Outer space, Inner Space
WORDS BY KATIE STEDMAN.
We examine the broad subject of space, from the complexity of outer space, to the inner workings of the mind.
Space.
It’s such a small word that encapsulates some very large concepts, from outer space and empty space in science, to an individual’s personal space.
When I hear the word ‘space’, outer space is the first thing that I think of. It baffles me that images of stars, planets, and whole galaxies can come to mind from such a simple, five-letter word, but is admittedly easier to remember compared to ‘that-impossibly-awesome-ever-expanding-infinite-black-nothing-all-around-us-that-we’re-a-miniscule-part-of’.
Outer space is referred to as an almost perfect vacuum. As a concept in very simple terms, that means that for the vast quantity of things known to be in space, the majority of it is comprised of an absence instead. For everything that we see, we are actually seeing a lot more emptiness. While the big picture of space is mostly a vacuum, so too are we, and everything we see around us. Everything is made up of atoms, which consist of a nucleus, protons and electrons. However, the distance between the nucleus and the electron cloud is known as ‘empty space’ — it’s another vacuum. Writer, James English, states that “Atoms make up everything, but they also exist very, very far apart - and atoms themselves are more void than they are matter.” Science reporter, Ali Sundermier, visually describes it by saying, “Almost all of ordinary matter (99.99% of it) is empty space. If you took out all of the space in our atoms, the entire human race [...] would fit into the volume of a sugar cube.” That’s quite a humbling thought.
If there is an outer space, it stands to reason that there must also be the concept of an inner space. This includes things like ‘personal space’ — that invisible line that inadvertently gets crossed — and ‘headspace’ — the finite amount of brain power we can give to a situation. The contrast between outer space and inner space culminates in a simple point: outer space has no defined limit, but inner space does.
We might seem insignificant in comparison to the cosmos, but our mental space is our own mental universe. Consider the similarities between the pattern of a nebula, and a neuron firing. Our brain is just like the galaxies that surround us. Maybe we need to treat them with the same amount of awe and respect. After all, it’s only through the brainpower of men and women made of 99% empty space, that we’ve been able to discover and travel to outer space.
Don’t forget to be amazed by the small things around you. It’s worth remembering that things which might seem insignificant at first, can be more complex than you ever imagined.
EDITORIAL NOTE: This article has been reuploaded and was originally published in 2023.