Notes - mostly glossary / co-captain / A-Class Explorer Ship

           It is after noon. You have over eight and a half pages worth of words, over 3500 words of description about Ship and its workings from the three original Merlyn books. You do not need to add all these to the blog however do add the Glossaries.

Glossary - Books One & Two   ©

Antigravobars – Gravitational currents or waves similar to ocean currents.

Antigravoskimming – Antigravity in overdrive for safe and efficient human use.

Bedinabox – The efficient use of living space.

Blackanot – When blackanot is ON, Ship cannot be detected visually or electronically.

Darkansoul – A natural mask of fear between one’s marsupial self and one’s soul.

Foldanotes – Notes that are electronically layered one on top the other not paper paged. It appears as a one page note.

Godofamily – God, the Creator of All Things and Beyond.

Gravobarred – Past tense, Shuttlevator scooting, as on thin ice.

Gravoengines – Quantum mechanical process engines that drive Ship with antigravity.

Homeplanets – The three planet solar system of the humanoid marsupials.

Linematic drive – Automatic point A to point B magnetic and gravitational readings for navigational purposes.

Mindansoul – Marsupial reason suggests the mind and the soul are somehow attached.

ParentsinCharge – An elected group of leaders who are responsible for the safety and efficiency running of Homeplanets. Humanitarian ethics are the only standard followed.

Pouchbabe – A marsupial baby still enjoying being pouched.

PrimeThree – A group of elected leaders who control the marsupial galactic exploration programs.

Pushanpull – A safety device that forces a marsupial to think twice before Ship will react.

Readanwriter – A computer devise that contains all words Marsupial and English.

Ripplantoast – Defensive shield and blackanot on to protect Ship.

SingleParent – God.

Shuttlevator – A small, efficient ship that can take a marsupial crew to HomePlanets from anywhere in the galaxy, a life raft.

Soular - Spiritual energy readable in the human or marsupial spirit.

Stopanstill – A process that overrides the physics of motion in Ship, the brakes.

Stuckinagray – A psychological condition of Ship when it cannot consciously decide what to do, whether to flee the danger or return to HomePlanets which is a last resort and not as safe or efficient as fleeing the imminent danger.

Trancephyics – Merlyn’s dreaming process that includes a vehicle for a dream from the Dead to be read by the Living. A process included in the shaman’s dance between the mind and spirit.

Twiginatwig or curlingtwig – (slang) A common name for a small placid muscular male appendage built for urination and for sexual activity. Between full sexual arousal time and ejaculation, there is a total of two to four seconds. One of marsupial’s most the common sarcastic names given is ‘workatwig' (to near exhaustion)’ is painfully but humorously understood by marsupials.

***

Crawbaa – A marsupial babe making the crawl from the birth canal up into the pouch.

Boxostats – Bio chemical computer that reminds you of the things you do routinely everyday. It can be adjusted to tell you how many spoons of ice cream you had in a week, for instance, on in a month. The computer is in a soft pad that you stick anywhere on your person. It is used mainly to study and help a person control compulsive behaviors.

Brownsodainajar – A very addictive sweet drink on HomePlanets. A human may mistaken it for an interesting tasteful cold tea but it holds very light, opium-like properties.

Gravobar – A measure of gravitational energy need to power Ship

Heart tangle – Invisible vines of humanity that entangle people almost immediately. This is a Soki word from the second chapter in reference to Hartolite and Glenn.

Pretzel effect – Merlyn dreaming with two female companions heightening the sensations of the Dead on the thread of life, the DNA.

Shunning – To avoid an individual socially by putting pressure on the said person to mend herorhis ways. A shunning offense is always forgivable and mostly forgotten by the marsupial group. Banishment is a worse punishment and is rarely forgivable. Hope is never taken away in even the worst of cases.

Soultime – A sense of personal Purgatory

***

         It is strange to see these lists once again. I was in a different place and time at least in my head. I didn't even remember there wasn't a glossary for book three. I suppose I can legally call them my made up vocabulary. The marsupial humanoids see 'groups' first in a lot of cases, then specifics. I assume this is because they are a matriarchal chosen culture and society. The men find it more relaxing to have the women lead so they can work on efficiencies of specific projects. Men and women do work together on projects, they are equal heartansoulanmind wise but physically there are tendencies that make, in general, women more right brained and men more left brained. That's all I remember.

         Post. - Amorella

         I will but there is nothing here that has much to do with Yermey's plan.

           Friendly, Hartolite and Yermey are exceptional people. Few, if any of the marsupial humanoids on ThreePlanets would want to be in their shoes. These three want to make a conscious connection with Earthlings, with Homo sapiens. ThreePlanets is fearful of biological contamination, that Homo sapiens will bring diseases to them. They are fearful that communication will be misunderstood. They are fearful of Homo sapiens lack of patience, after all their life span average (non-accidental or suicidal deaths) is about five hundred years. They have plenty of time and plenty of space for social organization based on early pouch development. Running is their defense and sharing is their communial standard. Yet, here these three are defying ThreePlanets to let Earthlings know they exist. You need to keep this in mind, orndorff. Now, post. - Amorella

         This afternoon you and Carol each had half a ham and cheese sandwich and wheat chips while you watched a DVRed "Castle" and "Vegas". You also drove to Walmart because Carol only had two bags of candy for trick or treat and you bought another couple of bags for insurance.

         1627 hours. It's raining I doubt there will be that many tonight but I would hate to run out. I am ready to work on Pouch-5 but I'm ready to wait until you are ready. It is always a little nerve wracking to go into a writing more or less blind. What in the world are Yermey's thoughts moving into this?

         Let's go find out. - Amorella

         1635 hours. I have the document set but I am hung up on setting and vocabulary.

         Go back and see what you wrote on Ship already. - Amorella

         I forgot about Ship in this book. . . . I have added the material to Ship Tech however I need a diagram of ship. This needs to be a smaller class, three levels. It needs to have a Shuttlevator though not one bigger than a regular elevator. It has to hold at least ten people though I can't imagine a Ship made for less than a hundred passengers.

         This is not Star Trek's Enterprise. To save wasted energy search online. A fully equipped private apartment is required for each crew member. Ship chooses its crew as well as the other way around. The smallest Ship is one hundred yards in diameter and is thirty feet tall at center. Go back to The Day the Earth Stood Still film as a first example. Think, orndorff. A large Ship would be intimidating. All they need is something to take them home fast in an emergency.

         I haven't thought of this from this crew's needs and objectives. A small Ship; I need to create a new class. These people are mostly passengers, but all three can run Ship.

         Only if Ship allows this at the time. - Amorella

         So, Ship's the captain?

         Co-captain is more accurate, for safety and an assured home flight or rescue. It is getting close to trick or treat time. You need to prepare. More later. Post. - Amorella

         This afternoon you and Carol each had half a ham and cheese sandwich and wheat chips while you watched a DVRed "Castle" and "Vegas". You also drove to Walmart because Carol only had two bags of candy for trick or treat and you bought another couple of bags for insurance.

         1627 hours. It's raining I doubt there will be that many tonight but I would hate to run out. I am ready to work on Pouch-5 but I'm ready to wait until you are ready. It is always a little nerve wracking to go into a writing more or less blind. What in the world are Yermey's thoughts moving into this?

         Let's go find out. - Amorella

         1635 hours. I have the document set but I am hung up on setting and vocabulary.

         Go back and see what you wrote on Ship already. - Amorella

         I forgot about Ship in this book. . . . I have added the material to Ship Tech however I need a diagram of ship. This needs to be a smaller class, three levels. It needs to have a Shuttlevator though not one bigger than a regular elevator. It has to hold at least ten people though I can't imagine a Ship made for less than a hundred passengers.

         This is not Star Trek's Enterprise. To save wasted energy search online. A fully equipped private apartment is required for each crew member. Ship chooses its crew as well as the other way around. The smallest Ship is one hundred yards in diameter and is thirty feet tall at center. Go back to The Day the Earth Stood Still film as a first example. Think, orndorff. A large Ship would be intimidating. All they need is something to take them home fast in an emergency.

         I haven't thought of this from this crew's needs and objectives. A small Ship; I need to create a new class. These people are mostly passengers, but all three can run Ship.

         Only if Ship allows this at the time. - Amorella

         So, Ship's the captain?

         Co-captain is more accurate, for safety and an assured home flight or rescue. It is getting close to trick or treat time. You need to prepare. More later. Post. - Amorella

         1803 hours. I am on the front porch await the little ones. On my right small table is a Coke Zero, a large orange bowl of treats. On the other small table is a skull with a flashing red light inside and a ceramic orange pumpkin with a black pointed cap on top. Neither the candle or flashing bike light are lit at present because it is still light. I see two sets of kids coming this way. On my left side of the street are four and it looks like four coming down the other side. Parents with umbrellas walking discreetly behind the excited little costumed children. Lots of fun. For some it looks like their first time out. The weather is cold, damp, sprinkling and nippy behind a slight wind out of the northwest. I am facing east at the end of our cul-de-sac.

         1821 hours. I have had about ten trick or treaters so far, and have added to the ambience: AOL Slacker online Halloween music.

         After the Halloween hours you and Carol watched a DVRed "Mentalist" the hundredth episode. You did find a photo of the saucer in the 1951 original The Day the Earth Stood Still. The size is small but the shape will work well. You were going to create a drawing of the interior but there is no need. The outer parameter has ten personal private rooms; one for captain and one for each passenger. All rooms are identical and have 225 square feet of living space. Each room has a kitchen, toilet, sink, shower, living/entertainment/study room and sleeping facilities as well as clothing facilitators. Each living unit can be separated if need be and automatically sent running to ThreePlanets. The central area is social/lab-an-works commons. The commons can also be used as a Shuttlevator. The skin of Ship holds the individual and common mechanics. The shields are for defense only no weaponry of any kind exists. Basically Ship, an A-Class Explorer, is a pouch for ten and up to ten pouches for one for each. Below is the basic shape. The height is ten feet at center out to seven feet at outer edge of living space. The outer hull tapers down to one inch. Four hallways exist, four entrances/exits, each three feet wide. This is a translation and is not exact. No windows exist. Post. - Amorella

Basic  Shape, Not Size of A-Class Explorer Ship

(Image from the 1951 "The Day the Earth Stood Still" film)

         2234 hours. This gives me much more to work with and is of simple efficient design. Where is the storage area?

         Each apartment can also be used for storage when needed. - Amorella

Notes - correspondence / speculation / 'revelationary' / Ship tech /

         You received two notes from Doug this morning, an earlier one, before light and a second, condensed. Drop the shorter version here:

** **

Dick, If the ship were cloaked with enough dark matter to make it a black hole then time near the ship on the outside would be very slow or stop and of course you would not see it. Inside time and light still exist. Reminds me of the Klingon cloaking device.

I have been pondering about us living in a black hole and how this could be without crushing us. If our visible universe were surrounded with a shell of dark matter that was large enough to turn it into a black hole, the gravity inside at the center would be zero on whatever is at the center. Time and light and mass exist. The entire concept of living inside a black hole makes me wonder if our universe is just a bubble with some mass and energy inside a sea of dark matter. If the black hole was not a spherical shell, dark energy might be an artifact of the black hole.

One of the freshman college physics problems is to explain the motion of a ball dropped into a hole drilled through the earth. Because at the center of the earth the gravity in the hole has reduced to zero, the ball will experience periodic motion.

Doug

** **

         A few minutes ago [I and] you wrote back:

** **

Doug, this is Amorella. Orndorff is lacking words here and will have to absorb your words as an artifact of dark matter absorbs time and becomes a shell, a conditional effect of a black hole lite as words convert into a cohesive thought. 

Doug,

Thank you very much. I am attempting to come to a base understanding so that I might have an imagination to make this a practical speculation to be useful in the books. My hope is that since I don't know what one can't do I can come up with something than can be used, at least in a fiction. I am so out of my league here. But I love the concepts and speculations that come with science so much; such a wonder the science presents to one's imagination.

 ;-)

Dick

** **

         0954 hours. When I don't know what to say, that is, how to put my words because I cannot seem to absorb the matter coherently enough, you go first. I thank you for this Amorella. I used to be embarrassed by such personal matters but I see you as being helpful when I cannot come up with the words to communicate mainly because, at the time, I do not understand how to communicate effectively what is actually on my mind (sometimes what is on my mind is a near absolute zero). Sometimes what is on my mind is just out of reach, on the other side of a wall full of sorts and whatnot's.

                  Post, and take a break. - Amorella

                  You are at the corner of Cornell and Montgomery Roads at Montgomery Family Medicine waiting on Carol's appointment. Doug sent you a note, a photo and said it looked like a Klingon cloaking devise. What it is (photo below) from Skye:

"Astronomers using a telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert have discovered an unexpected spiral structure in the material around dying red giant R Sculptoris. The spiral -- visible around the bright dot at the center of the image -- is likely caused by a hidden companion star orbiting R Sculptoris."

As you have free wireless here, another note from Doug.

** **

Dick, When we were in High School the shape of the universe was supposed to be a saddle shape. Now it is a flat plain. This is most curious. Doug

There’s a continuing discussion among astronomers regarding the actual shape of the Universe. Right now, the most widely accepted model supports that of a flat universe.

This has been confirmed through accurate measurements made by WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe), a spacecraft that maps out the differences in temperature of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) across the entire sky. These results, which only has a 2% margin of error, were released in 2008.

Even before the WMAP measurements, a project in 2001 known as Boomerang already showed that the Universe was flat within 15% accuracy.

Before these seemingly conclusive findings were released, discussions revolved around three possible shapes: flat, closed, and open. To ascertain the actual shape, majority of astronomers were in agreement that they only needed to determine a few significant information about the Universe. One of them was its density.

They knew that if the density was found to be approximately equal to an accepted critical density, then the best prediction would be that of a flat universe. If it was lower than the accepted value, then the best prediction would favor an open one. Finally if it was higher than the critical density, the prediction would favor a closed universe.

[Here Doug gave me a source which I followed and this line continued]:

All three models stem from the Big Bang cosmological theory, which strives to explain how the Universe began. This is easily the most acceptable of all cosmological theories, following the detection of the CMBR. It is only through the Big Bang theory that the presence of the CMBR can be explained.

Since the ultimate fate of the universe is also dependent upon its density, there is therefore a direct link between its shape and how it will end. The possible endings, which are also offshoots of the Big Bang, are: the Big Crunch, Big Bounce, Big Freeze, and Big Rip.

Observations have shown that the Universe is expanding at an accelerated rate, with the outermost regions moving farther away at velocities close to the speed of light; i.e., much, much faster than those regions that are near us.

A flat universe would still favor an expansion but not at this rate. This observation has led scientists to predict the presence of a so-called dark energy that pushes the galaxies farther apart.

[Doug's source]: http://www.universetoday.com/37351/shape-of-the-universe/#ixzz2AncXnvMi

** **

         The doctor's appointment only took a few minutes, over to get a prescription for poison ivy, then, home for excellent leftover Papa John's pizza from supper and then on to Kenwood for Carol's yearly eye examination.

         1246 hours. I am getting excited about the prospect of using dark matter and black hole and universe shape theory in a fabricated paint (blackenot) on Ship.

         1407 hours. Sitting in McD's across from the Kenwood Centre waiting on Carol who is nearby, she said it would be about two hours.  Checking email and another note from Doug responding to my question below.

** **

On 10/30/2012 12:20 PM, orndorff wrote:

Doug, the rest of the article, in part, says: 

A flat universe would still favor an expansion but not at this rate. This observation has led scientists to predict the presence of a so-called dark energy that pushes the galaxies farther apart.

Is this is what you were referring to in your first note, that if we were within a black hole then the dark energy would be pulling us [the universe] apart rather than pushing?

Dick

 *

Doug's reply:

Dick,

You said it right!

Doug

** **    

          Now I am pumped. I think this can work, at least in a fiction.

         Dr. Goss is a good friend and is quite helpful for us here. I respect his humanity in this project as I respect yours. - Amorella

         No words forthcoming, Amorella.

         At least you have learned not to apologize for it. Post. - Amorella

        1506 hours. I just watched the President's speech thanking the Red Cross and first responders. I am impressed with his words.

         You cannot expect yourself to speak or use your keyboard when you are quietly overcome with heartansoulanmind any more than anyone else so overcome. In here this is another reason why the Dead stay quiet. In this fiction it is even more overcoming from people who did not even realize their heartsansoulsanminds were present in this combined form, the form on which the shaman dances on which the shaman has always danced. That's how it is in here, boy.

         Even in a fiction such as this, that is the notes to the fiction, I get the feeling that there may be more to our human spirit than there is to black holes and dark matter. I want to say I know better, but the thing is, I don't. There is nothing prideful in this thought; in fact it is 'revelationary' to me to have even considered the concept.

         Post. - Amorella

        You picked up Carol and have returned to Kroger on Tylersville to pick up Carol's prescription. She asked if you wanted anything and you said "treats" and told her to decide. Later tonight we may work on Pouch-5. You already have "blackenot" as part of the series now we are going to explain it. You are surprised first, that the universe may be flat, and second, that the theory of the universe being within a black hole can be used to reinforce this. Now will be the part where Yermey is thinking through the plan for when they take their return flight from Put-in-Bay to Cleveland and how this is going to work. This is what Pouch-5 will be about, "Yermey's Plan". - Amorella

         As usual, this is not what I was considering. Surely though, it is better for the reader to see the plan before it takes place. It will also give the reader something to think about in terms of technology some twenty thousand years ahead of our own times.

         That's a lot of time for technological advancement and we might as well demonstrate how Ship operates. You may want to go back and look over material, particularly the 'names of things' that you used in relationship to Ship as background because we can use that file.

        You are home and Carol is fixing eggs for supper, the local news is on with the national following. Post. - Amorella    

Notes - in theory? / speed of light at zero / a question /

         You had a busy morning getting all the leaves out and covered with tarps for tomorrow's pick-up. The problem is the wind is supposed to become worse this afternoon.

         Who would have thought that any storm coming into New Jersey would drive clouds and wind back to Cincinnati. I listened to the New York boroughs fire departments and emergency runs for a little while before bed and checked Tweeter but it was most anticipation, some thinking the storm will be the worse thing ever and other figuring it will not even come close to its great expectations. Personally, it wouldn't surprise me if it suddenly turned right and out to sea. And, if it stays on track that won't surprise me either.

         You're not so easily surprised? - Amorella

         I knew this was coming. I could feel it rising from my right shoulder or mid-spine, I don't know which. The closed event that I can relate this feeling to is like when one of my arthritic joints tell me there is a weather change coming. I suppose the latter has to do with air pressure, I don't know about the former other than intuition rising or shifting somewhere in the upper right of my back. Then again, back to imagination. This is a waste of words because nothing is ever resolved. The point of contact was "You're". It was easy to fill in the rest. Self-questioning is a habit of mine at least in my head.

         Which comes first, the doubts or the self-questioning? - Amorella

         I have no idea.

         The doubts come first, at least in your case. Pure cause and effect.

         In the books is there always a "First Cause"?

         No. - Amorella

         Now, that is a surprise. By definition, if a book is written it has to have an author. 

         You capitalized First Cause. - Amorella

         Oh. That is habit, that is its usual context. G---D or Something First.

         Is it not arrogant and self-serving to think all constructions have to follow known human observed natural rules? By the same thinking, if there are rules then who is the Ruler who made them up? - Amorella

         I see a problem in the construction and use of language when dealing with First Cause. This is one of the reasons I put three dashes between G and D. Human beings are missing letters thus we cannot translate, that's my way around this circumstance.

         In the first trilogy you remember that you thought it would be cleverly funny to have the marsupial-humanoids feel the speed of light (as a natural constant) as zero, that what they worked from. - Amorella

         True. I wanted to stir things up a bit as they were alien mathematicians. Now I am having Doug read these reconstructions and perhaps it is not so clever to continue this line of 'alien reasoning'. Besides, after a few years I find this rather embarrassing and not really so clever; though I still see the humor as validation for once considering the speed of light to be zero.

         I just checked the three books I only found one reference to the 'speed of light' and it is in The Brothers, book three. I am sure that I had mentioned this someplace in book one. Obviously I am wrong which is just as well. . . . I checked for "zero" also and could not find its use in context with light speed.

         What if I put the concept in Pouch-5? - Amorella

         Why, Amorella. It is not a reasonable construction to use zero as the constant speed of light.

         As long as it is a theoretical constant what makes the difference what the speed of light is? - Amorella

         I don't know, Amorella. This is beyond my thinking.

         You thought it once. - Amorella        

         As a joke, Amorella. I think lots of things; that doesn't mean much of anything. People run stuff through their minds all the time. These are just thoughts, constructions, Amorella. They are not real. My mind likes to 'play' with constructions and make jokes out of them once in a while. It is just human silliness. (1305)

         Post. Amorella

         1501 hours. We had a late satisfying lunch at Chipotle/Panera; and now a stop at Kroger's for milk and deli meats/cheese on Tylersville on the way home. It is quite windy, cold and December crisp today.

         I sent Doug a note about the theoretical speed of light but I don't see what its purpose would be in Pouch-5. I am glad you brought up about the 'bird remains' as possible alien evidence no matter how well the plane is sterilized. And, it is interesting to think on the possible reasons for Ship to allow the 'touch' on the Cessna left wingtip. It is funny because it shows that even sophisticated machinery from twenty thousand years beyond on time can still present problems without having the usual Star Trek/Star Wars type of mechanical or quantum physics complication. Ship's consciousness, if it is similar to human consciousness, is easier for us readers to understand. I assume the reasoning is legitimate, that is, this is not deus ex machina.

         Your spelling is atrocious. - Amorella

         Thank goodness for the Word speller and online searches for a correct or better spelling. I destroyed 'sterilized' and 'legitimate'. I might as well have been a third or fourth grader.

         Many of them could handle both words. - Amorella

         It is so embarrassing and ironic that I am such a poor speller. All this love of words and I can't put many of them together properly. I can usually see when they are wrong (I don't need a red line placed under them), but . . . it goes back to seventh or eighth grade and my spelling of 'frequent' on a spelling test (freakwent). The teacher called my mother; I suppose thinking something was wrong in my head. I think I spelled the two latest ones 'stearalized' and 'legitament'. When I do it is like a strong bolt of graveyard humor and humility mixed together as I note the obvious error; and it is like 'what in the world am I doing trying to write novels, let alone ones that mention the speed of light?' I am not well put together (period). I love humor though so it all bodes me well. No complaints.

         1559 hours. We are home and the groceries are put away. Doug sent a reply to the speed of light at zero and it is not at all what I expected (I really didn't have a clue as what to expect). Here it is:

** **

Dick,  Very interesting concept. Some things to consider if the speed of light were zero. The entire universe would be black as light could not travel anywhere.  There would be no time dilation. Every mass would be infinite, which I think would mean that mass does not exist. There would be no relationship between energy and mass which means the sun would stop working. Gravity would also probably disappear.  Light always travels at the same speed no matter the speed of the reference system. So zero speed means no light. Sounds indeed like the land of the dead where there is no time. Maybe the land of dark matter.

Doug

** **

         I particularly like the last three sentences as seeds for construction. Thank you, Dr. Goss. Post. - Amorella

         I thank you too, Doug. What a spark for imagination . . . the land of the dead and/or the land of dark matter. Talk about fun thinking. 

         Much later in the evening. You are reading an article on Dark Matter that you have read before. Copy the introductory material and drop it in your notes here. - Amorella

** **

Dark Energy, Dark Matter

In the early 1990's, one thing was fairly certain about the expansion of the Universe. It might have enough energy density to stop its expansion and recollapse, it might have so little energy density that it would never stop expanding, but gravity was certain to slow the expansion as time went on. Granted, the slowing had not been observed, but, theoretically, the Universe had to slow. The Universe is full of matter and the attractive force of gravity pulls all matter together. Then came 1998 and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of very distant supernovae that showed that, a long time ago, the Universe was actually expanding more slowly than it is today. So the expansion of the Universe has not been slowing due to gravity, as everyone thought, it has been accelerating. No one expected this, no one knew how to explain it. But something was causing it.

Eventually theorists came up with three sorts of explanations. Maybe it was a result of a long-discarded version of Einstein's theory of gravity, one that contained what was called a "cosmological constant." Maybe there was some strange kind of energy-fluid that filled space. Maybe there is something wrong with Einstein's theory of gravity and a new theory could include some kind of field that creates this cosmic acceleration. Theorists still don't know what the correct explanation is, but they have given the solution a name. It is called dark energy.

What Is Dark Energy?

More is unknown than is known. We know how much dark energy there is because we know how it affects the Universe's expansion. Other than that, it is a complete mystery. But it is an important mystery. It turns out that roughly 70% of the Universe is dark energy. Dark matter makes up about 25%. The rest - everything on Earth, everything ever observed with all of our instruments, all normal matter - adds up to less than 5% of the Universe. Come to think of it, maybe it shouldn't be called "normal" matter at all, since it is such a small fraction of the Universe.

From: http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-is-dark-energy/

** **

          What is important here are these sentences: "It turns out that roughly 70% of the Universe is dark energy. Dark matter makes up about 25%. The rest - everything on Earth, everything ever observed with all of our instruments, all normal matter - adds up to less than 5% of the Universe." It would make sense that with a twenty thousand year head start the marsupial humanoids would attempt to exploit this fact. - Amorella

         But we don't know that it is indeed a fact. It may appear to be one at present but the plausibility of Ship . . . wait, is the "blackenot" that makes Ship appear invisible to the eye and earth instrumentation a form of dark matter?

         What is Ship were coated with a form of the material, no light and no time except within the core where it would not register to the passengers just as if the universe itself were within a black hole. How would you know the difference? - Amorella

         I don't know. I'll have to ask Doug if there could be a plausibility of such a theoretical use for a quick explanation for presentation within Pouch-5. (2051)

         Later, dude, Post. - Amorella