In a recent attempts to find out what's really going on in the neighborhood, I've been reading up on basic physics. I've been particularly interested in Gravity.

I feel like I've been taking Gravity for granted lately, if not just about always, and wanted to find out more about it. Boning up a bit on the Theory of Relativity, and String Theory I was glad to learn that Gravity, one of the four pillars of physical reality, is considered a 'weak force' {unlike electromagnetism, or the strong atomic force). I was glad to hear that because sometimes I have a hard enough time getting off the couch, (albeit mostly for psychological reasons). Also I found out that Gravity is always attractive, never repelling- I admire that in a force.

Of course this weak force is important to birds and birders. Because what if our Gravity was stronger? Maybe birds wouldn't be able to get off the ground and fly around - some overstuffed seabirds have a tough enough time already. That would be a drag not having birds flying around, diving into the water, etc. And birders might have a hard time walking around too. I imagine squat birders with super buff biceps, after a day lifting 20 pound binoculars.

Tide-pooling, and otherwise exploring the intertidal zone, one of my favorite things to do, might become a high-risk sport with stronger Gravity. What if our Moon was larger, and closer, and we had 100 foot tides! I guess you'd need twice a day tidal bore sirens to warn foolish clam-diggers when that 50 ft wall of water came in.

On the other hand with no gravity, it would be hard to hold down a job around here, or anything else for that matter. We couldn't create body's. With no Gravity there would be no lifeforms. Without Gravity there would be no convection in the Earth's mantle, so no Continental Drift, no mountains, or rivers. No Earth at all. Pretty boring if you ask me.

So we should appreciate our Gravity. Yes Goldilocks, it's not too weak, not too strong, it's just right! With Gravity we have our beautiful birds, mountains, seas, rivers, weather, biodiversity, and all that kind of stuff. Also I enjoyed watching the convection currents in my hot miso soup this evening - a simple minded pleasure but a pleasure none the less.

As for the science of Physics, there's still big holes in all these theories. Gravity and it's effects have been described and calculated and all, but it really remains a mystery in the end. After reading too much physic's theory, I had to turn to my antidote for the over-intellectuality of it all: Lao Tzu's 500 BC (~) classic best seller The Tao Te Ching. That was a person who respected mystery!


Jeff Gibson
Everett Wa