by Adrian Glass
The crowd claps. Jansky steps onto the stage, walking to the middle of the presentation area, she turns and faces the crowd. “My name is Elly Jansky, I am a theoretical physicist and cosmologist. Before I start this talk today, I would like to quote the great and late Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, who once said “I believe I can safely say that that nobody understands quantum mechanics.” With that been said, and I must emphasize, what the late Professor was implying was not a defeatist assumption, rather it was within the context of the vast mysteries of what quantum physics is, despite the advancements that we have made, particularly with particle experiments here on Earth. Mysteries are still abound. We are going to look at some of those mysteries today.” Jansky holding the remote wireless controller in her left hand, she pushes down with her thumb - behind her are two large angled screens, the right screen shows her new book titled The Mysterious Cosmos, the left screen has the heading Unsolved problems in Physics.
“As you can see not only is this a plug for new book...” The audience chuckles. “...but also the theme of this talk. And as I discussed in the introduction, physics particularly quantum physics, in it's very basis of establishing a dynamic view of what we see and what we know, still requires further evidence. Therefor, questions still remain. This is exciting, as we begin to understand the nature of particle physics, we can then attempt to answer some of the questions. Now for the sake of time in relation to my talk, I have broken it down to two of their fields of science that is my forte, which are Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology, breaking it down further I have picked two topics to discuss, which, do not have any definitive answers to these scientific problems.” Jansky turns walking towards the left-hand screen she clicks the wireless remote control as the heading Unsolved problems in physics now has two sub categories: Cosmology and General Relativity. Astronomy and Astrophysics.
She then faces the audience. “Ok, lets begin, the first topic I am going to discuss and my aim is to simplify this presentation that hopefully not only will you find these unanswered problems fascinating, even if your knowledge of physics is limited, but you'll see the Universe in a new and intriguing perspective. FSBs...” Jansky points to the left-hand screen angled above the stage area. “...Which stands for Fast Radio Bursts, we still don't know the origins, in sense the creation of it's physics...” She pauses with a smile. “...And I am not saying it's aliens...yet...” The crowd laughs. “...As a scientist we need absolute proof beyond any doubt to establish a claim, in the case of Fast Radio Bursts, as I said, the origins are still mysterious, the overall physics is there, we detect and analyze radio pulses all the time, the main culprit are Pulsers, magnetized neutron stars. The difference is that a Pulser radio emission, pulses, it's duration has a longer time frame and patten. A FSB is short, dramatic and in some-cases very intense, sending the spectrum detector reading into a very, as I mentioned, dramatic characteristic...” Jansky taps her portable devise as a graph shows a horizontal line that plunges. “...This was detected in 2012 by the Arecibo Puerto telescope, an intense short three millisecond signal. With the calculation using a dispersion formula, which means we factor the cosmic interference, gases, particles, planetary and Solar System dust. The estimation of this particular Fast Radio Burst, and it's length of time it took to be received here on Earth, was within the billions of light years time-frame, also to note that this radio emission was not from our Galaxy. If you are wondering what dispersion means, the closest analogy would be, when you were a child listening for the sound of thunder, as a way of understanding time and the relativity of time in relation to the speed of light, it's probably not the best example, but you calculate distance with light, being a precursor to sound - as it travels slower, counting the seconds after lightning to when you hear the thunderclap. You see, with our current understanding of physics, nothing travels faster than the speed of light, a radio signal from a different Galaxy will arrive slower than the light from that Galaxy. So with a radio emission from a far away area within the Universe, we need to access it's length of time that it took to reach Earth, if it has slowed due to interference within it's time-frame, we can calculate the distance.” Jansky walks closer to the edge of the stage, behind her an image is displayed of an artist's impression of a Black Hole and also a Neutron Star. She quickly turns and checks that the images have loaded up onto the large presentation screen.
“Behind me are the two, theorized, culprits of FSBs, Black Holes, either colliding or exploding and Neutron stars pretty much doing the same, exploding or colliding...And also one of the most violent events in the Universe is a Neutron Star being devoured by a Black Hole. But...” She holds up her right index finger. “...It still doesn't check out, in other words, inclusive. Why? No pulse, when a Black Hole devours a star for example, it creates a repetitive pulse signal, almost like a heart beat. Fast Radio Bursts are more like a beam directed at us, a sharp short wave of energy. Now, this is the unknown part that I think everyone has been waiting for...yes...” Jansky taps the portable remote controller behind her as an odd looking shape floats in the cosmos. “...Aliens...” The crowd laughs. “...When my book came out, a review on-line occurred, which was a favorable review thank you, anyway, they focused on this particular chapter on Fast Radio Bursts and its speculative theory, that falls into the realms of science fiction. Which was the Beacon Hypothesis, an hypothesized idea, that is of my own creation, which entails an ancient alien object that exists in a part of the Universe which is millions of years older than the Milky Way. An Extraterrestrial mega structure, massive in it's size that sits outside our known Galaxy, in-which like a lighthouse, sends a beam of information to various parts of the Universe. A fun idea and, I might add, a small part of that Chapter. Well, the Internet exploded, from UFO conspiracy theory sites to known Science publications plucked out that particular fictional concept and ran with it...” Behind Jansky, various artistic impressions of the alien Beacon Hypotheses fill the screen, from huge elongated pyramid looking shapes, to massive monolith black shapes of respective designs. Each image an attempt at portraying a conceptual alien design of what the Beacon Hypothesis would look like. “...But as scientists, the alien theory of unanswered problems in Physics is always considered last on the list, in fact, the very last theory that we should look at, but, it can be interesting as an idea. But that's all it is...Thank you very much.” The audience claps.
Italy,
Rome Airport.
September 2016
Elly Jansky stands in the arrival area of the airport, awaiting her pick up, she looks up above at the television screen, viewing a prerecorded discussion with her colleague Chris Halelis and a news reporter.
“...So what is being viewed here on Earth, are these shapes, now classified as 'DE-Voids'. This is a new phenomenon within what we view in the night sky. Is that correct?”
“What was discovered, early this year. Is not within our viewable space, or local Solar System, as you are aware the Universe is infinitely massive. Sometimes things, or what we may define as abnormalities are overlooked, not dismissed, we are very careful at studying all the data that we receive. And that's a lot of information to go through. Computer systems, particularly those looking at astrophysical phenomenon do, at times, miss data...Only because their programing is set at the known paradigm of what we understand. But as humans we have a sophisticated ability to be inquisitive and in conjunction with imagination, we then search for the facts....In the case of these dark shapes, like cuts outs within the masses of stars that we can view from Earth using telescopes...There was another event that occurred simultaneously, this was the high reading of Neutrino and Gamma Rays detected at the South Pole. It is still a mystery, but the two events maybe linked...” The screen then reveals the telescope images of the darkened shapes within the masses of stars. Halelis continues talking. “...Some theories have been discussed, but no explanations yet to explain this phenomenon at this point in time.”
Jansky lifts her c
ellphone with her left hand bringing up Halelis's number, she types a message:
“DE-Voids?”
“Ms Jansky?” A male voice is heard, in an obvious Italian accented tone. She looks up smiling as a young man in his early thirties holds out his hand. Dark neatly cropped brown hair, handsome in his studious looking appearance.
“Yes,” Jansky replies.
“Welcome to Italy my name is Emillo Marconi.”
Jansky shakes the man's hand.
“Is this all your luggage?” He asks looking at the smaller suitcase.
“I travel light,” Jansky replies lifting her suitcase
“This way please...” He says extending his right hand, leading the way towards the outside of the airport. “...The weather at the moment, it's crazy, one day hot like this, then drops in temperature. Very unusual for this time of year.”
“Are you studying at the University?”
The man turns and smiles looking at Jansky. “Yes particle physics at Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, I am in my fourth year of internship. Hopefully I can secure a three year tenure with CERN.”
“Best of luck...Very good University,” Jansky says as they both leave the main airport exit, the blistering heat of a prolonged European summer hits her, lifting a pair of sunglasses, she places them on, as the young man offers to take her suitcase. She hands the case to him as he opens the rear passenger doors, placing her suitcase onto the seat.
Jansky opens the car door and sits down at the front passenger seat, as her driver promptly does the same, closing the car doors – they both affix their seat-belts. He quickly checks the air conditioning. “Sorry, won't take long.” Starting the car, the interior begins to cool. He then quickly pulls out of the car space, just as he does a cab stops directly in-front of the car, he brakes suddenly. Swearing in Italian, he turns to Jansky. “Sorry, Rome drivers.” He drives onward towards the airport exit.
“I think bad driving is a global phenomenon,” Jansky replies. She feels her phone vibrate, taking the cellphone out of her handbag she looks at the message received from Halelis
“Best we can settle for 'Dark Emission Voids' or 'DEVs' otherwise it's a UFO, damn conspiracy theorists... :)” Smiling she places the phone back into her handbag.
“If you don't mind me asking...What is it?” The graduate physicist asks, with both hands on the steering wheel, he points up with his right index finger towards the clear blue sky.
“That's why I'm here, there is a Professor, very distinguished...Now working for the US military in Italy...”
“Professor Ivane Tori.”
“Yes”
“I have read your papers and last book...But I am curious, you know, what you personally think of this discovery.”
“On a speculative level, it has, possibly, always been there, becoming more pronounced over time...due to something unknown. A new type of physics,” Jansky replies.
“Dark matter?” The young student asks as he turns onto the main highway.
Jansky lifts her cellphone again, checking for a particular message from a prior dialog, there has been no new messages since the last six months, she places the phone back into her bag. “A lot of what we know about dark matter in relation to this unusual discovery, doesn't equate to a plausible answer...In the forming of a preliminary hypothesis, we could be witnessing Space-time bubbles...The term Dark Emission Voids is now be used to describe these anomalies.”
As they drive closer to Rome, the traffic becomes more condensed, with the various roadways expanding off the main A91 Autostrada that will all eventually lead back into Rome City. A jet flies low overhead, the sound of it's engine can be heard as it nears the subsonic sound barrier.
“NATO.” The young man peers up from the dashboard at the small fighter jet as it flies north.
Jansky also looks up, as the small shape of the plane becomes barely visible.
“Still a military build up?”
“Si, Americans are landing a lot of planes at Comiso Airport, Sicily...It it like this, Russia, they put the pressure on. Crack NATO and you'll have a bloodless invasion. Russia moves into Western Europe with money and resources, create sympathetic governments, mostly right wing...Redirection to what appears to be the 'major threat', which is Islamic terrorism, if that Russian President times it well for the backlash against left wing policies you'll have a glorious revolution without war.”
Jansky smiles looking up at the beautiful clear blue sky, she wipes away a droplet of sweat from her right temple. Despite the car's air conditioning, she still feels hot.
“Revolution of sixteen eighty eight, England, William of Orange, Dutch invaded...”
“I majored in history two years ago...Did you study?”
“A little bit here and there, no academic qualifications as such...” She continues looking out from the car window, thinking of what her colleague Halelis has named to describe the unusual shapes which are now a light year from Earth. The term Dark Emission Voids despite the scientific connotations of its theorized description – the phrasing is ominous. “...But no invasion is bloodless.”
They drive onward closer to Rome.
Underground Air Force Space Command base,
Gran Sasso mountains, Italy.
“Sir Black Sea movement, Russian destroyers and Lada Class submarines.” A young female communication sergeant says whilst looking over a computer monitor. Standing behind her is Captain Paul Grunner.
“Tracking and algorithm response.”
She points to the monitor as the augmented reality algorithm (ARA) communication systems via a military supercomputer which tracks the targets on the Black Sea.
“Two destroyers and two subs...formation pattern as calibrated on prediction protocol, detection of stealth submarines...Two by two, front and behind the Russian ships.”
“Good, run attack sequence on simulated tactical nuke strike. Report once complete.”
“Yes sir”
Captain Grunner walks back towards the main command area looking up at the computer readouts at the various black triangulated shapes which fill the screen.
“What the hell is it Nile?”
Chief Physicist, Nile Stephenson, of this secret American facility stands next to the military man, Grunner doesn't look at the scientist, aware of his presence, his focus is on the infrared satellite telescope image and various spectrometric images that are split into a horizontal datum on the large overhead monitor.
“I believe it will be determined as a threat Captain Grunner...Professor Tori is about to explain his calculations...” he pauses as Grunner looks at the young scientist briefly, his impression stern, arms folded behind his back he turns and looks back at the cosmic abnormality. “...That will also verify it's threat as an actuality, but to answer the basic question you ask. We have no idea what it's composition is at this point in time...But it's projection is clear...It's heading towards our Solar System.”
“Ok let's see the Professor,” Grunner replies as both men make their way towards the main research center of the underground facility to where the Professor and his team are working. Walking along the corridors they pass military and plain clothes personal. They reach the end of the hallway, Stephenson swipes a security card over the proximity reader, the door unlocks, opening the door Captain Grunner and Stephenson enter, in-front of them is Professor Ivane Tori and his assistant Karen Ginette, The Professor stands looking over a mass of mathematical calculations scribbled onto the blackboard, he then turns looking at the two men standing behind him.
“It's solid matter...” Tori turns his back and looks at his calculations again.
“So it's not dark matter?” Stephenson asks
“Karen has assisted with a print copy of these findings...I have reworked the equations with everything we know about mass in the Universe.” He walks to the board pointing at a certain calculation, Stephenson steps forward and looks over what the Professor is referring too.
�
�Neutron star?” Stephenson studies the mathematical line that runs atop of the equations.
“It has emitted highly charged Neutrons and Protons, at the same time Electrons. Large spikes were detected earlier this year with the Neutrino detectors here in Italy and Antarctica, but this is still emitting, albeit not as prolific, however it remains a persistent pulse...” The Professor turns looking at the young physicist that was once his pupil, who now, through the ranks of military science, has become a senior physicist of this facility. “...But this is no Neutron star, nor fragments of one...” He indicates with his hand for Ginette to pass him the printed paper of the findings, she obliges, Tori then hands it to Stephenson. “...What we have, and as you are already aware, is an object, that is not known within our understanding of the Universe. This astrophysical abnormality, from a relativity and quantum physics perspective, does show similarities to certain cosmological events...” Tori points to the research paper that Stephenson is holding and also refers to calculations that are written onto the board. “...We have high Neutrino, Gamma Ray and Electromagnetic variances. This would indicate a possible Neutron Star collapse, Black Hole and or Neutron Stars colliding. In reference to the calculations of mass and the strength of a Neutron Star surface compared to this object...Yes it also warps Space and time. Highly dense, solid matter.” He points to another calculation on the board, then refers to a diagram on the research paper, a speculative cone shaped object, computer drawn with embedded dimensions - the darkened angular shapes sporadically fill it's interior.
