Christian Ashford

Did you know that there is a theory about the shape of the universe that suggests it might resemble a giant donut? That’s a real idea in science called a 3‑torus topology. It is a concept that theorizes the universe is looped all around, but still flat in a geometrical sense. In other words, scientists … Read more

It is easy to dismiss the idea that the Earth is flat, but did you know that cosmologists also refer to our universe as possibly flat? However, this describes a specific geometric calculation and does not mean that the universe is flat, as in pancake-shaped. This is a theory associated with Alan Guth and others, developed … Read more

Scientists believe that the universe is expanding, but this statement has created confusion among the public. Because if the universe is really expanding, then what exactly is it expanding into? If the space encompasses all that exists, and the definition of the universe is everything, how does its expansion even work? The simple answer is … Read more

A common question or misconception about our capabilities to see objects in space is how we can see stars billions of light-years away, but we can’t see the finer details on what’s on the moon, such as the footprints of the astronauts who landed there, or the national flags. Let’s unpack how this phenomenon is … Read more

Stars are born in nebulae, regions in space filled with cosmic dust and gas. Then a gravitational collapse happened, and the materials around became concentrated because of gravity, forming a protostar. This is a hot and dense core that will trigger nuclear fusion after reaching a certain temperature, releasing energy and marking the birth of … Read more

There is a very high likelihood that there are aliens out there, but at the same time, we currently do not have a single piece of evidence, aside from the sheer size of our galaxy and the universe, for us to be alone. This is a phenomenon called the Fermi Paradox, named after Enrico Fermi’s … Read more