This is the second article in my series on the appeal of the electric universe theory (EUT) to non-scientists, like myself. I want to note that what I mean by “non-scientist” is someone who is interested in subjects related to the sciences but does not have formal scientific training and is not particularly comfortable with mathematics and scientific jargon. This is how I approach the EUT and what follows are my personal interpretations and observations. My approach to the electric universe reflects my own background and interests as a researcher in the Humanities, a sociopolitical critic, a discourse analyst, and a performance poet. My approach may not reflect that of others but could open certain doors and pathways for further exploration and discussion of the electric universe theory for some.

In a piece I first wrote on the subject, I state that, for me, the “non-scientific” appeal of the EUT can be broken down into the three categories: historical, structural, and discursive. I explored the historical category in my previous post. In today’s post I explore the structural (or systemic) category at greater length.

The structural/systemic component of the EUT comprises a vast area of research within the scientific realm, in that it deals with cosmology and astrophysics, among other things. At the same time, what it posits about the nature and structure of the universe opens up avenues of interest and investigation for both scientists and non-scientists alike. So what exactly does the electric universe theory say about the structure of the universe and why should it be of interest to someone such as myself?

The electric universe theory effectively unseats the existing mainstream cosmology/astrophysics by positing something different, something far more comprehensible. The existing gravity-centric cosmology continually breaks the rules of physics by conjuring up imaginary and purely theoretical (i.e., un-provable) ad hoc explanations for the mysteries of the universe. These include paradoxical phenomena such as singularities, black holes (material without dimension!) and dark matter. Basically, mainstream cosmology makes up the rules as it goes along, moving the goal posts when it suits them. This kind of thinking raises a red flag, even for non-scientists.

Electricity as the Driving Force of the Cosmos…and Connectivity

On the other hand, The EUT arguably relies on more logical and plausible scientific principles to explain the nature and structure of the universe. In the most basic sense, the EUT challenges several main suppositions of modern cosmology (though in reality it is far more complex than that). One of the principal suppositions being that gravity is the superior organizing force in the universe (with electro-magnetic effects relegated to mere artifacts of gravity-centric phenomena). Another supposition challenged by the EUT is that that the universe (and everything in it) is isolated and disconnected. This supposition arises when one only considers gravitational effects.

But the electric universe theory maintains that electricity—a force billions of times stronger than gravity—is the driving force of the cosmos, not gravity. Contrary to modern (gravity-centric) astrophysicists’ belief that across interplanetary, interstellar and inter-galactic distances, gravity is the only force that can do any real work, “the electric universe theory holds, on the basis of much evidence , that electric currents flow across the cosmos.” Space age technology allows us to detect electricity in space. Radio telescopes “can measure electric currents and magnetic fields and we can determine from those measurements the strength of the electric currents and the amount of energy that is stored…in space” [1]. According to eclectic universe proponents: “we live in an electric universe in which at every level of observation we are observing events that cannot be understood without a larger electrical context.” [2] For the EUT, the role of electricity in the cosmos cannot be overstated.

Moreover, the electric universe theory sees the universe as being far more connected than the mainstream cosmology allows for. Electric Universe pioneer, Wal Thornhill, believes that popular astronomy gives a distorted view of the universe, evoking a sense of lonely bodies in space—isolated galaxies, self-immolating stars drifting like dust moats in the blackness, and the clockwork solitude of planets. In challenging this idea, Thornhill emphasizes connectivity. The electric force, he contends, influences matter at all levels, from subatomic particles to galactic clusters, leaving little room for the disconnected fragments of modern theory [3]. Overall, the EUT holds that electricity has been far more active than the modern sciences recognize, and “that’s beginning at the microscopic level all the way up to the intergalactic level.” [4]

So What?

So why is any of this important and why should it matter, especially to non-scientists? The short answer is that if the electric universe theory is correct then this has huge implications, both within and beyond the sciences. The idea of a universal force that is several billion times stronger than gravity, is all pervasive (connecting everything in the universe), gives shape to, and drives all systems, including biological systems, opens the door for a new understanding of our world and our place in it on many different levels.

The Electricity and Connectivity of Extant Things

For instance, it gives us a more realistic understanding of the nature of the universe; one that arguably draws on what is factually known rather than on purely theoretical explanations of inexplicable phenomenon. While the EUT may posit something new about the nature and structure of the universe, what it puts forward is not all that revolutionary or hard to fathom. Not only does electricity power our entire world, it also powers our bodies, so to speak. All things that exist consist of atoms, and atoms are made of electrically charged particles. If we can understand this (i.e., the electric nature of atoms) on a small scale it should not be difficult to comprehend its cumulative effect on a larger, and even galactic scale. [5]

The EUT argues that not only is the universe electric, meaning electricity is the driving force of the universe, but also that countless electro-magnetic fields connect all things in the universe (at all scales) in a complex dynamic structure. For me, this notion of an integral connectivity is what makes the EUT interesting and thought provoking. The idea of a force that permeates all things, from the most infinitesimal to the most massive or galactic, and connects all things, is one that should peak our interest not least because it hints at a far more cohesive universe than we are led to believe exists. This has both practical and philosophical implications.

The EUT’s understanding of the cosmos may also deepen our understanding of our own nature or structure and of our place in the universe, but that is a topic for another post. For now it is sufficient to say that the EUT’s notion of cosmic connectivity opens the door for a deeper and perhaps sublime understanding of ourselves as electric beings connected to all other things in the universe. Rather than existing as random isolated instances within a larger, disconnected universe, I believe that we share a similar and scalable structure with, and within, a highly organized universe and all of its parts. [5] I will continue to explore this and other implications of the EUT in future posts.

 

 

Notes

[1]First Quote: David Talbott in: https://redice.tv/red-ice-radio/the-electric-universe-and-the-saturn-myth

Second Quote: Don Scott in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AUA7XS0TvA

[2] David Talbott in: https://redice.tv/red-ice-radio/the-electric-universe-and-the-saturn-myth

[3] As Quoted by Australian archaeologist, Peter Jupp, in: http://www.ancientdestructions.com/wallace-thornhill/

[4] David Talbott in: https://redice.tv/red-ice-radio/the-electric-universe-and-the-saturn-myth

[5] Electricity powers the whole universe. Electrical currents drive all of the movement/dynamic motion in the galaxy according to the EUT.

[6] In his EU 2016 talk, Gary Schwartz argues that the universe is organized. Because that talk has yet to be released to the public I will not go into greater detail at this time.