I visited a lovely nearby cafe this Sunday which serves amazing waffles alongside a selection of books you can read while enjoying your food. As I picked up ‘A Brief History of Time’ by Stephen Hawking, I was greeted by one of the best introductory pages ever written for a book (at least for me).
As much as I would love to explain it, there is no way I can do justice to it over what he wrote, so here is the excerpt from the book:
A well-known scientist (some say it was Bertrand Russell) once gave a public lecture on astronomy. He described how the earth orbits around the sun and how the sun, in turn, orbits around the center of a vast collection of stars called our galaxy. At the end of the lecture, a little old lady at the back of the room got up and said: “What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise.” The scientist gave a superior smile before replying, “What is the tortoise standing on.” “You’re very clever, young man, very clever,” said the old lady. “But it’s turtles all the way down!”
Most people would find the picture of our universe as an infinite tower of tortoises rather ridiculous, but why do we think we know better? What do we know about the universe, and how do we know it? Where did the universe come from, and where is it going? Did the universe have a beginning, and if so, what happened before then? What is the nature of time? Will it ever come to an end? Can we go back in time? Recent breakthroughs in physics, made possible in part by fantastic new technologies, suggest answers to some of these longstanding questions. Someday these answers may seem as obvious to us as the earth orbiting the sun – or perhaps as ridiculous as a tower of tortoises. Only time (whatever that may be) will tell.
The last line, that casts a doubt on all our known realities, means so much. We think what we know is absolute, but what does that even mean? Even the way we perceive quantities is relative in nature. While every generation, since time immemorial, has believed their times to be the best in human history, it is quite humbling to cast our current beliefs in the same shadow of doubt that we use for everything that came before it.
What if we are right? Time will tell. What if we are wrong? Time will tell.
August 2, 2018 at 6:13 pm
That’s a funny story and at the same time I keep pondering do we really have the right answers for everything that we know. And when you think about the expanse of the universe, it is crazy. Where does it end? Or is it turtles all around 😀
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August 2, 2018 at 6:19 pm
Haha. That’s the beauty of great minds like Hawking. They address the limits of their understanding instead of blaring a constant horn of their achievements. Who knows if it’s turtles all the way down? 😉 😉
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August 2, 2018 at 6:19 pm
It could be. 😀
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August 2, 2018 at 6:21 pm
😉
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August 2, 2018 at 6:18 pm
His curiosity is like a happy infection.. People say you never learnt a thing unless you could explain it clearly to any commoner. Stephen Hawking was one of that amazing personalities… This book is close to my heart than any other. You would find yourself chuckling at his nerdy humour all over the book as he takes you on a journey to uncover the secrets of universe..
https://wp.me/p6MDlb-1m
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August 2, 2018 at 6:20 pm
I agree with that. He is one of my heroes too 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 6:32 pm
Hawkins theories challenged everything we believed to be true. Nice read, Neha
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August 2, 2018 at 6:33 pm
Thank you, Shantanu! So glad you liked it 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 7:24 pm
My pleasure always
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August 2, 2018 at 7:25 pm
🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 6:45 pm
Interesting…stirs up imagination.
Is the lady right as per her theory or the scientists we believe in easily…
Haha
Humans can get so creative, that’s the power of mind.
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August 2, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Haha! I know right! 😛 😛
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August 2, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Great story and your conclusion was perfect. Only time will tell.
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August 2, 2018 at 6:47 pm
Thanks for reading this, Andrew! You are so right. Only time will tell although we won’t be around for that 🙂 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 8:26 pm
Hey, wait a minute. I will try to be around. LOL
Have a gorgeous evening.
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August 2, 2018 at 8:29 pm
Haha. You are the second person to have said that to me about this 😀
Hope we all stick around and at least we get some answers within our lifetimes 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 9:06 pm
Perhaps, not in flesh, but in spirit.
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August 2, 2018 at 10:46 pm
🙂 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 7:03 pm
Such an interesting article and food for thought.
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August 2, 2018 at 7:04 pm
Thanks Abhinav 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 7:11 pm
Questions, questions!! And as answer all we have is, time will tell..
An interesting read Neha.
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August 2, 2018 at 7:13 pm
Thanks a lot, Moushmi! That is indeed the only answer we have 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 7:36 pm
Interesting read Neha! True, time is the answer to every question!!
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August 2, 2018 at 7:51 pm
Thanks Kranti! I agree with you on that 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 8:00 pm
Nice post
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August 2, 2018 at 8:01 pm
Thank you so much 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 8:02 pm
Welcome
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August 2, 2018 at 8:02 pm
🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 8:22 pm
How were the waffles?
😉😉😉just kidding.
The introduction part of the book makes one eager to read it. Your stance about this is really insightful. Thanks for sharing.
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Kaise they waffles??😂😂
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August 2, 2018 at 8:24 pm
Waffles were pretty amazing too ❤ ❤
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August 2, 2018 at 8:26 pm
👍👍👍
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August 2, 2018 at 8:36 pm
So often in history, magic was not magic at all but scientific fact not yet understood. I think that woman in Stephen Hawking’s audience was a Terry Pratchett fan and being very tongue in cheek.
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August 2, 2018 at 8:38 pm
Haha. That’s one way to think about it, yeah! 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 9:52 pm
Wow ……..it looks like my next to read is calling me 😉……
It’s very thought provoking …….how we take a few things for granted now, like the earth revovlving around the sun whereas in ancient times there were very few supporters of the theory ……the universe is mysterious
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August 2, 2018 at 10:47 pm
It sure is! Do read this book and give us your review, Sakshi. I will be waiting now 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 11:09 pm
Sure thing 😊🌼
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August 3, 2018 at 8:53 am
Nominated you for 3.2.1 quote challenge.
https://irefusetogiveup.wordpress.com/2018/08/03/3-2-1-quote-me-challenge-empathy/?preview=true .
Couldn’t think of a better word to give you since you always have duxh wise words to offer. I look forward to see what you will share.😊
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August 3, 2018 at 10:16 am
Thanks a lot, Sakshi! I just hope I don’t disappoint you now 😀 😀
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August 3, 2018 at 10:19 am
Never 😊🤗
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August 3, 2018 at 10:19 am
❤ ❤
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August 7, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Interesting
Each and every word is thought provoking
Thanks for sharing this
Liked it
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August 7, 2018 at 2:13 pm
I am so glad it clicked with you, Akshaya 🙂
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August 2, 2018 at 11:41 pm
I’m so inspired now! I wish I could time travel. Will that ever happen? Only time will tell!
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August 3, 2018 at 12:01 am
Haha. True that! 🙂
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August 3, 2018 at 1:07 am
Hi Neha’… You grew my curiosity whilst you liked my lines….. Am extremely delighted to see you have a list of worth reading stories.. If I well note… My thanks to you from having sparked your fervour in the expression I stumbled really hard … 🤓
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August 3, 2018 at 1:10 am
Thanks a lot for stopping by my blog! It is a pleasure to have you here 🙂
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August 3, 2018 at 1:16 am
It’s worth stopping by Neha Sharma….”the (woods)blogs are lovely, deep and dark”..just
as Robert Frost wrote in his beautiful poem….
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August 3, 2018 at 1:18 am
Thanks a lot! You just mentioned one of my favorite lines of all time. In fact, here’s a little post I wrote after getting inspired by these very lines :
https://literarylemonades.com/2016/11/04/significance-of-translation-in-poetry/
Hope it clicks with you 🙂
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August 3, 2018 at 1:30 am
Presumably you are India….. The entire population is in deep slumber… And so was I… But felt the melody of your one touch…. Glad you did so… Can get another phase of good nights sleep… Before the sun shows its warm face…..
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August 3, 2018 at 2:11 am
Keeping our minds flexible to allow growth of new ideas, notions is a beautiful things…
great post
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August 3, 2018 at 2:12 am
Thanks a lot, Taruna. It means a lot ❤
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August 3, 2018 at 4:49 am
I love that you have a nearby cafe which serves delicious waffles and great food for thought.
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August 3, 2018 at 10:10 am
Haha. That makes me really happy as well, trust me ❤ ❤
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August 3, 2018 at 10:25 am
Personally, I’m a fan of Hawking. This write up so thought provoking. We consider ourselves so superior but nature hasn’t given away even 10% of it’s huge secrets. We talk about Universe. But we don’t even really know what’s under us. The deepest we’ve gone into Earth is about 8 kms.
There’s more to know than what we already know!
Have a nice day 😃
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August 3, 2018 at 10:28 am
I agree so much! Even the 10% we think we know is just a result of indirect deductions that can get refuted by just one incompatible result round the corner. I recently wrote about how our perceptions are just relative to the limits of our capabilities. Do check it out if that interests you:
https://literarylemonades.com/2018/06/29/to-count-or-not-to-count/
Hope you find it interesting! 🙂
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August 3, 2018 at 9:32 pm
I like talking about space and universe, it is so so big and mysterious. 🙂
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August 3, 2018 at 9:41 pm
It sure is! I am so glad you liked it 🙂
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August 3, 2018 at 10:10 pm
Yup
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August 3, 2018 at 10:11 pm
🙂
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August 4, 2018 at 11:29 am
Thanks for this post. It’s a brilliant idea from a truly brilliant mind and got me and obviously a lot of others thinking.
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August 4, 2018 at 12:34 pm
Thanks a lot, Karen! I totally agree with you on that 🙂
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August 5, 2018 at 3:31 pm
He has said in the book that a theory can never be proved right, it can only be proved wrong and when that happens, we device a new theory. Human have had believes more ridiculous than the whole turtle story, I guess we still do. One generations magic is next generations reality. Elon Musk has a believe that, we are probably characters in some advanced civilization’s video game…who knows….
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August 5, 2018 at 3:40 pm
Elon Musk’s simulation theory is one of my favorites out there 🙂
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August 6, 2018 at 1:12 am
Interesting post, makes you think 🙂
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August 6, 2018 at 1:12 am
Thank you. So glad you liked it 🙂
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August 6, 2018 at 9:25 am
nice one.. loved it ❤ we have something similar on our blog do visit us and follow us if you like them 🙂
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August 6, 2018 at 9:53 am
Yes sure! Do share the link if it’s a specific post. I would love to read it 🙂
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August 6, 2018 at 10:25 am
Hence is the nature of religion vs science. If people only believe in what can be proven, that is a very limited way to view the world.
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August 6, 2018 at 2:43 pm
🙂
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August 6, 2018 at 7:20 pm
I loved your post. 🙂 You can read mine here https://meetmspblog.wordpress.com/
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August 6, 2018 at 7:23 pm
Thanks for reading as well as sharing the link. I will definitely give it a read! 🙂
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August 6, 2018 at 8:21 pm
You’re welcome! Thank you! 🙂
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August 6, 2018 at 10:08 pm
🙂
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August 7, 2018 at 11:30 am
🙂
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August 6, 2018 at 9:50 pm
But time is a dimension in the space-time fabric, the only thing this fabric time ever spoke was..about the stitch saving nine, but nine of what? Only time can tell 😀
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August 6, 2018 at 10:10 pm
😀
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August 7, 2018 at 7:59 pm
I agree, and I don’t believe the governments of the world want us to know any truths. Just go to work, watch tv and sports and don’t worry about it. But these truths will come out, I hope in my lifetime 👍👍
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August 7, 2018 at 8:02 pm
I hope so too! 🙂
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August 8, 2018 at 10:22 am
Interesting post, Neha. Thank you for that.
I recall Einstein once wrote that “time is an illusion, albeit a persistent one.”
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August 8, 2018 at 10:23 am
Thanks for reading it, Paul. I am so glad it clicked with you. Einstein’s quote is, as always, pretty thought-provoking! 🙂
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