r/universe

Could a realm of totally empty space possibly exist? A place without matter, without energy, without particles or a single atom, with no singularity for anything to explode from but only a simple void, how could “existence” be determined? Obviously, this is purely a thought exercise because without an observer to recognize and identify the state of “being”, there’s no awareness to define it. Looking from the outside into what could only be described as an empty black bag of nothingness, how could such a place be measured? Is it big or small and relative to what standard with nothing in it to define any dimensions? Time would still exist if it is an intrinsic feature of “space” and inseparable from it, but what quality could define space with nothing occupying it to measure it against and no awareness to recognize it? It seems to follow that no version of “reality” is possible without, at minimum, a single partical or atom for it to contain. There can be no “container” without something for it to contain. In our universe, space isn’t “nothing” because it exists and contains all the “somethings” in our reality. It has certain features in that it can be warped by mass and its expansion can be measured relative to bits of matter moving apart to create “dimension”. Without something to compare nothing against, how could anything be? It seems therefore that for a universe to exist, it must have something in it to qualify it. But can there be any “something” without some form of awareness to acknowledge it? Otherwise, how can it be defined as “real”?

Does this mean then that matter/energy must be for a universe to exist and is therefore intrinsic to its manifestation? Wouldn't it also then follow that some kind of awareness would also be needed to define “something” vs “nothing”, thereby making consciousness an essential part of reality itself? After all, how could anything be without an observer to acknowledge that there is “something” as opposed to “nothing”? Doesn't this mean that no objective reality is possible without some awareness to acknowledge it's existence? As such, it seems both matter/energy and a consciousness to acknowledge it is not “nothing” are required for a universe to exist at all.

Hear me out on this.

Astronomers are getting closer to finding Planet Nine, especially with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory spinning up. The rules say it has to be named after a Greek or Roman deity. Usually, the outer planets get depressing, heavy names like Pluto or Saturn.

But Planet Nine is sitting way out there in the deep, mysterious unknown.

We should start a movement to name it Voluptas.

Who is she?

In Roman mythology, Voluptas is the goddess of sensual pleasure, delight, and ecstasy. She is literally the child of Cupid (Sex/Desire) and Psyche (The Soul). Her name is where we get the word voluptuous. She was born from Psyche, while she was in exile, forgotten, and alone. But out of that, something beautiful was born Voluptas. Just like the hypothetical and forgotten planet 9 that was exiled from our maps, books and charts, so was Voluptas. When we find our forgotten neighbour, we should name it after something beautyful and charming. After all, it will be the discovery of the century and it would be a shame to name it after something ugly and gloomy.

Also, we should add a female name to the solar system, to make the gender divide a little more equal.

Let's pull a "Boaty McBoatface"

The internet has forced the scientific community to listen before (like when internet votes successfully named Pluto's moon Kerberos). If we start hyping up Planet Voluptas in the astronomy, astrology and space subreddits now, it’s going to catch on. By the time astronomers officially capture it, the name will already be viral.

Who is down to make this happen?