Otto von Guericke, a German scientist and politician, stunned onlookers in 1654 when he demonstrated his vacuum pump. This revolutionary invention showed the world that a vacuum was real, and centuries later scientists have discovered that this nothingness is in fact full of something: dark energy, which is accelerating the expansion of the universe. This strange energy is contained within the vacuum of spacetime and represents around 70 percent of the entire energy budget of the cosmos. It is one of the greatest mysteries in modern physics, and it shows that the nothingness of space can be far from empty. Read full article here
Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
