The potential for creative exploration in journalism via crowd-funding allows us to diversify into new discovery projects that expand our knowledge of the universe, explains science writer, Bruce Lieberman.
Last March, astronomers announced a stunning discovery: they’d found a ghostly light signal from a tiny fraction of a second after the Big Bang nearly 14 billion years ago.
The discovery needs to be validated by other astronomers and many are contesting it. But if it’s confirmed, we’ll have a new window on the beginning of space and time. The detection would be hard evidence for inflation, the idea that the universe expanded exponentially for a brief period right after the Big Bang. And if inflation actually happened, then our universe could be only one in an infinite number of universes.
Confused? Overwhelmed?
Astronomy is one of those subjects that can make you dizzy. It can also fill you with wonder, inspire you, and prompt you to think about our biggest questions. How did we get here? How did it all begin? Are we alone in the universe? How will it end?
I plan to tackle these questions and more in a six-part series on astronomy, to be published at the website Beacon over the next six months.
For this series to happen, I’m seeking the support of people across the globe who love astronomy and want to read about exciting, cutting-edge science.
Beacon provides a platform for crowd-funded journalism, a new model for supporting great nonfiction projects by connecting writers directly with readers. Writers have posted stories about climate change, Asia in the 21st century, the future of the Internet, and other subjects.
If I meet my fundraising target of $15,000 (USD) by Aug. 31, I’ll move forward with my series on astronomy.
My project idea began last March, shortly after the Big Bang discovery was announced. A friend asked me over lunch to explain it to him, and I left that talk realizing that many people want to know more about astronomy and cosmology but aren’t sure where to turn for explanations they can understand—and which entertain and inspire them.
Science reporting is facing tough times as newspapers, magazines and TV cut back on science reporting. Many news organizations now rely on “general assignment” reporters with no background in science to tackle complicated subjects that require expertise and good sourcing. As a result, the quality of a lot of science news has suffered.
I’m proposing this series as an independent journalist with 25 years experience in the news business and more than a decade writing about science. My work has appeared in Air & Space Magazine, Sky & Telescope, Scientific American, Nature and more.
I’ve traveled the world on assignment, most recently to Chile and its vast and desolate Atacama Desert to report on the new Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, or ALMA, a massive new observatory designed in part to peer back in time to explore the early universe.
We are truly living in a Golden Age of Astronomy, when we have the theoretical knowledge and the technical capability to learn more than ever about the cosmos. The series I’ve conceived will cover our ideas about the very beginning to our speculations about the distant future. With access to leading astronomers and cosmologists around the world, I’ll give you an inside look at one of the most exciting and profound endeavors in human experience.
Here’s how the series will be broken down:
The Beginning: The Big Bang
In this first segment I’ll cover last March’s discovery, in terms most anyone can understand. I’ll discuss controversies over whether it’s real, and talk with cosmologists about what confirmation would mean for our understanding of the beginning of space and time – in our universe and others.
Light: First Stars & Galaxies
The universe began in a blaze of light and energy, but as it expanded the cosmos faded into darkness. Then the first stars lit up, beginning an epoch that cosmologists call “reionization.” Exactly how those stars ignited and how they assembled into the first galaxies is largely unknown. I’ll explain how we think the first stars pierced the darkness, and the first galaxies – precursors to modern ones like our Milky Way – appeared.
Life: Searching for Earth 2.0
We are approaching the day when we’ll turn on the morning news and hear that astronomers have found signs of life beyond Earth. Many astronomers are confident of this, and in this segment I’ll tell you why. I’ll discuss how 21st century science and technology is leading to discoveries of planets beyond our solar system, and what it could mean for us to learn we are not alone.
Fragility: Protecting Home
All of us remember the startling images and video of a meteor exploding over Chelyabinsk, Russia in February 2013. An asteroid collision with Earth brought an end to the dinosaurs, and the risks haven’t gone away. In this segment I’ll tell you about the odds of a large asteroid hitting Earth today, the potential consequences, and a private group of former NASA engineers and astronauts that wants to launch a space telescope dedicated to finding threatening asteroids so we can stop them before it’s too late.
The End: Into Darkness
Several billion years ago, the expansion of the universe began to speed up. Why this happened and what’s driving this accelerated expansion is one of the biggest puzzles in cosmology. I’ll check in with some leading astronomers studying this unknown force, called dark energy, and discuss what this continued expansion could mean for the fate of our universe.
Reflections on the Sky
The beauty of a truly dark sky can be mesmerizing, and the night sky inspires a sense of awe in anyone who’s contemplated what’s out there. In this essay that concludes the series, I’ll reflect on what keeps us gazing skyward, why it has such a hold on me and other amateur astronomers, and how anyone can learn to appreciate the cosmos above their heads.
For more information about his proposed series and how to support it, see: http://www.beaconreader.com/projects/our-golden-age-of-astronomy
