Universe just got 80 million years older

This is pretty cool, awe-inspiring stuff. Turns out, the universe is 13.82 billion years old, about 80 million years older than previously thought. And it looks like a rugby ball.

By comparison, spaceship Earth is about 4.5 billion years old.  And it's round.

I wonder: what was God up to for the first 9.3 billion years before he made the Earth, and the first 13.8 billion years (or 13.829999 billion years, if you're a Creationist) before he made us? God must be a very meticulous planner.

Planck shows almost perfect cosmos – plus axis of evil

By Jacob Aron

March 21, 2013 | New Scientist

URL: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23301

Artificial conflict between science and religion?

Gee, whaddya know? Only 11 percent of Americans belong to religions that reject evolution or the Big Bang. 

So ask yourself: are you more anti-science than your own church? Relax. You don't need to be dumb to be faithful... although it probably helps.

Celebrating Darwin: Religion And Science Are Closer Than You Think

By Max Tegmark

February 12, 2013 | Huffington Post

URL: http://huff.to/12rlpjX

How the universe appeared from nothing

Warning: this could expand your mind -- by blowing it!

This is indeed what is is.

Seriously though, physicists are studs. I mean, who else could be like, "Yeah, I can explain to you how existence came into being" just as casually as an auto mechanic explains how a car engine works?

If life were fair, the best physicists would be world-famous, highly-respected billionaires who dated supermodels and littered the earth with statues and monuments to themselves. Instead, well... we know what real life is like.

Respect, nerds!

How the universe appeared from nothing

By MacGregor Campbell

July 28, 2011 | New Scientist

URL: http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/nstv/2011/07/how-the-universe-appeared-from-nothing.html