Exploring Existence: Before the Big Bang and Connection

L explores the void before the Big Bang and the human connection through social media in a poetic journey.

### Exploring Existence: From the Big Bang to Social Media Connections
* 🌌 L, a literature enthusiast with a passion for science, reflects on the **mysteries of existence**, particularly what occurred **before the Big Bang**.
* 📜 Inspired by science communicator Hank Green, L penned a poignant poem that describes a state of nothingness where "**there was no up, there was no down**," emphasizing the **absence of space and time**.
* 🌀 The poem contemplates the paradox of transitioning from **"nothing to infinitely dense,"** inviting listeners to marvel at the **artistry of mathematics** and the **profound nature of existence**.
* 🎶 Transitioning to a lighter note, L introduces a song titled "Carl San," inspired by the astronomer **Carl Sagan**, which addresses the theme of **social media and our longing for human connection**.
* 📱 The lyrics explore the experience of **scrolling alone** and the desire to **reach out to others**, capturing the essence of feeling **connected even in solitude**.
* ✨ With lines about being "**billions and billions of lights** reaching out through a satellite," the song highlights the **shared human experience** in the digital age.
* 💔 L concludes with a reassuring message, reminding listeners that even in moments of loneliness, "**you’re not alone**," reinforcing the importance of **connection in a disconnected world**.

hey everybody. I'm L. If I look familiar to you, it's probably because at some point you scrolled across one of my many goofy videos about fonts or AI or PL planets or whatever one of the nerdy Sundries I've put out there. I am a literature person by trade and by training, but I love to nerd out about science. One of the questions that keeps me up at night is what happened before the Big Bang. So I wrote a poem about it with an assist from science communicator Hank Green, who was talking about that very topic. And he sort of said in passing this line which really struck me as simple but powerful. So I expanded it into this poem. Here it is. Before the Big Bang, there was no up, there was no down, there was no side to side, there was no light, there was no dark, nor shape of any kind. There were no stars or planet Mars or protons to collide. There was no up, there was no down, there was no side to

side and furthermore to underscore this total lacking state. There was no here, there was no there because there was no space, and in this endless void which can't be thought of as a place, there was no time, and so no passing minutes, hours, days. Of all the paradoxes that belabor common sense, I think this one's the greatest, this time before events, 'cause how did we get from nothing to infinitely dense, from a measurably small to inconceivably immense. But before we get unored from the question at the start, let's take a breath and marvel at when math becomes an art 'cause we don't have to comprehend it to know there was a time when there was no up, there was no down, there was no side to side. Thank you. Well, I just have one other thing I want to share with you before I go, and I'm going to invite guitarist Tony Lingren up here to join me for this. This is a song I wrote about social media, where I spend so much of my time, and I think we're so many of us spend

maybe too much of our time, uh, and I wrote this about kind of the endless scroll and I think the conscious and unconscious desire that we all might have to reach out to other human beings and make connection, con in the digital void, even as we're sitting alone, um, on our devices in our, in our homes. And I named the song Carl San after the great astronomer and philosopher who saw the connections between ourselves and the billions and billions of stars in the night sky that are constantly sending out their light through the void to make contact. So, this is Carl San. [Music] Hey, how are you? Are you scrolling alone inside your room? Is your heart good or did something go and break it? In the words of Carl S, we're all just stars and [Music] bacon. That's not quite what he said, but it's true. Hey, you're still here. Are you like me on this app so you can be lost and numb in a warm bath made content, watching brilliant bits of nonsense, 'cause it feels like making

contact maybe that's just me. How are you? And we are billions and billions of lights reaching out through a satellite just to know that feeling that even when we're cold and on our own, we're not alone. Not alone. [Music] We are billions and billions of lights reaching out through a satellite just to know that feeling that even when we're cold and on our own, we're not alone. Not alone. And hey, you alright? Are you scrolling alone again tonight? You'll be fine even if your heart is breaking. You got me and Carl Sagan's famous postulation that if we're all alone in space, it'd be an awful waste. So I'm just signing in to say how are you. Thank you.

Poetry and Music That Reaches Across the Digital Void | Elle Cordova | TED

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is a literature person who enjoys nerding out about science, particularly the question of what happened before the Big Bang.

Inspired by Hank Green's powerful line, L.

wrote a poem exploring the total lack of space, time, and existence before the Big Bang.

The poem highlights the paradox of transitioning from nothing to something infinitely dense and immense.

The Endless Scroll and the Search for Connection

The speaker reflects on the desire for human connection in the digital age, highlighting the paradox of reaching out while being physically alone.

The song "Carl San" is inspired by the astronomer and philosopher Carl Sagan, who emphasized the connections between humans and the stars.

The lyrics address the listener's experience of scrolling through content, seeking solace and numbness in the process.

The speaker reflects on the feeling of loneliness, emphasizing that we're not alone in the universe.

They acknowledge the common experience of scrolling alone at night and offer reassurance.

The message is a reminder of the importance of connection and the shared human experience.