Chaos and Cosmos
The sidereal
empire of divine
universes
glimmers
infinitely and
majestically in
an indescribable
profusion of
lights, colors
and sounds.
Countless
multitudes of
nebulae and
galaxies move
dizzily through
endless spaces.
They carry
innumerable
agglomerations
of billions of
dwarf or giants,
new or pulsed,
white, yellow,
blue and red
stars with their
planets and
satellites,
comets and
meteors, in a
symphony of
beauty that
surpasses all
our powers of
imagination.
Everything moves
and agitates in
unimaginable
ways, in
harmonious or
turbulent
abysses and
explosions, in
transformations
and rebirths, in
an unstoppable
frenzy where
everything is
balanced under
the invisible
command of the
supreme order
that presides to
everything: the
Spirit of God.
From the Greek,
cosmos or
cosmoses mean
order,
organization,
beauty and
harmony. It is a
term that
designates the
universe in its
totality, the
universal
structure, from
the infinitely
small or
microcosm to the
infinitely large
or macrocosm.
The cosmos is
the whole, the
sum of all
things in the
orderly
universe, from
the stars and
the colossal
galaxies, to the
group of
elementary,
subatomic
particles that
form the matter
that constitutes
all its integral
parts.
Human beings
have sought,
passionately, to
understand the
origin of the
universe
throughout the
entire course of
history. Maybe
no other quest
can transcend
the passage of
time and
cultural
differentiation
and inspire
human
imagination,
those of our
ancestors as
much as
researchers of
modern
cosmology. There
is a collective,
permanent and
profound anxiety
in searching for
an explanation
for the fact
that the
universe exists,
for the reasons
for the form we
know it to have,
for the logic
and the
principle that
powers its
evolution. It is
fabulous that,
for the first
time, humanity
is at a point
that an outline
starts to
appear, one that
can supply
scientific
answers to some
of these
questions.
The scientific
theory for the
creation of the
cosmos accepted
today declares
that the
universe
underwent the
most
extraordinary
conditions
during its first
moments –
enormous energy,
temperature and
density. These
conditions, as
we know today,
require us to
consider quantum
mechanics as
well as gravity.
This is the
reason that the
origin of the
universe is a
profound field
of study where
new theories and
concepts are
formed in the
horizon of
knowledge.
Before electrons
were captured,
the universe was
inundated by
dense plasma of
electrically
charged
particles
Only 10-43
seconds after
the Big-Bang,
the temperature
of the universe,
the so called
Planck time, was
about 1032 °K
(Kelvin
degrees), which
is ten trillions
of trillion
times hotter
than the deepest
point in the
sun’s interior.
The universe
started to
expand and cool
quickly, and as
it did that, the
homogenously and
torridly hot
primordial
cosmic plasma
started to form
whirls and
concentrations.
Approximately a
hundredth
thousandth of
second after the
Big-Bang, hot
things started
to cool down
enough
(something like
10 trillion
Kelvin degrees –
1 million times
hotter that the
sun’s interior)
so that quarks
could be
organized in
groups of three
forming protons
and neutrons.
Approximately a
hundredth
thousandth
seconds later
the conditions
were ready for
the nucleus of
the lighter
elements in the
periodic table
to start to take
form, beginning
with the
original plasma.
In the 3 minutes
that followed,
when the
universe had
cooled to a
temperature of 1
billion degrees,
the predominant
nucleus was of
hydrogen and
helium, with
residual traces
of deuterium,
the so called
heavy hydrogen
and lithium.
This was the
period of
primordial
nucleus
synthesis.
Nothing special
happened during
the first
hundreds of
thousands of
years that
followed,
besides the
continuation of
the expansion
and cooling. But
when temperature
fell a few
thousands
degrees, the
speed of
electrons which
moved in a
disordered
frenzy was
reduced enough
for the atomic
nucleus,
specially the
hydrogen and
helium ones, to
captured them,
thus forming the
first
electrically
neutral atoms.
This was a
crucial moment:
from this point
on the universe,
as a whole,
became
transparent.
Before electrons
were captured,
the universe was
inundated by
dense plasma of
electrically
charged
particles – some
as the nucleus,
with positive
electrical
charge, others,
as electrons,
with negative
electrical
charge. Photons
that interact
only with
electrically
charged objects
were thrown
about
incessantly from
one side to the
other in the
dense ocean of
ionized
particles. They
were practically
unable to travel
the distance to
be deviated or
absorbed. This
thick cloud of
ionized
particles
impeded the free
movement of the
photons; this is
what made the
universe almost
totally opaque,
just like the
air we know, a
very dense fog
or a vigorous
snow storm. But
when electrons
with a positive
electrical
charge went into
orbit around the
nucleus, with
positive
electrical
charge and
produced
electrically
neutral atoms,
the fog
disappeared. We
can surmise that
from then on, a
long period of
millions of
years of real
chaos or
disorder
characterized
the evolutions
of the universe.
From this point
on, in a dynamic
universal
inflection, the
path to
progressive
order of the
Cosmos was
definitely open.
From that point
on, the photons
that were
created with the
Big Band
traveled freely
and the entire
extension of the
universe became
visible.
One way to
measure the
profundity of a
theory is to
verify the
degree that it
challenges our
vision of a
world
Approximately
one billion
years later,
after what many
physicists and
cosmologists
believe to be
the beginning of
the formation of
the universe –
the Big Bang –
when the
universe was
already
substantially
calmer, the
galaxies, stars
and lastly the
planets started
to appear as
agglomerations
of primordial
elements, united
by gravity.
Today, about 14
billion years
after the
colossal
episode, we
marvel at the
magnificence of
the Cosmos and
our collective
ability to
gather knowledge
in a reasonable
and
experimentally
stable theory
about the origin
of the universe.
Although we are
physically and
spiritually
connected to
earth and its
surroundings in
the solar
system, our
power of thought
and
experimentation
allow us to
probe the
profundity of
the interior and
exterior space.
The collective
effort of many
physicists,
especially
during the last
100 years,
revealed a few
of nature’s best
kept secrets.
And, once these
inexplicable
jewels were
revealed they
opened new
insights into a
world we thought
we knew, but
whose splendor
we do not even
come to close to
imagining. One
way to measure
the profundity
of a physic
theory is to
verify the
degree that it
challenges our
vision of a
world that
seemed immutable
before.
From this
viewpoint,
quantum
mechanics and
the theory of
relativity were
well beyond our
most daring
expectations:
wave functions,
probabilities,
quantum
tunneling,
incessant
fluctuations,
tumults of
energy in a
vacuum, the
intertwining of
space and time,
the relative
nature of
simultaneity,
the curvature of
the fabric of
space-time,
black holes and
the Big Bang.
Who would have
thought that
Newton’s
mechanic and
precise
intuitive
perspective
would become
almost shy –
that there would
be a new and
extraordinary
world a little
lower than the
things we see
every day.
Even the
discoveries that
shake our
paradigms are
only part of a
bigger story one
that encompasses
everything. The
laws of what is
small and of
what is large
must be in
harmony with
each other in a
coherent unit,
thus with
unshakeable
faith,
physicists
continue in
their incessant
struggle to find
a definite
theory. The
search has not
ended the string
theory and its
evolution, in
terms of the M
theory, already
created a
convincing
scheme for the
fusion of
quantum
mechanics,
general
relativity and
strong and weak
electromagnetic
forces.
The search for
the fundamental
laws of the
universe is an
eminently human
drama, one that
expands our
vision
The challenges
that these
advances present
to our way of
thinking are
monumental:
string loops and
oscillating
globules unite
all creation in
vibratory
patterns that
are meticulously
executed in a
universe with
several ‘hidden’
dimensions,
capable of
undergoing
extreme
contortions, as
its special
fabric breaks
and is repaired.
Who would have
imagined that
the joining of
gravity and
quantum
mechanics in a
unified theory
of all matter
and all forces
would provoke
such a
revolution in
our
understanding of
how the universe
works?
Undoubtedly, we
will find even
bigger surprises
as we advance in
our quest to
understand our
cosmic reality.
We may glimpse
at a strange
kingdom,
underneath
Planck’s
distance, - a
scale under
which quantum
fluctuations of
the fabric of
space-time
become enormous,
possibly where
notions of space
and time do not
exist. In the
extreme
opposite, our
universe may be
simply one among
innumerable
bubbles spread
on the surface
of a vast and
turbulent cosmic
ocean called
multiverse.
These ideas are
at the forefront
of current
speculations and
presage the next
leaps through
which our
conception of
the universe
will go through.
Our minds
fixated in the
future, we wait
for the dazzling
revelations that
have been
reserved for us,
but we should
not forget to
also look back
in wonderment of
the journey we
have taken. The
search for the
fundamental laws
of the universe
is an eminently
human drama, one
that expands our
mental vision
and enriches our
spirits.
Einstein gave us
a living
description of
his struggle to
understand
gravity: “the
restless years
of searching in
the dark,
brought him
intense feelings
of anguish,
alternating
between trust
and exhaustion
and finally
light.” As we
climb our
knowledge
mountain, each
generation
stands on the
shoulders of
ancestors (maybe
we ourselves
returning to the
school of life)
arrives at the
summit and
enjoys, with
infinite
clarity, the
superb view that
opens over the
vastness and
elegance of our
universe. Today,
our generation
is awed by our
vision of the
universe and
plays its role
as it
contributes with
one more step of
human ascension
which it
conducts,
through
knowledge and
virtue as
acquisitions of
the soul that
returns, humble,
serene and
reverent, with
Christ, to the
Mansions of the
Creator.
In the
Never-created
Creator's
exalted breast
and at the
summits of
evolution,
Divine Christs
Likewise, in
planetary
genesis,
according to
scientific
knowledge as
well as
spirituality,
there was an
immense general
confusion about
the primordial
elements, before
the formation of
the world. A
type of
disorder, called
chaos. An
immense
laboratory where
incandescent
matter, telluric
forces, and
physical-chemical
energies
conflicted with
one another.
Standing apart
from the
system’s central
nucleus, the
Sun, a new orb
where all
intelligent and
harmonious
humans would
manifest, during
countless
millenniums. It
was beginning to
be prepared by
the Divine
Sculptor and his
legions of
angelic workers
for its sacred
destiny toward
future.
Such project,
under Jesus’
tutelage by
divine
delegation,
would take the
initial chaotic
conditions of
the process to
the magnificent
realities of the
blessed orb,
stable and
inserted in the
Divine Cosmos.
It is so that we
would have the
evolutionary
spiritual
itinerary for 22
billion human
souls,
gravitating in
it, as Emmanuel
informs us in
the book
“Roteiro”
(Itinerary),
published by the
Federação
Espírita
Brasileira
(Brazilian
Spiritist
Federation).
This is one of
the star books
from our
longed-for
Francisco
Candido Xavier’
mediumistic
output. In the
Never-created
Creator's
exalted breast
and at the
summits of
evolution,
Divine Christs
pontificate; the
Archangel sages,
whose sublime
glory and
sovereign power
overcome
whatever the
human mind can
imagine to be
magnificent and
formidable. They
are the ones
who, under the
inspiration of
the Supreme
Architect of the
Universe
preside, in the
Infinite, to the
construction,
development and
disintegration
of globes. They
determine their
routes,
physiochemical
laws and
bio-mathematics
and managing
their destinies
and their
inhabitants’.
Human science
was, and is,
always a
necessary and
valuable tool
for progress. It
is a divine
worker at the
service of the
evolution of
spirits. It is a
valuable
frontrunner in
combating the
dark side of
ignorance; it
ignites
ever-more
shining lights
of knowledge on
its way to the
truth.
Our recognition
of these
extraordinary
minds who work
for the entire
humanity is
admirable and
worthy of
esteem. They
work at the cost
of great
fatigues and
untold
sacrifices
overlaying the
primacy of
accomplishing
intelligence and
the wonderful
powers of
intuition which
are born of
faith, their own
personal
interests. They
elevate their
souls to sublime
peaks in
resplendent
spheres in an
ascendant march
toward God.
Sérgio Thiesen,
professor de
Medicina e
Físico, reside
no Rio de
Janeiro-RJ.
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