Sunday, December 25, 2011

Transcending the Five Percent Normal


"Well, now that we have seen each other," said the Unicorn, if you believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?" -Lewis Carroll

According to a stelliferous NASA article, the recipe for the universe is 70% dark energy, 25% dark matter, and 5% normal matter. My little sister calls normal matter "bright matter" because of its visibility, and I rather like her label for the tangible: mica-encrusted dirt and deep moss, macromolecules in sea foam and trees reaching fingers for the solar glow of stars. But I also love the dark--the spaces humans are still learning to measure, to feel out and embrace with ever widening parameters of imagination and inquiry. I will never be satisfied to live in just five percent of the universe when 95% still waits for exploration and ink.

P.S. Merry Christmas, bright matter citizens!