All language subtitles for Why the Boötes Void Terrifies Astronomers (1)

Somewhere, far away in the boundless
reaches of the universe, there is a

of space so large and empty that defies
imagination, a cosmic void.

This vast expanse stretches across a
billion light years with scarcely a

of matter.

Mounting evidence suggests that we are
likely floating within a cosmic void of

about the same size.

This region is incredibly vast, enormous
beyond words.

Although, in truth, language falls short
of capturing the magnitude of this

nothingness. It is within these voids
that the true nature of the universe's

structure and evolution can be
discerned.

Moreover, Earth, our home planet, is
quite insignificant in the grand scheme

things. Once believed to occupy the
hallowed center of the universe, our

is now known to be just one among
billions upon billions.

In the depths of the night, as we gaze
at the stars, we see galaxies,

constellations, and celestial beauty.

However, we seldom consider the immense
voids that lie between them.

Cosmic voids, vast regions of seemingly
empty space, are some of the most

enigmatic and fascinating structures in
the universe.

Though they may appear barren, these
voids hold crucial information about the

large -scale structure and evolution of
the cosmos.

By sheer volume, most of our universe is
simply nothing.

And when it comes to understanding the
universe, this nothing holds immense

power. This emptiness possesses a secret
influence that subtly shapes the

distribution of galaxies and the
movement of cosmic matter.

Therefore, one should not ask, is there
any void?

But rather, is there anything apart from
the void?

Our home galaxy, the Milky Way, is just
one of billions in our universe.

It resides within a complex environment
shaped by various cosmic structures,

including nearby voids.

Understanding our place in the universe
requires an appreciation of the

intricate interplay between these
structures.

Evidence suggests that our galaxy is
inside a cosmic void, a vast expanse of

relatively empty space.

The surprising aspect is that, according
to the laws of cosmology, such a giant

void shouldn't exist in the first place.

The cosmological principle, a
fundamental theory of cosmology, posits

matter in the universe should be
uniformly distributed on very large

This principle underpins many of our
cosmological models and the

of the universe's structure.

However, multiple observations over the
past decade suggests that matter in the

universe may clump into regions of high
and low densities, meaning it may not be

as uniform as previously thought.

To understand voids, we need to zoom out
far beyond the solar system, the Milky

Way, and even beyond the groups and
clusters of galaxies nearby.

We need to zoom out so far that entire
galaxies, each with hundreds of millions

of stars, look like tiny dots of light.

At this vast scale, an amazing structure
emerges.

Galaxies are not scattered randomly.

Instead, they form the largest pattern
in nature.

We see dense clusters with thousands of
galaxies and long, thin strands

connecting these clusters, like highways
with galaxies along them.

These strands come together to form
broad, immense walls, the regions that

contain the typical cosmic mean density
of matter.

We call this vast structure the cosmic
web.

It's made of galaxies, much like your
body is made of cells.

but scaled to an unimaginable level.

Voids now occupy over 80 % of the
universe's volume, but hold less than a

of its mass.

The bright stars and galaxies of the
cosmic web highlight the edges of these

vast, empty regions. These cosmic voids
dominate the universe, meaning most of

it is nearly empty.

Within these voids, you might find a few
small, dim dwarf galaxies and a thin

mix of radiation and particles.

Yet they remain largely empty, devoid of
significant structures or matter.

The seeds of voids were planted in the
earliest moments of the universe, even

before the first stars and galaxies.

Billions of years ago, the matter in the
universe was almost perfectly uniform,

with only tiny, random differences.

Just a millionth more matter here, or a
millionth less there.

However, within this uniformity, there
existed minute, random fluctuations.

Tiny variations where there was a
slightly higher concentration of matter

place and slightly less in another.

These minuscule differences played a
pivotal role in the formation of

we observe today.

As the universe aged, these differences
grew.

Gravity, though weak, is persistent and
patient.

Regions with a bit more matter had a
slightly stronger gravitational pull,

attracting more matter and emptying
their surroundings.

As more matter gathered, the
gravitational pull grew stronger, and

surroundings emptied even more.

Over hundreds of millions of years, the
cosmic web began to form, first as small

clumps that ignited the birth of
earliest stars, then as small galaxies

merged together, eventually forming the
great clusters of galaxies, the

filaments, and the walls.

The cosmic web represents the grandest
pattern discovered in nature, extending

throughout the entirety of the universe.

It forms an immense and expansive
structure, almost overpowering in scale,

its appearance is delicate and fragile,
like fine strands of silk.

As the cosmic web flourished, so too did
the voids. They began as small, subtle

dips in the otherwise uniform fabric of
the universe.

Over time, these voids expanded as their
contents gravitated towards larger,

luminous structures.

Cosmic voids are akin to holes in the
universe, resembling gaps in Swiss

or the openings in a spider's web.

It stretches hundreds of millions of
light -years across. These voids are the

true deserts of the cosmos, almost
entirely devoid of matter. This

holds a mysterious influence.

In the late 1990s, when astronomers
discovered that the universe's expansion

accelerating, that instead of slowing
down under gravitational pull, as

expected, it's speeding up.

This phenomenon, confirmed by multiple
experiments, is attributed to dark

energy. Dark energy remains an enigma.

Scientists speculate it's a fundamental
property of space -time itself, driving

universal expansion.

Locally, however, its effects are masked
by the gravitational pull of stars,

gas, dust, and other matter in our
vicinity.

But in the voids, there's nothing to
counteract dark energy's influence.

They expand relentlessly, pushing
against the surrounding filaments and

perpetuating their growth.

On a grand scale, the universe resembles
a sponge, with voids dominating its

vast expanse. Some voids span hundreds
of millions of light -years in diameter.

To study these voids, astronomers rely
on optical and radio telescopes to

for any signs of matter within them.

Superclusters of galaxies and voids are
frequently studied in tandem, as they

are thought to share a common
evolutionary history and dynamics.

Our own Milky Way galaxy lies in a void
called the KBC Void, or Local Hole.

Other notable cosmic voids that have
been discovered and studied in detail,

providing valuable insights into the
nature of the universe, include the

Southern Local Super Void and the
Eridanus Super Void.

However, none is as big as the BOTUS
Super Void, sometimes called the Great

Nothing. or the Great Void, the Boötes
Void is a spherical region located

approximately 700 million light years
away from Earth in the constellation

Boötes. Boötes is depicted as the
herdsman in Greek mythology.

The Boötes Void stretches across an
immense area spanning 330 million light

years, distinguishing it as the largest
known void in the universe.

Despite its vast size, it harbors very
few galaxies, approximately 60,

within a tube -shaped region at its
center.

Typically, a region of this size would
host around 2 ,000 galaxies.

Surrounding the boda's void are several
superclusters including Ursa Major,

Shapley, Hercules, and Corona Borealis.

Why is it so empty?

Apart from dark energy, which we
discussed earlier, the regions where

cluster together, such as in galaxy
clusters or groups, are significantly

influenced by the life cycles of stars
and the presence of supermassive black

holes at the centers of galaxies.

These supermassive black holes, also
known as active galactic nuclei, AGN,

a crucial role in shaping their
surroundings.

Supernovae are explosive events that
occur when massive stars reach the end

their lives.

These explosions release enormous
amounts of energy, including shockwaves

high -energy particles.

into the surrounding interstellar
medium.

The energy and momentum from supernovae
can heat up the surrounding gas and

drive it outward, preventing it from
collapsing under its own gravity to form

new stars or galaxies.

This process, known as supernova
feedback, regulates the rate of star

within galaxies and can extend its
influence into the surrounding

medium.

AGNs. powered by supermassive black
holes at the centers of galaxies, also

a crucial role in regulating the growth
and evolution of galaxies.

These black holes can accrete large
amounts of gas and dust from their

surroundings, releasing tremendous
amounts of energy in the form of

and powerful jets of particles.

This AGN activity can heat up and ionize
the gas in their vicinity, affecting

the formation of new stars.

and influencing the dynamics of the
interstellar and intergalactic medium.

In the context of cosmic voids as a
whole, where galaxies are sparse or

the lack of such energetic feedback
mechanisms can have profound

Without the heating and disruption
caused by supernova and AGNs, the gas in

voids may remain relatively cool and
undisturbed.

As a result, there may be insufficient
energy to prevent the gas from simply

diffusing away or remaining in a state
that does not promote the formation of

new galaxies.

Therefore, the absence of significant
supernova and AGN feedback in cosmic

can contribute to their observed
emptiness and lack of dense galaxy

structures.

Within the vast expanse of a void like
Botus, gravitational forces play a

crucial role in the distribution of
matter.

In regions where the density of matter
is lower, gravitational attraction is

weaker. This can result in slower or
less efficient formation of galaxies,

clusters, and other cosmic structures
compared to denser regions.

As a result, voids may remain relatively
empty over cosmic timescales because

the gravitational pull needed to pull
matter together into dense structures is

insufficient. Moreover, the ongoing
expansion of the universe further

complicates matters.

cosmic expansion stretches space itself,
causing regions with lower initial

densities, like voids, to expand more
quickly than regions with higher

densities, like galaxy clusters.

This expansion can further hinder the
gravitational collapse and clustering of

matter within voids, perpetuating their
emptiness over billions of years.

Therefore, a combination of weaker
gravitational forces and the expansive

of the universe itself likely
contributes to why cosmic voids such as

Void remain so sparsely populated with
galaxies and matter.

The concept of the Boötes Void as an
exceptionally large and empty region in

space invites speculation.

Does this perplexing structure align
with Nikolai Kardashev's 1962 theory on

advanced alien civilizations and their
activities?

Could it have potentially hosted a hyper
-intelligent extraterrestrial species?

In the context of the Buddha's void, we
can draw parallels to urban development

dynamics on Earth.

Imagine the void as a neighborhood that,
in the distant past, may have witnessed

bustling activity and utilization of its
resources.

Just as civilizations on Earth have
developed and consumed resources over

so too might advanced civilizations have
once flourished within the void.

They could have tapped into its energy
reservoirs and utilized its resources,

analogous to how humans have utilized
Earth's resources for millennia.

As time passed and resources within the
void were exhausted or rendered

obsolete, any advanced civilizations
that once thrived there may have moved

or diminished.

leaving behind a vast expanse that
appears desolate and empty to us today.

This perspective allows us to speculate
on the potential history and life cycle

of civilizations within cosmic voids,
considering both their rise and eventual

decline or departure.

The existence of the Buddhist void
challenges fundamental theories about

large -scale structure and distribution
of matter in the universe.

It somehow contradicts the cosmological
principle, which posits a smooth and

homogeneous distribution of matter on
the largest scales when viewed over

sufficient distances.

This enormous void spans hundreds of
millions of light years, far exceeding

current models can easily explain.

Its existence suggests structural
complexities that current theories

accommodate.

Some hypotheses propose that such
remarkably empty regions may highlight

our understanding of dark matter and its
gravitational influence on cosmic

scales. While not impossible to form
from early universe density

the extreme emptiness of the void makes
it a statistically improbable anomaly

that prompts numerous questions.

Cosmic voids represent the most enduring
time capsules in the cosmos.

remaining largely unchanged over
billions of years.

Defined by their sparse matter content,
these voids provide a pristine and

unparalleled environment for studying
dark energy.

Within these vast expanses lie answers
to numerous cosmological mysteries.

As cosmological laboratories, they offer
insights into the fundamental nature of

dark matter and dark energy, reveal
details about the ancient universe, and

provide crucial information on the
formation of galaxies.

Thus, our greatest insights into the
universe's mysteries may only be

through careful exploration and study of
these expansive regions of emptiness.

In the distant future, the cosmic web,
adorned with galaxies, filaments and

walls, will gradually unravel.

Filaments will thin out as voids expand,
squeezing them into oblivion.

Walls will fade away.

Clusters will endure, but become
isolated islands in a vast emptiness.

But before this distant future arrives,
there's urgent work to be done.

Dark energy permeates all of space
-time, but its effects are most

within voids.

Understanding this mysterious force,
which dictates the universe's fate,

requires focusing beyond galaxies and
clusters.

Their powerful gravitational pull masks
dark energy's subtle influence.

Instead, attention turns to the silent
expanses of voids.

Voids hold keys to unlocking dark energy
secrets.

Their growth, shapes, and distribution
reveal insights into dark energy's

strength and evolution.

By meticulously mapping cosmic voids,
scientists hope to unravel the elusive

properties of dark energy and compare
findings with theoretical models.

Moreover, cosmic voids act as timeless
archives.

While galaxies evolve, stars are born,
die, and matter shifts, voids remain

serene, empty spaces, largely unchanged
over billions of years.

Although the void appears completely
dark to our eyes, solving its mysteries

could paradoxically shine a light on
outstanding problems in our theories of

universe's evolution, structure, and
perhaps even the nature of the elusive

matter itself.

The vast nothingness may contain hidden
insights into cosmic something we are

yet to understand.

And that's it for this video.

Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in
the next one.