Day 110 - The most astounding fact about the universe and interesting dinner conversations

Contemplating the universe and reflecting on life have made me smile today.

In light of yesterday's post where I mentioned #2 Remembering how lucky we are to be here right now from 1000 Awesome Things, Brett shared with me this incredible video of astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson's response when he was asked, "What is the most astounding fact you can share with us about the universe?"

It moved me to tears.


Interestingly enough, over dinner with Brett, Keng, Graeme, Elma and Robert, a whole range of topics were covered in conversation including:

• The universe (and the video above) and our self-awareness of each of us being part of the universe
• An app called APODViewer which presents NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day
• Hubble
• Religion
• The art vs science of medicine
• Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
• Tree of Life
• Tivoli, Rome
• Freud
• Keats
• Consciousness when anaesthetised 
• Richard Dawkins
• Stephen Hawking
• Broken babies
• Different parenting methods
• Do iPads stunt child development?
• Krug Vintage 1998 
• Gotye

...and then more. All while getting drunk on 5 bottles of fine wine.

Being able to witness Elma and Robert, who are a couple of supposedly 80-something year olds, question, challenge, explore and indulge in their curiosity was an inspiring sight.

I expected to feel weighed down afterwards - we were delving in some seriously intense topics for most of the night after all - yet I felt refreshed, uplifted and optimistic. Must've been the fine wine's doing!