Suggestions, anyone?

At the end of a science session the day before yesterday, a second grader asked me, “SO, how big is the universe?”

Immediately the teacher bit in me looked at him, and, with a smile, I asked, “Well, How big do you think it is, Evan?”

He looked me squarely in the eyes and said, “Dunno. That’s why I asked you.”

And, pre-empting me, added,  “Internet doesn’t help.”

"Well, tell you what, Evan, because I have no idea how big the universe is, let's ask a scientist, ok?"

So, as my eminent world-famous scientists' friends, David, Philip, Stan, et al,  are long gone, is there a mywishingrock.blogspot reader who can help Evan (and me) understand how big the universe is?

If so, email me, please, johnpaull2011@gmail.com, or leave a comment on the blog.

And, hey, what a wonderful question, isn't it? From a second grader. Wow! When I thought about that conversation this morning, sitting in front of my laptop, I was reminded that there lurks a scientist in every child......sometimes the scientist is dormant and needs waking up, but s/he's there.


Much later:

I had an email from Richard, long time childhood friend, with a video link which I shall pass on to Evan's parents.

Here it is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IVqMXPFYwI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Thank you, Richard.

And, over dinner, when I told  Jeannine about the incredible question experience, she gave me a free Starbucks download of an app.......Brian Cox's Wonders of the Universe........which turned out to be a BBC short, beautiful video......on...THE UNIVERSE!!

Magical timing, magical stuff.

I hope Evan sees it (I've passed it on to his parents.)

Thanks to all of you who helped me with Evan's question.



March 16th.

OK, here's another big question:

What's anti matter, John Paull? For that matter, what's matter, then?

C'mon, scientist readers. Help me out!!