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Defect Suspected in Fabric of Space-Time

space.com — Eddies in the space-time continuum? Scientists think that shortly after the Big Bang, as the universe cooled and expanded, exotic particles transformed into the particles we know today via phase transitions similar to the gas-liquid-solid transitions that matter now experiences on Earth. One artifact of this may be an enormous 'cold spot'.

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  • McGrude, on 10/30/2007, -8/+66How can it be a "defect" if it is the nature of the universe?
    • crashbang, on 10/27/2007, -4/+17Whoooaaaaaaa.
      You just totally blew my mind.
    • amsterdamordeth, on 10/30/2007, -0/+31Not to be rude here, because your question is plausible. But do you even understand your own question? Defections occur in nature and in the universe quite often. In the article they gave the example of ice becoming cloudy because of "misaligned" molecules as the water froze. We consider this a "defect" as it doesn't appear to be "perfection", when in fact the defect is completely normal and we simply perceive perfection differently than the universe.

      A defect can be completely normal and in the case of the universe, these "defects" are simply the natural process. We presume that the universe, because it is so awesome, should be perfect, but in reality, it is our definition of perfect that has defects. One day we may learn that without such defection, the universe would never have been.

      Defects in mutation of DNA, after all, created humans.
      • capiCrimm, on 10/26/2007, -1/+6so basically, think LOLcats?
      • LoudMusic, on 10/27/2007, -6/+5"Defects in mutation of DNA, after all, created humans."

        I am not a defect. Thank you very much. (:

        To paraphrase the rest of your comment - It depends on your definition of defect.
        • sockpuppets, on 10/27/2007, -1/+5Now we're debating the definitions of words?
        • WaterDragon, on 10/27/2007, -0/+4Yes...playing senseless word games!
          We are playing, here, with the idea that people know better than the universe, and that the REAL universe is whatever we say it must be.
          Therefore, we call certain phenomena 'defects' or anomalies, when reality differs from what is in our little minds.

          Fortunately, each of us will die eventually, and the universe, with its precise 'laws' and actual 'perfection' will have won the argument.
      • InfiniteNothing, on 10/27/2007, -3/+2Actually in evolution, every step has to be better than the last. For example one reason why fish don't grow wings is that at first, prewings would get the fish eaten. Therefore, I do not believe a defect caused humanity.
        • WaterDragon, on 10/27/2007, -0/+2Oh yeah? What about the flying fish?
          (Sorry...it had to be said!)
        • rnwen2750, on 10/27/2007, -0/+3There is no such thing as "better than" in evolution - the mutations that "survive" are just able to reproduce. Technically, the changes that caused the rise of humans all were defects. Because a defect is a change in the existing gene pool. Without any changes (defects) in the gene pool, we would never have evolved.
          • j3one, on 10/27/2007, -1/+1so as the most evolved creatures on this planet, we are the most defective. That explains allot actually..
          • thomashauk, on 10/27/2007, -0/+2@j3one
            >so as the most evolved creatures on this planet, we are the most defective. That explains allot actually..
            What do you mean highly evolved?
            Anything that is alive it equally high.
            And if you go back to our and chimp's common ancestors guess which one has had the greatest change in the DNA, (hint its not us).
        • norman619, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1What? It may be a shock to you but some fish can actually walk on land and breath air like we do. Evolution isn't like upgrading your computer. It's more like experimenting with random mods. The one that sticks isn't the best possible mod. It's just the one that happens work and not get the animal killed. People seem to think evolution is the gradual march towards some sort of biological perfection. That's Hollywood biology and reality.
      • EuphopiaB, on 10/27/2007, -0/+4No. The term defect is an idea existing ONLY in the human psyche. The universe cannot be flawed, for by definition that flaw would be the proper working of the universe. For example, a solar system may have five planets in "perfect" orbits, however if another planet were moving on a largely inclined orbit it is not a "flaw" or "defect", but simply a product of nature.
        Something is only a defect because you perceive it to be bad or wrong because as a biological mechanism you are compelled to not want such things. Humans desire order and perfection in which to operate, and the term "defect" is used on thing which disturb their desired order. To use our perceived ideas of perfect or defective on the universe is absurd. Until you find another universe to compare it to and find some absolute reason why that universe is "more perfect", then rather than "defect" you might as well be calling the universe cheesy or arousing. It just doesn't make sense.
        There have, then, never been defects in human DNA. Human DNA also is not perfect. These words - these ideas - simply are not applicable to the nature of the universe. To me, this is why the universe is so amazing. BECAUSE I cannot define it or subjugate it and because it is so far beyond the human mind I can do nothing other than find it amazingly overwhelming.
        If you just mean "defect" simply as "something that humans do not desire", then you are right. I think we agreed on some level...
        Cheers.
        • ellecon, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1That completely supports Amster Da Mordeth's argument. Earth,life,random,uncertain.
      • WaterDragon, on 10/26/2007, -0/+2your accurate analysis has, in fact, rendered the entire question a moot point.
        What do you mean that the question is 'plausible'? Do you mean that the question is 'understandable', from the viewpoint of a complete lack of understanding?

        Perhaps it is more honest to just say that the question (of defining the universe itself as being defective) is completely absurd, and is the height of arrogance, by definition.
        But then, you seem to like to flatter things that make you uncomfortable. Still, thanks for writing out your analysis.

        And when you get to Amsterdam, not too much hashish -- OK?
        • ellecon, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1Excellent point. McGrude and Amster are in agreement, yet they think they're participating in an argument. Perhaps Amster just wanted to blow off some steam at work by getting haughty with a fellow Digger. Like ~ahem~ most of the rest of us perhaps? It takes more than that to ruffle a Scotsman/Englishman/Irishman's feathers, so I'm sure McGrude will be fine. (If not, toughen up McGrude you big girl!) He made the same point in less words than anyone else, so perhaps we all should just tip our hats to him.
      • MacGyver2210, on 10/26/2007, -0/+3I would ignore all other comments here, because they are unneccessarily long-winded and argumentative, and posit that our human way of thinking that the universe should be perfect is the defect, and that the universe just is how it is.
    • dkoon, on 10/27/2007, -4/+6Global Warming did it!
    • gropo, on 10/26/2007, -0/+3"...astronomers at the University of Minnesota, recently attributed the CMB cold spot not to a cosmic defect, but to an enormous "hole" in our galaxy, devoid of stars, gas and even dark matter, a mysterious substance thought to pervade the universe but which has so far eluded direct detection."

      Uhh, ouch. Space.com is usually pretty well edited. The 'hole' in question dwarfs our galaxy by a couple orders of magnitude and is in fact an area devoid of galaxies entirely. Our galaxy's diameter is about 100,000 light years, the CMB is about a Billion light years across.
    • MrSketch, on 10/27/2007, -0/+9Simple, it's just a bug in the Matrix. Don't worry, it'll be fixed in the next version.
    • LucasKane, on 10/26/2007, -1/+1Profound sir, profound!
    • ryodoan, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1The Supreme Being's Debugger had a glitch.
    • thomashauk, on 10/27/2007, -0/+1I think they have strictly defined the term "defect" here and it is only to be in those terms understood.
      A bit like inertia being different in the physics context.
  • TheZorch, on 10/26/2007, -12/+3These weaknesses in space time can account for a lot of strange phenomenon both on the Earth and elsewhere. Only some of the strange happenings in the Bermuda Triangle can be attributed to massive methane releases from cold seeps, but not all and those that are only represent about 10% of the total number of strange happenings in the area. These defects in space time could also account for the "missing matter" problem physicists are trying to explain with the theory of Dark Matter and Dark Energy.
    • derforseti, on 10/26/2007, -1/+2My keys fell into a defect in space-time one, and they dissapeared from the material plane.
      • Rikkochet, on 10/26/2007, -0/+2Kind of like falling through the world in an MMORPG!
  • ekso, on 10/26/2007, -14/+5ZOMG! A bug in the universe!?!?!? Was it made by Microsoft programers after all!?!?!?
    • duckyinc, on 10/26/2007, -11/+1At least Microsoft tried.. you know Linux/mac aren't any better then Microsoft and your spamming just annoys me
  • Bdog2g2, on 10/27/2007, -5/+20Wonder how that recall is going to go?
    • TheCosmicFool, on 10/26/2007, -0/+2Wonder why your getting dugg down, that was hilarious..
    • jcaino, on 10/26/2007, -1/+3No recall, just a new update to push out over the tubes.
      • Bdog2g2, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1Lets just hope its doesn't require WGA.
  • qasabah, on 10/28/2007, -2/+31Duct-tape will sort it out or maybe just a well placed rug.
    • InfiniteNothing, on 10/26/2007, -0/+2Just sell it out an outlet mall.
  • LordSkywalker, on 10/30/2007, -0/+31I knew Marty and that old man would end up screwing everything up somehow.
  • Topher06, on 10/26/2007, -3/+0Duh, obviously.
  • rz8472, on 10/30/2007, -7/+6Yes, a potential flaw! I told you Intelligent Design will prevail in the end. Teach the controversy!
    Besides all this real science hurts my head. It's much simpler just to say a Jesussaurus Rex did everything.
    • WaterDragon, on 10/29/2007, -2/+3As a true scientist, I've never liked the issue of 'intelligent design', because both that idea, and the opposite of that idea, as held in popular discussions, are completely wrong. It is amazing to see how the masses get manipulated into accepting a duality, where there are two completely wrong, half-formed ideas, presented as opposites, and they automatically assume that one of them must be correct! It is an extremely shortsighted, basic lack of awareness or understanding. But still, they like to argue about it.
      • dafragsta, on 10/26/2007, -0/+3Look into Buddhism. I have a newfound respect for Buddhists because they don't really believe in a religion really (there is some hocus pocus magic intelligent design surrounding the prophecy of the Buddha and the Dalai Lama's(sp?) perpetual reincarnation, but it's mostly an agnostic acceptance of our powerlessness, yet oneness with the universe, while providing a legitimate and fulfilling outlet for our natural desire for spirituality. It's purpose without purpose, which is really what life is. I think it fully accepts all scientific discoveries without conflict.

        I'm not looking to run right out and join up, but I think I could learn a lot from them.
    • MacGyver2210, on 10/26/2007, -3/+3Science - Infinite Proofs of Scientific Evidence, Intelligent Design - 0
    • pinchduck, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1Does every scientific story on Digg have to be polluted with anti-religious sarcastic comments? We get it. You hate religion and their idiotic attempts to subvert science in the classroom, or their odd fairytale explanations of how nature works. Really, dude, we got it. Can we get back to the far more interesting science story? Do you realize that you clowns post far more than the religious nuts do? That makes you worse than them just due to sheer volume.
  • URnotheonly1, on 10/27/2007, -0/+6Can we get a new one?
  • bluesydude, on 10/27/2007, -0/+14"One artifact of this may be an enormous 'cold spot'."

    What? Another article about Hilary Clinton?
  • lilbitmoreslyk, on 10/27/2007, -1/+81.21 JIGGA WAAATTTTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 4degrees, on 10/27/2007, -2/+10thats the place god was standing when he created the universe...
  • shadydentist, on 10/27/2007, -0/+14Dugg for eddies in the space-time continuum.
    ...and this is his couch?
  • Otto, on 10/27/2007, -1/+34“Eddies,” said Ford, “in the space-time continuum.”
    “Ah,” nodded Arthur, “is he. Is he.” He pushed his hands into the pockets of his dressing gown and looked knowledgeably into the distance.
    "What?" said Ford.
    "Er, who," said Arthur, "is Eddy, then, exactly, then?"
  • bluesydude, on 10/26/2007, -8/+1"One artifact of this may be an enormous 'cold spot'."

    What? Another article about Hillary Clinton?
  • Dakk, on 10/29/2007, -5/+3"Er, who," said Arthur, "is Eddy, then, exactly, then?"
  • dheaddy, on 10/28/2007, -1/+16"Study team member Neil Turok of the University of Cambridge admits his team's case is "not at all compelling" at the moment"
    ^What the hell does a dinosaur hunter know about the space-time continuum? Buried as inaccurate
  • grey580, on 10/27/2007, -0/+12"Arthur felt happy. He was terribly pleased that the day was for once working out so much according to plan. Only twenty minutes ago he had decided he would go mad, and now he was already chasing a Chesterfield sofa across the fields of prehistoric Earth."
  • WaterDragon, on 10/29/2007, -3/+7Is there no limit to the lengths of arrogance and stupidity that the pseudo-scientists will go to, when trying to pass off their speculative BS as legitimate scientific study?
    So now, they are saying that the universe itself is defective.
    One can only ask these fools, "...Defective in relation to WHAT? "
    (Perhaps some other universe that exists only in your undisciplined, grant-sucking, little tiny minds? )

    You can always spot a phony scientist by the fact that they try to sell their stupid 'big bang' theory that is really no theory at all, but merely a wild, baseless speculation. It is about as bad as the ridiculous views of the self-obsessed 'religious' ones, but perhaps even more insidious, as it uses technical jargon that tends to manipulate many otherwise sane, reasonable people, into believing that it is valid.

    "One artifact of this may be an enormous 'cold spot'."

    Maybe they should also watch out for the 'wet spot', because nobody likes having to lie on the wet spot.
    • ellecon, on 10/28/2007, -0/+2Dugg for "undisciplined, grant-sucking, little tiny minds".
    • vertinox, on 10/27/2007, -0/+1@"One can only ask these fools, "...Defective in relation to WHAT? ""

      Defective to the the the rest of space time I suppose.
    • Otto, on 10/29/2007, -0/+1>>>"...Defective in relation to WHAT? "

      Defective in relation to the other universe we know about. I keep it in my garage.
  • jub0r, on 10/26/2007, -0/+4That defect isn't anywhere near the Tempest Nebula, is it? Sweet Bubblegum Tate, we're all doomed!
    • younclephil, on 10/26/2007, -0/+2Dugg for referencing one of my favorite Futurama episodes.
  • sully213, on 10/26/2007, -0/+2Don't Panic!!!! (and don't forget to bring your towel)
  • yujie, on 10/27/2007, -1/+6Its the Doctor
  • MillenniumGuy, on 10/26/2007, -2/+1That d%*n Quality Assurance team, not catching the defects before the code ships.
  • ncc74656m, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1This crap is just so exciting to me. Then i watched a related video on dark matter too. Eeee! The geek in me is just overflowing.
  • romistrub, on 10/26/2007, -0/+2Turok? Seriously?! AWESOME!
  • skinflute, on 10/26/2007, -0/+4Maybe Hiro Nakamura can fix it.
  • freezeout, on 10/27/2007, -0/+4Fox News investigates: is Al-Queda responsible for the rip in space-time? In other news, Bush offers Haliburton a 200 billion no-bid contract to rebuild the continuum.
  • diggerphelps, on 10/26/2007, -0/+5This is what happens when you start outsourcing manufacturing to third-rate galaxies.
  • SuperOmegaSlack, on 10/26/2007, -1/+1I agree with McGrude...
    A defect is a human observation to describe what "we" see as not the way something is not supposed to be... Not much if anything is "Perfect" (another human observation) I feel what amsterdamordeth is saying, but looking at the bigger picture, we don't know enough to understand what is supposed to be and what is not...
  • loquax, on 10/26/2007, -0/+2I see a bunch of dwarfs with a map taking advantage of this...
  • Burninsensation, on 10/26/2007, -1/+0maybe a better word than "defect" would be "incongruity." These science types aren't always the best communicators.
  • lazerus9, on 10/26/2007, -0/+0.......And all of the planets were supposed to be the same size but, who can you going to complain to?
  • dinobot, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1No Star Trek or the Q Continuum references yet? Shame on you!
    • endlessoul, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1Well, this is Digg. Notsomuch Trek references as much as Slashdot.
    • ZaZ2137, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1Obviously repeated warp travel in that region of space has caused the fabric of space-time to wear thin much like running a vacum cleaner over a rug 1 million times.
  • oilcan, on 10/28/2007, -2/+1scientists are still trying to decide whether it was large angry trolls chewing on the long dead bones of an ancient god or the Titans of Olympus that existed before the Big Bang. Evidence is still inconclusive at this point, however there remains no doubt that 90% of the mass composing the universe cannot be observed or measured in any way, which is absolute proof of God, i mean the Big Bang.
  • Neo31rex31, on 10/30/2007, -3/+0Funny thing is there isn't one piece of evidence to support "the big bang" There is no defining point of a beginning and an end.
  • PadreHomer, on 10/30/2007, -0/+3Someone divided by zero
  • mrjit, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1None of this ***** ever makes any sense to me. I need a cosmology/physics/whatever class.
  • RobbieF, on 10/26/2007, -0/+2Oh hell... I could have told you all that. It is currently in the vicinity of my wife's vagina.
  • Rustbelt, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1My Flux Capacitor is always getting jammed up by these things.
  • Sinudeity, on 10/26/2007, -0/+0Hehe, artefacts? Defects in space-time...
    Man I really wanna play stalker right now.
  • MatTipton, on 10/26/2007, -0/+1Great Scott!!!
  • qole, on 10/26/2007, -0/+0I hope they issue a patch for this before someone figures out how to exploit it. If somebody gained root access to the Universe that could spell some serious trouble for the rest of us!
  • randysouth, on 10/30/2007, -0/+2Don't worry, it'll be fixed in Universe SP2.
  • macrumpton, on 10/27/2007, -0/+0I believe the phrase is "distortion of the space time continuum".
  • melitta, on 10/27/2007, -0/+0i don t belive
  • diggnitarial, on 10/28/2007, -0/+1ITS A GLITCH IN TEH MAY TRIX!!!1!
  •  

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