Quantum Entanglement (A Love Story)
Stars are born almost exclusively from cold molecular hydrogen (H₂😉 — the most abundant molecule in the universe and the raw fuel for stellar nurseries. Yet here's the cosmic irony: H₂ itself is notoriously hard to spot directly in the chilly depths of interstellar space.Why? As a perfectly symmetrical, homonuclear diatomic molecule, it lacks a permanent electric dipole moment. That means it has no strong rotational or vibrational transitions in radio or infrared wavelengths under typical cold conditions — making it essentially invisible to most telescopes. (Direct detection usually requires warm regions or ultraviolet/fluorescence observations, which aren't practical for mapping vast cold clouds.)Astronomers get clever: they use a trusty proxy — carbon monoxide (CO), the second-most-abundant molecule in molecular clouds. CO has a dipole moment, so it emits bright, easily detectable lines at radio wavelengths (especially the famous CO 1-0 at 115 GHz). Where CO glows strongly, astronomers infer dense, cold molecular gas is present — revealing the hidden skeletons of star-forming regions across entire galaxies.These CO maps beautifully trace the distribution of molecular clouds, which often light up along spiral arms, within galactic bars, and in dense central bulges — the hotspots where stars are forged at the fastest rates.The dance between molecular gas and star formation is finely tuned: galaxies with higher densities and pressures in their molecular reservoirs convert gas into stars more efficiently, sparking brilliant bursts of activity. But counter-forces like turbulence, magnetic fields, and powerful feedback from newborn stars (supernovae, stellar winds) can stir things up and prevent collapse — explaining why some galaxies blaze through starbursts while others quietly form stars over cosmic epochs.Mastering the physics of molecular gas bridges the gap from tiny cloud-scale processes to the grand evolution of galaxies. It lets us predict how galaxies grow, mature, quench, and transform by slowly devouring (or losing) their precious cold gas supplies.Thanks to telescopes like ALMA, NASA's heritage missions, ESO, and key insights published in the Astrophysical Journal and Nature Astronomy, we're finally seeing these invisible engines in stunning detail.
(These stunning ALMA views show CO emission tracing molecular gas structures in galaxies — from spiral outflows and disks to intricate chemical fingerprints in protoplanetary systems.)
New level unlocked. When my thoughts bow outwards into a vice area of neurosis, they then bow backwards and return to the same spot on the train of thought.
Win
I thought I'd forgotten what good weed can be like.
It turns out my tolerance was just ****ed.
In the town where I was born
Lived a man who sailed to sea
And he told us of his life
In the land of submarines
You cut that **** out right now Tuma.
You're preducing the seminal work of the internet in real time.
Do not give up on your dreams.
I'm tantamountiously afraid of love.
I'll own that one.
My thoughts and feelings go down infinite labyrinths sometimes, and often enough. I don't need that headache in my life.
I'm basically WILL from Good Will Hunting. Except instead of maths I became skilled at Ken Griffey Baseball.
The nl10 games on betrivers are both fun and invigorating. I should become a sponsored pro. I'm having a blast playing them for some reason. The cartoon graphics have some to do with that.
I'm basically WILL from Good Will Hunting. Except instead of maths I became skilled at Ken Griffey Baseball.
- Been laid a few times
- From a broken home
- Have some close buddies
- Afraid of the world
- Pretty talented
--Apoplectic--
Is a cool ****in word. But I'm adding an additional defintion to Webster.
It now also means of relating to an apocalypse.
When I throw out the first pitch at an MLB game someday, I'm going to **** it up. I both had a shoulder injury in high school, and an unnatural throwing motion. The muscles have now healed over the injury. I can't throw a baseball anymore.
