A bridge, you say? Then we can cross to other galaxies! Our overpopulation problems are solved!
On a more serious note, I wonder how much this would increase our ability to cross the gulfs. Assuming we could eventually build machines that can endure for hundreds of thousands of years, would the presence of a gas bridge would make ramscoops a more viable intergalactic option?
The Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy is only 25,000 ly from Earth. Assuming constant acceleration, and sufficient technology to protect and keep things running for all that time - no mean feat - reaching a substantial percentage of light should make that reachable within a hundred or so thousand light years, even with a flip and slow-down halfway.
Seque 1 is only 75k ly.
Andromeda is much farther; I didn't catch it in the article, but I got the impression the strands were identified between the more local clusters.
And then they used the word "could" which made it all meaningless blather and conjecture. Science for likes and clicks, who needs a fuckin' hypothesis, amirite?
Well, it's not a simple page with science journalism, it's the official page of the European Space Agency (ESA), not TikToc or YouTube. It's certainly a hypothesis, but for sure it's not something that cannot be taken seriously.
True, however it makes logical sense. Gasses, having the least amount of and being least affected by gravity, it would naturally exist on the fringes and not get pulled into the forming galaxies as easily.
It's a theory that only makes logical sense without these observations. It would be far more surprising were we to find evidence to the contrary.
16 Comments
BradleyUffner@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 1y
Based purely on the thumbnail image alone I'm going to assume it was located in the "Cocknballs Nebula".
Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee · 12 pts · 1y
Can't believe astronomers missed the shaft
otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 1y
"Gotta honor the cock." —D20
sxan@midwest.social · 8 pts · 1y
A bridge, you say? Then we can cross to other galaxies! Our overpopulation problems are solved!
On a more serious note, I wonder how much this would increase our ability to cross the gulfs. Assuming we could eventually build machines that can endure for hundreds of thousands of years, would the presence of a gas bridge would make ramscoops a more viable intergalactic option?
regedit@feddit.online · 10 pts · 1y
Stuff lasting that long? Capitalism will never allow it!
Don_alForno@feddit.org · 2 pts · 1y
"This is Joe from Amazon Hyperdrives, I'm calling about your centennial warranty renewal."
regedit@feddit.online · 2 pts · 1y
myrrh@ttrpg.network · 1 pts · 1y
sxan@midwest.social · 2 pts · 1y
The Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy is only 25,000 ly from Earth. Assuming constant acceleration, and sufficient technology to protect and keep things running for all that time - no mean feat - reaching a substantial percentage of light should make that reachable within a hundred or so thousand light years, even with a flip and slow-down halfway.
Seque 1 is only 75k ly.
Andromeda is much farther; I didn't catch it in the article, but I got the impression the strands were identified between the more local clusters.
myrrh@ttrpg.network · 2 pts · 1y
sxan@midwest.social · 1 pts · 1y
Well, there go my vacation plans.
calcifer777@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 1y
Wouldn't the ship itself perceive a lot less of that time compared to an external point of reference?
myrrh@ttrpg.network · 1 pts · 1y
melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 1y
And then they used the word "could" which made it all meaningless blather and conjecture. Science for likes and clicks, who needs a fuckin' hypothesis, amirite?
HumanPenguin@feddit.uk · 11 pts · 1y
everyone. Its how theories are formed,
but yes science journalism is shitty and intentionally fails,0 to indicate the difference between an idea, hypothesis and theory. Just to gain clicks.
Zerush@lemmy.ml · 8 pts · 1y
Well, it's not a simple page with science journalism, it's the official page of the European Space Agency (ESA), not TikToc or YouTube. It's certainly a hypothesis, but for sure it's not something that cannot be taken seriously.
systemglitch@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
True, however it makes logical sense. Gasses, having the least amount of and being least affected by gravity, it would naturally exist on the fringes and not get pulled into the forming galaxies as easily.
It's a theory that only makes logical sense without these observations. It would be far more surprising were we to find evidence to the contrary.
ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 1y
Between the couch cushions again
Zenith@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y
It’s like when we discovered the lymphatic system in the body, basically invisible while being critically important