Augblog 2022

Cosmology. The preliminary results from the James Webb Space Telescope have caused consternation and uproar amongst mainstream cosmologists, the first scientific paper published on arXiv begins with the unprecedented words ‘Panic! At the Discs’

https://arxiv.org/abs/2207.09428

They call into question the standard theory of galaxy formation and evolution, and by implication the Big Bang theory itself, whilst lending considerable support to the alternative hypothesis of Hypersphere Cosmology.

In brief, the very far reaches of the universe contain multitudes of fully formed spiral disc galaxies.

This simply cannot happen in a universe that somehow expanded out of a big bang and took its time first creating small globular galaxies which then eventually developed into large spiral galaxies like our own Milky Way.

On the other hand, Hypersphere Cosmology asserts that the universe will exhibit an underlying large scale homogeneity and isotropy at all points of space and time; it obeys the Perfect Cosmological Principle and has the same large scale form and structure everywhere and everywhen.

(It doesn’t ‘look’ like that ‘at first glance’ because cosmologists have misinterpreted the cosmological gravitational curvature that creates redshift as recession velocity, and they have misinterpreted the cosmological gravitational lensing that dims distant galaxies as an acceleration of a (non-existent) expansion of the cosmos.)

Previous observations from the Hubble Space Telescope had worried me a bit because they seemed to show that very distant galaxies seemed significantly smaller that local ones. However, the Hubble could only see the high frequency light from far distant galaxies that had become redshifted to optical frequencies, so the galaxies appeared small. The JWST can see the optical frequencies that have become redshifted to the infrared end of the spectrum, and this has revealed that galaxies at the far reaches of the universe (supposedly close to the big bang) have the same distribution of structures as seen amongst the local galaxies surrounding ours.

The JWST program has only just started, and so long as it doesn’t get hit by too many more micrometeorites, I expect it to completely overturn the conventional LCDM Big Bang theory in the near future, and that we shall find ourselves living in a completely different universe, - a universe now most likely better described by Hypersphere Cosmology, - a universe without beginning or end in space or time yet curved back in on itself by its own gravity at a finite size. We abandoned Flat Earth theory centuries ago, Flat Universe theory looks set to follow.

Big Bang theory lends some faint metaphysical comfort to Monotheism. Hypersphere Cosmology seems more supportive of Atheist Occultism and Chaoist Neo-Paganism.

The story of the development of Hypersphere Cosmology appears in this astonishing book: -

https://www.specularium.org/peter-j-carroll/interview-with-a-wizard

It all began with a strange magical experiment conducted in an Austrian castle back in he 1990s. The main body of the book resumes the extraordinary life and ideas of a sorcerer-scientist and a substantial appendix presents Hypersphere Cosmology in both easily comprehensible prose and also in the poetry of its full algebraic and mathematical exposition.

Update from the gardens of Chateaux Chaos. 

Whilst away in Wales I had asked the gardener to throw more meat scraps into the pond for the developing tadpoles and toadpoles and they got more lamb and chicken pieces. On my return I found nobody at home in the water and wondered if the experiment had ended in ecological disaster, but then a closer examination of the plant islands and reeds and surrounding vegetation of the pond revealed hundreds of tiny four legged amphibians clambering around. Herewith a couple of them taking a break on a lily pad. Non-vegetarian feasts look set to become an annual event at the pond. We should all do what we can to prevent any further decline of amphibian numbers.

Liber Kaos – The Psychonomicon  has received its edit and upgrade and a few additions for its forthcoming Classic Edition. At last, it has a cover that compliments its contents. Hopefully Weisers will bring it out before the end of the year.

Addendum

A couple of items seem worth repeating yet again: -

Hypersphere Cosmology Prediction. (From Feblog 2022)

The so-called ‘Cosmic Dark Ages’ did not occur. According to conventional LCDM big bang cosmology, a gap should exist between the CMBR and the light from the ‘earliest’ stars and galaxies. Hypersphere cosmology predicts that galaxies with redshifts all the way to CMBR levels will exist. The James Webb space telescope may hopefully prove capable of observing this.

Keep up the magical assault on Putin. His campaign falters into costly attrition, opposition to his tyrannical schemes grows constantly stronger and better supported.

https://www.specularium.org/blog/item/349-putin-s-war

FSW4-AD 2222. Humans have spread to surrounding star systems. Following squabbles insurrections and skirmishes, humanity has split into 5 ideological factions. The treaty of 2220 established the militarisation of occupied systems only and the de-militarisation of unoccupied systems and space areas. Peace ensued for two years until factions started building transportable fortresses and a technologically advanced alien race began moving into unoccupied systems and space areas and sought to forge alliances with various of the human factions. Conflicts over systems and control space areas then ensued.

SHIP                      DICE                                    COST               

Fortress                  20                                          6                      

Hive                        20                                         4

Battleship                12                                         6

Serpent                  12                                         4

Battlecruiser           10                                         5                                          

Cruiser/Carriers       8                                         4                             

Destroyer                 6                                         3                                                                

Frigate                     4                                          2

Fighter                     4                                         1(Imperials only)

SURFACE UNITS            

Garganaught           8                                        3

Scorpion                8                                        2               

Devastator               6                                       2

Reaper                    4                                       1

1) Turn sequence. Income, Production, Movements & Combats.

2) Income of (5), 4, 3, 2, depending on system size. Income from any home system not occupied by enemy units, income from any other system occupied by own surface units.

3) Production only on systems where a fortress has been planted. Income units can only move across uncontested (connected) pathways of any length. Ships appear in neighbouring uncontested space. Surface unit appear on systems.

4) Movements & Combats.

A) Ships may move from one area of space to an adjacent one. (Imperial Fighters can only move from one area of space to another in Carriers.) If it contains enemy ships, Combat will occur. The attacking side can elect to retreat to the space it came from, and the defending side can elect to retreat to any friendly occupied or unoccupied space at the beginning of any combat round after the first.

B) Ships may fire on surface units in systems adjacent to the space they occupy. Combat occurs at the discretion of the attacking ships.

C)  Ships may convey surface units between any two systems that border the space they occupy. Surface units may only be moved across one space area to another system in a turn. If surface units land on a system occupied by enemy surface units or fortresses Combat occurs.

D) A fortress may land on a system not occupied by enemy forces, and assimilate its carrier.

5) Combat. Risk Protocols. Up to 3Attack dice against 2Defence dice. by combat rounds, highest dice against highest dice, defenders win draws. Casualties at the discretion of each combatant.

6) The number of pieces of each type supplied reflects the limits of units of that type that a civilisation can support.

7) Initial Production Levels. Imperials 24, Aquarians 22, Chaoists 21, Darwinians 22, Soviets 22. No production on first move.

8) Fortresses. All civilisations start with one immobile Fortress on their largest world, and one fortress in a carrier in a space adjacent to the homeworld. Civilisations may purchase additional Fortresses and Carriers to transport them to other systems. A Fortress only becomes operational when landed on a system empty of opposing assets and its Carrier has become assimilated and removed from the display. Fortresses can only defend and only when not in a Carrier. If attacked in a carrier only the carrier defends.

9) Starting Conditions - Humans. 1 Fortress on homeworld, one next to it in space, all Cruisers, Destroyers, and Frigates deployed at will on any space territories adjacent to at least two home systems.

Reapers equal in number to the production values of all home systems on those systems.   

10) Victory Objectives, conquest of as many systems as possible.

ALIENS. Special rules.

2) Income. From any system occupied by a Hive or Scorpion.

3) Production. At any system occupied by a Hive. (If connected)

Mutations: (performed during production phase) Scorpion to Hive cost 2. Scorpion to Serpent cost 1. Serpent to Hive not possible. Free mutations, Hive to Scorpion, Serpent to Scorpion, Hive to Serpent.

9) Starting Conditions. 1 Hive, 8 Serpents, 8 Scorpions, placed on any un-militarised treaty spaces or systems.

ALLIANCES. 2 Player. Aliens pick any two allies but not Imperials, by picking an ideology to back. The Imperials then ally with the other two factions. Aliens then set up and move first. Play order then established by lot and proceeds clockwise or anticlockwise by lot. Allied ships but not surface forces may occupy the same areas.

The following chart shows the ideological relationships of the five factions. The Aliens can pretend to any ideology to select a pair of allies. The Imperials will adjust their ideology to suit the allies they become left with.

                       (Individualist)

                                  l

         Goths               l              Capitalists

                                  l

(Mystical) ---------Imperials ------------(Rationalist)

                                  l                     

         Aquarians       l                 Soviets

                                  l

                         (Collectivist)

Additional optional tournament rules.

Tactical Attack dice bonus. D4+1, D6+2, D8+3, D10+3, D12+4.

Tactical Defence dice bonus. D4+1, D6+2, D8+3, D10+3, D12+4, D20+5.

Psychic Attack Bonus. Throw all attack dice twice, use highest score.

Psychic Defence Bonus. Throw all attack dice twice, use highest score.

Production bonuses. Add 1 or 2 to the income value of any system.

Leader and Character pieces can be added to the game to add these powers to any forces on a system or space area.