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BS: What color is the universe? Beige?
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Subject: What color is the universe? Beige? From: SharonA Date: 08 Mar 02 - 09:40 AM I heard a news report on a local radio station this morning that says that astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have been trying to determine the color of the universe. They had announced back in January that it is green, but have now discovered that there was an error in their software program and that the universe is actually beige. Beige... as in tan... as in "bleah". Kinda takes the edge off the thrill of the Final Frontier, doesn't it? "To beigely go where no man has gone before..." I have two questions: (a) How did they conclude this; and (b) Why is it important to know this (what practical application is there for it)? (Maybe I should add a third question: Why can't I get cool assignments like that at my job???) Sharon |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: MMario Date: 08 Mar 02 - 09:45 AM I've always felt that the universe was a tasteful plaid of octerine and ultra-violent, with a few decorative splashes of infra-dig, completly overlayed with a rainbow of embroidered motifs in various jeweltones with additional areaqs of textural variation. YMMV |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: masato sakurai Date: 08 Mar 02 - 09:57 AM Universe is beige, astronomers say (from National Post)
The Universe is not turquoise - it's beige (from New Scientist) ~Masato
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: katlaughing Date: 08 Mar 02 - 10:01 AM Most of the articles on google still show the green. This one gives some good info as to why they were looking: click here |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: mooman Date: 08 Mar 02 - 10:12 AM Even with a defined wavelength the colour will still be subjective as everyone perceives colour slightly differently. mooman |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: MMario Date: 08 Mar 02 - 10:16 AM true - but what they are really doing is taking an averaged spectrographic analysis of the universe. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Wolfgang Date: 08 Mar 02 - 10:21 AM Kat's and Masato's links give you all the information how it was done and why information about the spectral distribution is interesting. But why averaging and publishing an average colour? Here's why from the authors: We admit the color of the Universe was something of a gimmick, to try and make our story on spectra more accessible... We would like to point out that our original intention was merely an amusing footnote in our paper, the original press story blew up beyond our wildest expectations! in plain English: We wanted to read our names in the popular press as well and not just in the scientific journals Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Bill D Date: 08 Mar 02 - 06:10 PM they could have asked my mother...(well, up to 1988)
she claimed her favorite color was SKY-BLUE PINK |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Amos Date: 08 Mar 02 - 06:36 PM This is about the ultimate in anthropomorphism thinly disguised as science, wouldnja say? It's about as bad as pre-Copernican Catholicism. Hang me for a heretic, but I say, "Nevertheless, it is argyle!" Regards, A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Gareth Date: 08 Mar 02 - 06:58 PM "What colour is the Rhondda, Dad ? They Call it Rhondda Grey" Gareth |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: SharonA Date: 08 Mar 02 - 07:28 PM LOL! Thanks, everyone, for your responses and for the information. I especially like kat's link to the article with the "before" and "after" swatches of color!! I'm tempted to take them to a paint store, so I can have my living room redone in Old and New Universe. Hee hee! |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Crane Driver Date: 08 Mar 02 - 07:40 PM Just don't tell Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen that the whole damn universe is done in magnolia ...... |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Desdemona Date: 08 Mar 02 - 08:49 PM Yes, I was having a particularly "beige" sort of morning (packing lunches, haranguing kids into school clothes, contemplating my wokday, etc.), when I heard that on the news....hmmmmmm, sort of explains a lot in some ways, dunnit?! On the other hand, sometimes I'm convinced it's a blazingly brilliant vermilion, but it really depends on the day! |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: michaelr Date: 08 Mar 02 - 08:57 PM Well, the beige is certainly an improvement over that 50s bathroom green... I would not call that turquoise. Now I'm really interested in the color of our parallel universes! Michael |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: katlaughing Date: 09 Mar 02 - 12:47 AM That'd be way over at the other end of the spectrum, right,?**BG** |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: GUEST Date: 09 Mar 02 - 12:58 AM There's no end to the spectrum, just to the speccttrum visible to humans. Beige isn't a color of the spectrum, it's a mixture. I've misplaced my ICU chart, so I can't give you the chromaticity coordinates of beige until I can find it again.
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Little Hawk Date: 09 Mar 02 - 01:59 AM It's not beige! It's aw colors, fae heaven's sake. Open yer eyes and luik at it, and ye'll see. I canna believe Ah'm even acknowledging sech a silly notion in the fairst place! - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: RangerSteve Date: 09 Mar 02 - 06:51 AM It's blue. Light blue during the day, and dark blue at night. These guys need to get out of their labs once in a while. Beige, however, goes with more colors than green. I feel better knowing that the clothes I'm wearing don't clash with the universe. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: wysiwyg Date: 09 Mar 02 - 08:02 AM Well crap! Just because beige is the universal color that goes with everything, doesn't mean it's the color of the universe! Sloppy thinking! They need to sort out decor issues from facts! ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Mountain Dog Date: 09 Mar 02 - 10:29 AM Does this mean that those with blue-green color blindness have had it right all along? |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: SINSULL Date: 09 Mar 02 - 11:31 AM Taupe, obviously...because taupe goes with everything. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: catspaw49 Date: 09 Mar 02 - 11:52 AM Taupe is nice Sins.....I've just never been able to figure out what the hell color it is! Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: CapriUni Date: 09 Mar 02 - 12:10 PM Well, if they're coming up with an overall color of the universe based on an average, then of course it will come out beige! That's what beige is: all the colors mixed together, with a lot of white added. Anyone who's played around with the colors in their paint box knows that! I think we should get these scientists out of their laboratories, and into a kindergarten classroom, then give them an easel, and a lot of fingerpaint (heck, they're aleady dressed in those long smock coats). And then remind them that in the real universe, there are no averages. An average is a useful mathematical tool for wrapping your mind around really big and/or complex numbers. But when it all comes down to it, I don't really think the Universe cares if humans can comprehend it all. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Naemanson Date: 09 Mar 02 - 12:53 PM It just proves that scientists have a sense of humor too. The story I heard was that they were researching the development of galaxies and were studying 200 of them. One of the team suggested they had enough data to average out the color of the universe so they downloaded a program off the web and fed in their data. Unfortunately they didn't account for something and they got it wrong. So the universe isn't turquoise but beige. Bland and average, like life in general unless you add the spice to it. I'm sure this will change too. That's the beauty of science. It is always changing and growing. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Little Hawk Date: 09 Mar 02 - 01:02 PM So how come so many people see things only in black and white then? - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: GUEST,SharonA at the library Date: 09 Mar 02 - 01:56 PM LOL! You guys are going to get me in trouble with the librarians for giggling too loudly! |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 09 Mar 02 - 03:22 PM Spaw said: "Taupe is nice Sins.....I've just never been able to figure out what the hell color it is!" Taupe is sort of beige color. Now you know. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Gareth Date: 09 Mar 02 - 03:33 PM Errr ? Are we certain that it wasn't microsofts Blue Screen of Death ??? Gareth |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: The Pooka Date: 09 Mar 02 - 03:40 PM michaelr - Yeah, the color of the parallel universes is a super question. And speaking of strings, maybe we should start another thread: Theoretically, what is the color of the rolled-up 11th dimension? I claim it's fish. Well, I'm outta here before they make me walk the planck. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Amos Date: 09 Mar 02 - 03:46 PM Don't worry, Pook -- in YOUR life, walking the Planck is a constant promise!! LOL!! A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: The Pooka Date: 09 Mar 02 - 04:01 PM Amos - Ha harrr! Fires them muskets an' I cut young 'arkins' t'roat!!. / Actually in my life the Planck length is more of a Promised Constant; but ye gotta Point there, I don't get out much & when I do the trips *are* kinda short. :) |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: GUEST Date: 09 Mar 02 - 04:29 PM Little Hawk, there aren't many people that see things in black and white. That's very rare. Most color-blind people, like me, have troubles distinguishing colors by name because of low sensitivity in some narrow region or regions of the spectrum, but with strong lighting we can see all colors. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Bill D Date: 09 Mar 02 - 05:14 PM Entropy will get you, if you don't watch out |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Amos Date: 09 Mar 02 - 05:58 PM Entropy, shmentropy -- who's got the rum and cola around here? Party on, Albert!! A |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Little Hawk Date: 09 Mar 02 - 07:10 PM Exactly, GUEST, which is why I say that the universe is not beige, it's all colors. But some black activists and some white supremacists seem to see it only in black and white, while some Native American activists appear to see it only in red and white! This gets truly annoying in not too short a time (even for someone like me who just naturally loves Native American traditional values...but still can't stand fanatics or professional victims of any persuasion). Then there are some Americans who see it in red, white, and blue! There are some Irish who see it in green and orange. This business of assigning a specific color or set of colors to the universe is a can of worms, if you ask me. - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 09 Mar 02 - 07:46 PM It looks black to me, with little shiny dots every here and there...When the clouds don't get in the way. Mind, that's just a point of view. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: CapriUni Date: 09 Mar 02 - 07:46 PM LH -- I was going to suggest that the Universe was plaid: bright bands of color interweaving into complex patterns against a dark background. ...But I didn't want to start a debate on which clan had the truly "universal" tartan.... Meanwhile, after 5 years of living in a biege house, I'm about to go outa my mind... Ya think we could 'round up a gang o' Catters for a painting party? |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Little Hawk Date: 09 Mar 02 - 07:59 PM That is an exellent idea, Capri. Make sure to serve drinks after, not before the painting is done. - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: CapriUni Date: 09 Mar 02 - 08:11 PM LH: "Make sure to serve drinks after, not before the painting is done." Oh, I dunno... if I serve the drinks beforehand, it might be an interesting experiment on universal non-linear patterns... 'Course, we might get the same effect if I load up the CD player with dance music from around the world, and put the settings on "random"... |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Little Hawk Date: 09 Mar 02 - 08:35 PM Yeah, depends on what final result you're looking for, I guess... - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Desdemona Date: 10 Mar 02 - 06:32 PM I see the universe as a sort of mad, Jackson Pollock on acid creation, at least the aprt *I* live in! |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: SharonA Date: 11 Mar 02 - 09:58 AM Little Hawk says: "This business of assigning a specific color or set of colors to the universe is a can of worms, if you ask me." And why shouldn't it be? After all, worms are beige... |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: GUEST,Sonja Date: 11 Mar 02 - 11:30 AM Spaw, taupe is the color of mice (hence the name)*. What color mice, you ask? Why, taupe-colored mice, of course! (Remember the old "flesh"-colored Crayola crayon?)
Mountain Dog -- "blue-green color blindness?"
Actually, folks, the rainbow is WHITE, I guess, if you average it across the spectrum, right? *("taupe" is "mouse" en français. |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Bat Goddess Date: 11 Mar 02 - 11:35 AM My favorite colors were described in "A Voyage to Arcturus" -- ulfire and jale. Or the problem in "Hitchhiker's Guide" with the sky being just the wrong shade of pink. Linn |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Wolfgang Date: 12 Mar 02 - 06:21 AM The one datum I've missed in the articles so far is the average colour (wavelength) of our sun, for comparison. Disregarding (relative) intensity (which by the way is the only difference between black and white), the colour of the universe seems to me to be fairly close to the colour of our sun which makes some sense. Wolfgang
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: The Pooka Date: 12 Mar 02 - 02:54 PM Guest Sonia, I thought "la taupe" was "the mole", en français. (Not the skin growth; the little nearsighted tunneler.) I looked it up one time 'cause "mole" is one of my nicknames...nyaaaah nevermind about cette merde..but is the French the same for "mouse" and "mole"? Or did I get it wrong? / Or is this just la Creepe du Thread? |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: SharonA Date: 12 Mar 02 - 03:20 PM By all means, let the thread creep where it will! I'm already amazed that it's up to 47 posts so far!!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: MMario Date: 12 Mar 02 - 03:49 PM chart of our suns output relative to some others a representation of sol's spectrum
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: Bob Bolton Date: 12 Mar 02 - 04:11 PM G'day Sonja and Pook, I sem to remember (about the nearest I get to actually remembering ...) the French for mouse being souris. We had a local (New South Wales - Australian state) politician appropriately so surnamed! Regards, Bob Bolton |
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Subject: RE: BS: What color is the universe? Beige? From: RichM Date: 12 Mar 02 - 06:34 PM Beige goes with EVERYTHING. The Creator is a smart decorator. Rich McCarthy |
