<![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy - io9 Comments]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy - io9 Comments]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> As humans look out further, gathering in larger bits of the Universe to examine in detail, the Universe grows larger. Our human minds can collapse entire chunks of an finite Universe simply by observing. That's one of the things human conciousess does: it collapses reality into decrete units. So, when we bring a galaxy into focus for the first time, the Universe has to use a large junk of dark matter to run this now-discrete collapsed state of matter on, because dark matter is the ultimate sub-straight for this place. At the same time dark energy is used to communicate this new reality state to all the other bits of our consistent universe. This requires networks of anti-Higgs bosons. These networks are anti-gravity lines which cause the universe to expand, ever-so- slightly faster. Just think what this place is going to be like when we've mapped more and more of the sky?

I thank a variety of writers for the above occulto-weirdo ideas.

Jeff-Minor

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> The secondary optics, a 1m. mirror, is cooled in a cryostat to a few degrees K. to reduce the noise, as are the detectors (to a few degrees mK.). The signal they are trying to pick up in the CMB is only a few degrees K, so any heat radiating out of the telescope components would add noise and wash out the signal.

packaride

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> Pretty cool looking. One minor quibble: it's the sensors that would need to be chilled to near absolute zero, not the optics, because the sensors are presumably electronic and require cooling to reduce thermal fluctuations in their signal output (which means noise). One would like the optics to be protected from differential temperature variations, as is true of optics elsewhere, because that might physically distort the structure and hence the image. But they shouldn't need to be cooled unless some part of them contacts the sensors or their immediate supports.

Naked_Quark

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> "Is an invisible, undetectable force tearing the universe apart?"

Taken out of context, that's a wonderful line. The ultimate in scaremongering!

bluewyvern

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> To the astronomers of Antarctica:

Dark energy = hot, black coffee

And it is undisputedly a part of the universe.

Spellbound

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> Predicted conclusion: dark energy appears to be made of penguins.

amorphous

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> If I remember correctly the scientist couldn't figure out where to look so they would be looking into the filming camera...

psdbny

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> You can watch live feed interviews & stuffs of the giant toilet at the SF Exploratorium.
I watched them prep for one of the interviews..and yup...those scientist are little ego maniacs.
[icestories.exploratorium.edu]

psdbny

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> Bad planning on our part. No place to hang the toilet paper.

greetings

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> @Annalee Newitz: True. That makes it a magic giant toilet!!

AhnyerKeester

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> @AhnyerKeester: Hey, now. It's not just a giant toilet. It's a giant toilet WITH A RAINBOW.

Annalee Newitz

]]> <![CDATA[Ultracold Polar Telescope Searches for Dark Energy]]> It's a giant toilet. Good in case giant aliens are in the galactic neighborhood and can't hold it till they get home.

Man, we're a interstellar rest area. That bites.

AhnyerKeester

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