain the biggest mystery to humans. For example, scientists cannot yet explain how rocky planets once formed from gas and dust. And they discovered the first planet outside the solar system only in 1999. Then, in 2008, they discovered the first exoplanet completely covered in burning ice, located at a distance of 33 light-years from Earth. At the moment, the existence of 1849 exoplanets in 1160 planetary systems has been reliably confirmed, of which 471 have more than one planet.
The first planet outside the solar system was discovered in 1999
9. Gravity
Gravity is the interaction between all material bodies on Earth and in the Universe. Its power makes the stars burn and the planets are next to each other, because it is gravity that forms the orbits. However, the source of gravity outside of matter still remains an absolute mystery to scientists. Although some of them believe that very small particles called "gravitons" are responsible for gravity, they wonder if they can be detected.
10 Parallel Universes
Every minute and even every second, our Universe is divided into many entities, each of which continues its development, quantum physicists are sure. But none of them can say for sure whether the Multiverse actually exists.
- the area of human activity aimed at the development and systematization of objective knowledge about reality.It would seem that there are no unresolved issues left for humanity, but despite the latest discoveries in various fields of science, scientists are still trying to find answers to many questions.
Our review contains ten, still unsolved, mysteries of science.
Secrets of science
1. Why is there more matter than antimatter
According to the current understanding of particle physics, matter and antimatter are identical but opposite. When they meet, they completely destroy each other and release a large amount of energy. Most of these annihilations must have happened when the universe was just beginning. Nevertheless, there is enough matter left in it to create billions of galaxies, stars, planets and everything else.
Most of the discussion takes place around B mesons, subatomic particles with a short half-life that are made up of a quark and an antiquark. The decay of B-mesons is slower than the decay of anti-B-mesons, due to which there could be enough B-mesons to form everything in the Universe. In addition, B-, D-, and K-mesons can vibrate and become antiparticles and back as compound particles. According to one hypothesis, mesons, in all likelihood, take on a normal state, which is quite possible, since there are still more ordinary particles than antiparticles.
2. Where did all the lithium go?
At the beginning of the birth of the universe, when the temperature was incredibly high, the isotopes of helium, hydrogen and lithium were synthesized in huge quantities. Even now, the proportion of hydrogen and helium in the Universe is very high, but the lithium-7 isotope has been found only about a third of the level predicted by the simulations. There are many different explanations for why this happened, including hypothetical bosons known as axions. They are also thought to have ended up in the core of stars that our current telescopes and instruments cannot detect. But there is no clear theory why this happened yet.
3. Why do we sleep
Although we know that the circadian rhythms (biological clock) are responsible for wakefulness and sleep, the essence of this phenomenon is not yet known to us. Human sleep consists of several 90-minute cycles of brain activity. Each of these cycles consists of a gradual, slow descent into deeper sleep, and then an abrupt transition into the dream phase - the so-called REM or REM sleep. At the end of REM sleep, the cycle either ends and we wake up, or a new cycle begins. The structure of the human brain is such that in the first half of the night, deep slow-wave sleep prevails, and by morning the fast phase of sleep intensifies.
Apart from warm-blooded animals (mammals and birds), none of the living creatures have these forms of sleep. In cold-blooded vertebrates and invertebrates, the sleep period is monotonous. However, according to a number of features, the form of sleep with different phases is very ancient. Most likely, this form of sleep provides some kind of advantage for survival, since it has become fixed in the course of evolution. But what this advantage lies in is still completely unclear.
4. What is gravity
We all know that the moon's gravity causes the tides to ebb and flow, the earth's gravity keeps us on the earth's surface, the sun's gravity keeps our planet in orbit, but how well do we understand this? Gravity affects the fact that large objects have the ability to attract smaller ones to themselves. But why does gravity exist? Why are there so many empty spaces in atoms? Why is the force that holds the constituent parts of an atom together different from gravity? Are there particles of gravity? We cannot answer these questions at the present level of development of science.
5. Are we alone in the universe
The size of the universe we see is 92 billion light years, filled with billions of galaxies with stars and planets. But the only proof of life is here, on planet Earth. The likelihood that we are the only form of life in the universe is incredibly small, but why have we not contacted anyone until now? This is called the Fermi paradox. Many suggestions have been put forward why this did not happen, and many of them seem quite plausible.
There are many scenarios, maybe we just do not notice the signals, maybe they have been here for a long time, but we do not know about it, maybe they do not want to communicate with us. Or, in the most frustrating scenario, Earth is indeed the only habitable planet in the universe.
6. What is dark matter made of
About 80% of the matter in the universe is made up of dark matter. Dark matter is a rather strange thing because it doesn't emit any light. Although for the first time about its existence they started talking about 60 years ago, so far there is not a single piece of evidence confirming this theory.
The most natural assumption seems to be that dark matter consists of ordinary, baryonic matter, which for some reason interacts weakly in an electromagnetic way and therefore is not detected in the study, for example, of emission and absorption lines. There are other candidates for the composition of dark matter - these are axions, neutrinos and supersymmetric particles. But talking about significant candidates can be based on some facts obtained on the basis of observations, but there are no such facts.
How life originated
7. Where are we from
Where did life on earth come from? How did it happen? Proponents of the "primordial soup" theory believe that at the dawn of its development, our fertile planet itself formed more and more complex molecules, which subsequently gave rise to life. This could happen in the depths of the ocean, under layers of ice and in the craters of volcanoes. Although DNA is the predominant basis of life on Earth now, it has been suggested that RNA may have dominated the first forms of life.
In addition, the question arises whether there were other nucleic acids than RNA or DNA. Did life arise only once, or did it once originate, then be destroyed, and then arise again? Some believe in pansermia, the hypothesis that life was brought to Earth by meteorites or comets in the form of microbes.
8. How plate tectonics happens
It may seem surprising, but the theory of plate tectonics, which move continents and cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and even mountains, has become widely known not so long ago. Although the first hypothesis that all continents could once be a single whole was put forward as early as 1500, this idea did not become widespread until the 1960s, when the theory of ocean floor spreading, based on physical evidence, appeared, according to which blocks of the lithosphere of the oceanic crust move apart and the released space is filled with magma generated in the Earth's mantle. The mystery, however, lies in what exactly causes these plates to move.
9. How animals migrate
Many animals and insects migrate throughout the year, trying to escape seasonal temperature changes and the disappearance of vital food resources, or in search of a mate. Some overcome thousands of kilometers for this and then easily find their way back. Different animals use different ways of navigating, including those that take advantage of the Earth's magnetic field and internal compass. However, scientists still cannot understand the whole mechanism of these abilities, how animals know exactly where to go year after year.
