{"id":17096,"date":"2015-09-10T15:07:16","date_gmt":"2015-09-10T22:07:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeboat.com\/blog\/?p=17096"},"modified":"2017-06-04T20:24:00","modified_gmt":"2017-06-05T03:24:00","slug":"httpawildduck-comp2294","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeboat.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/httpawildduck-comp2294","title":{"rendered":"Scale of the Universe revisits \u201cPowers of Ten\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a follow-up to Shailesh Prasad\u2019s thought provoking video<\/a> (just below this article), I offer two equally impressive visualizations of the scope and magnificence of our universe. These videos are the epitome of a teachable moment. And it\u2019s fun, too!<\/p>\n

Check out this simple, one-button interactive Scale of the Universe<\/i><\/a> by Cary Huang. Simply pull a slider left or right to zoom in or out. It covers the Universe from 1027<\/sup> meters down to 10-35<\/sup> meters (from the entire universe to the Plank length and quantum foam).<\/p>\n<\/a> Charles and Ray Eames

Unlike the classic film by Charles & Ray Eames (more about that later), the zoom doesn\u2019t really take viewers closer or further away. Rather, it compares relative size by allowing users navigate by magnitudes (a circle indicates each power-of-ten).<\/p>\n

Nikon, the camera and optics maker, created an alternate spin<\/a> on this idea with more user control (identify and study objects used to illustrate size\u2013and jump directly to any magnitude along the size continuum). Instead of panning in and out, the Nikon presentation crawls familiar objects along the horizontal axis. Interestingly, they end at modest lower limit of 10-15<\/sup> meters, rather than attempting to illustrate quarks, charm and quantum foam.<\/p>\n

\"Time<\/a>In 1968, Charles & Ray Eames were already famous as sculptors, architects and designers of modern furniture. That\u2019s when they created Powers of 10<\/i>, one of the most popular educational films of all time. Just 9 minutes long, it was intended as a \u201crough sketch\u201d in an effort to attract an animation partner to add visual punch. 9 years after the original film was released, IBM collaborated with the designers and the film was re-released with improved special effects. Both versions are included on the commercial DVD. I prefer the original rough sketch.<\/p>\n

\"Eames<\/a>
Eames Lounge Chair<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the original film, two clocks sit outside the main frame. As we \u00bb
accelerate away from earth (covering 10X as much distance every ten seconds), the clocks track relative time from a traveler\u2019s frame of reference \u2013vs\u2013 a person on earth.<\/p>\n

You can view the 1977 re-release<\/a> (Be sure to raise quality to 480p). Interestingly, IBM has also posted a user-controlled, Zoomable version<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t find the original film on the web. But I own it. Write to me if you want me to \u201cloan\u201d it to you via a web link.<\/div>\n

Philip Raymond is Co-Chair of The Cryptocurrency Standards
Association<\/a>. This article originally appeared at A Wild Duck<\/a>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

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