As Above, So Below - The Universe in a Bubble

Scientific explanation for the command "Let there be light".

Photo by Shot by Cerqueira on Unsplash

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,

the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

Modern day atheists probably scoff at most of the Bible, including the paragraph from Chapter 1 of The Book of Genesis above. But what if there is a scientific explanation? What if much of the Bible is trying to convey ancient wisdoms, archetypes and knowledge that we modern humans just don’t quite understand yet? But we are getting there.

You have probably heard of the ancient phrase “As above, so below”. It’s an age-old principle stemming from Hermeticism, a philosophical and religious tradition based on the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus. The saying implies that the patterns in the universe are reflected at every level, from the stars in the heavens to the smallest particles under a microscope.

So maybe we can apply this principle of “As above, so below”, to fascinating phenomena on Earth and start to understand the profound command of “Let there be light”. A remarkable spectacle that happens right under our noses can start to explain the vast expanses of the universe and maybe the Big Bang itself.

If you read an ancient text which described creatures that could turn seemingly mundane sounds into an explosion of light, you would probably write it off as fantasy. Perhaps a story of a quiet melody suddenly belting out a spectacular visual opera. Again, you would probably think you are reading a fairy tale.

But when specific conditions line up, we get an energy metamorphosing event that mirrors the grandeur of the Big Bang. Whilst observing this event, it brings us a step closer to unravelling the nature of light, matter and the very fabric of the cosmos - it’s like watching a mini version of the universe’s creation.

This magic trick takes place right underneath our noses and, despite its simplicity, still puzzles scientists today.

To continue reading about this entrancing dance of vibration and illumination, where sound kindles the flame of light whilst I explore a phenomenon where the cosmic and the commonplace meet, please subscribe to this newsletter.