Letters: Sep. 25, 2006

The Dawn of the Universe

Our look back to what astronomers call the Dark Ages--the era between the Big Bang and the birth of stars--provoked awe at the ability to peer through such vast expanses of time and space. Some readers said scientists have reached beyond their data, while others found an affirmation of God's work

I'm so glad that your astronomy cover story about the first stars [Sept. 4] dealt with what we astronomers really do rather than the mere semantic debate over whether Pluto is a planet or a dwarf planet. Michael Lemonick wonderfully conveyed the feeling of using a big telescope and showed how astronomers work together observing in different parts of the spectrum to gain a picture of that early stage of our universe.

JAY M. PASACHOFF DIRECTOR, HOPKINS OBSERVATORY WILLIAMS COLLEGE Williamstown, Mass.

The article on the birth of the stars a breath of fresh air at a time when too many people are busy counting planets on the head of a pin. The ongoing scientific discovery of the unfolding of our early universe is far more important for people to understand than how to divide the solar system into sheep and goats. Our connection to those early epochs is not just academic. Many of the oxygen atoms we inhale were forged in those very first stars.

JAMES SWEITZER, PH.D. SCIENCE COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANTS Oak Park, Ill.

Your story explained that even though light was created at the Big Bang, there was darkness before stars formed. Likewise, the first chapter of Genesis states that God created light before he created the stars, and separated light from darkness in the interim. Not too many years ago, some people said the Bible's account of the beginning could not be true because light comes from stars, which could not have been created after light was. Now your article has shown how it could be true. Science has once again caught up with the Bible.

SARA BORDEN Maple Valley, Wash.

Thanks for the reminder that earth is but a small grain of sand on the beach when compared with the size of the known universe. I don't think people give much thought to how insignificant we are in that respect. I was intrigued by the scientific community's fascinating discoveries of what happened after the Big Bang. I'm staying tuned.

VINCENT M. CARINI Lyndhurst, N.J.

Having a basic understanding of Albert Einstein's work with light waves, physics and quantum mechanics, I find it difficult to believe that we really can tell the distance that light has traveled when we perceive it. I don't believe in the Big Bang any more than I buy the parting of the Red Sea. The supposed noise from the Big Bang could just be noise from everyday creation and destruction occurring in the universe. Unfortunately, a lot of science and religion has evolved into fantasies that provide grandiose explanations for questions that might never be answered.

RICHARD THOMAS Rowlett, Texas

The evolution of the universe from a random distribution of elementary particles into elements, compounds, stars, planets and complex life forms seems to fly in the face of the laws of physics, which call for constantly increasing entropy and disorder. There is apparently a force in the universe working toward order rather than disorder. Could we call that force intelligent design?

BRUCE HERBERT McLean, Va.