Amy Lu's View

I’m going to attempt another post inspired by something that I don’t really understand that I’m probably taking horribly out of context. This time it is science-based, rather than math-based (although I’m sure this science involves math) and science, unlike math, is  something I’m really intrigued by. Or at least the fields of science that have to do with astronomy and quantum physics and all those things that can fuel cool science fiction.

So. Dark matter.

I was listening to the Minnesota Public Radio this afternoon and happened to catch Bob Collins tell Mary Lucia that scientists (okay, not all scientists but you know what I mean) have discovered a galaxy where there is NO dark matter.

Mary Lucia saracastcially conveyed that she was NOT impressed. But I totally am.

Now, as I said I can’t claim to have even an informed layperson’s understanding of dark matter and I’m not going to devote the time to even doing a little internet research about it. Who has time for knowledge when there are deep philosopical ideas to blog about? (Okay, my librarian soul can’t resist at least one link about the story for context: https://www.wired.com/story/the-case-of-the-missing-dark-matter/)

I think dark matter is “stuff” that we* can’t see or sense or measure or explain but we know it has to be there because otherwise there would no way the universe could function like it does. We know it’s there because we can see it’s effects but we can’t see it directly. (*By “we” I am of course referring to all those sciencey types who devote their lives to studying those things).

Whoa. That is so cool and disturbing, both in the literal sense and as a metaphor…how many things impact us that we can’t see or understand? These things run the gamut of everything from love and our unconscious and our fears and things from childhood we don’t remember and our DNA and our brain chemistry and what weird chemicals are in our food.

Oh, and I think dark matter is also somehow tied into the theory of the multiverse: somewhere there is a universe where every possible version of reality exists and every choice you didn’t make in this universe another you did make. So there is an Amy Luedtke out there who IS a DJ or a mother or a writer or a Republican or a fluitist or a scientist. And of course muliple universes where there is no Amy Luedtke at all.

The multiverse theory is comforting and terrifying, because on one hand, some you is experiencing all those things you have missed out on, but that includes all the really sucky things you’re glad you got to skip.

Thinking about dark matter makes me think both about my choices and the things I can control and how things that are way beyond my understanding that impact, and maybe even control, me.

“Dark Matter” is also a recent book by Blake Crouch that I read and it was really thought-provoking and fast-paced and sweet and made me appreciate the choices I’ve made and the life I do have. It also made me very sleepy because I don’t actually read print books anymore. I only listen to audiobooks (mostly when I run), so it took me so long to finish that I couldn’t really remember what was going on. Of course you can check “Dark Matter” out from the your friendly neighborhood library: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/item/show/5385452109

The book also made me worry that if I ever did get to meet other me’s most of them would me homicial whiny jerks. More likely, we would just be hyper-competitive and judgy of each other. I can’t imagine how the poor non-drinking Amy’s would fare.

Anyway, a galaxy without dark matter? Is it populated by beings who fully understand how the world works and how they work and are in total control of their lives and actions? Would that be empowering or boring?

What does it mean that there is a galaxy without dark matter or that the rest of the universe has it? Anything? Everything? Nothing? All I know is that this Amy, in this universe, gets to decide (or think she’s deciding) what that—or anything—means and I think that is pretty awesome.

And I do wonder if there is a me out there somewhere who crafts and makes the time to get her hair cut on a regular basis.