Pictures Will Make You Re-Evaluate Your Entire Existence

This is the Earth! This is where we live.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Image / Via visibleearth.nasa.gov

2. And this is where you live in your neighborhood, the solar system.

Via foxnews.com

3. Here’s the distance, to scale, between the Earth and the moon. Doesn’t look too far, does it?

4. THINK AGAIN. Inside that distance you can fit every planet in our solar system, nice and neatly.

PerplexingPotato / Via reddit.com

5. But let’s talk about planets. That little green smudge is North America on Jupiter.

NASA / John Brady / Via astronomycentral.co.uk

6. And here’s the size of Earth (well, six Earths) compared with Saturn:

NASA / John Brady / Via astronomycentral.co.uk

7. And just for good measure, here’s what Saturn’s rings would look like if they were around Earth:

Ron Miller / Via io9.com

8. This right here is a comet. We just landed a probe on one of those bad boys. Here’s what one looks like compared with Los Angeles:

Matt Wang / Via mentalfloss.com

9. But that’s nothing compared to our sun. Just remember:

Via Twitter: @maiwandafghani

10. Here’s you from the moon:

NASA

11. Here’s you from Mars:

NASA

12. Here’s you from just behind Saturn’s rings:

NASA

13. And here’s you from just beyond Neptune, 4 billion miles away.

NASA

To paraphrase Carl Sagan, everyone and everything you have ever known exists on that little speck.

14. Let’s step back a bit. Here’s the size of Earth compared with the size of our sun. Terrifying, right?

John Brady / Via astronomycentral.co.uk

The sun doesn’t even fit in the image.

15. And here’s that same sun from the surface of Mars:

NASA

16. But that’s nothing. Again, as Carl once mused, there are more stars in space than there are grains of sand on every beach on Earth:

Via science.nationalgeographic.com

17. Which means that there are ones much, much bigger than little wimpy sun. Just look at how tiny and insignificant our sun is:

Via en.wikipedia.org

Our sun probably gets its lunch money stolen.

18. Here’s another look. The biggest star, VY Canis Majoris, is 1,000,000,000 times bigger than our sun:

Via youtube.com

19. But none of those compares to the size of a galaxy. In fact, if you shrank the sun down to the size of a white blood cell and shrunk the Milky Way galaxy down using the same scale, the Milky Way would be the size of the United States:

Via reddit.com

20. That’s because the Milky Way galaxy is huge. This is where you live inside there:

Via teecraze.com

21. But this is all you ever see:

Via Twitter: @lucybrockle

(That’s not a picture of the Milky Way, but you get the idea.)

22. But even our galaxy is a little runt compared with some others. Here’s the Milky Way compared to IC 1011, 350 million light years away from Earth:

Via Twitter: @smokeinpublic

Just THINK about all that could be inside there.

23. But let’s think bigger. In JUST this picture taken by the Hubble telescope, there are thousands and thousands of galaxies, each containing millions of stars, each with their own planets.

Via hubblesite.org

24. Here’s one of the galaxies pictured, UDF 423. This galaxy is 10 BILLION light years away. When you look at this picture, you are looking billions of years into the past.

Via wikisky.org

Some of the other galaxies are thought to have formed only a few hundred million years AFTER the Big Bang.

25. And just keep this in mind — that’s a picture of a very small, small part of the universe. It’s just an insignificant fraction of the night sky.

Via thetoc.gr

26. And, you know, it’s pretty safe to assume that there are some black holes out there. Here’s the size of a black hole compared with Earth’s orbit, just to terrify you:

D. Benningfield/K. Gebhardt/StarDate / Via mcdonaldobservatory.org

So if you’re ever feeling upset about your favorite show being canceled or the fact that they play Christmas music way too early — just remember…

This is your home.

By Andrew Z. Colvin (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (creativecommons.org) or GFDL (gnu.org)], via Wikimedia Commons

This is what happens when you zoom out from your home to your solar system.

And this is what happens when you zoom out farther…

By Andrew Z. Colvin (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (creativecommons.org) or GFDL (gnu.org)], via Wikimedia Commons

And farther…

By Andrew Z. Colvin (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (creativecommons.org) or GFDL (gnu.org)], via Wikimedia Commons

Keep going…

By Andrew Z. Colvin (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (creativecommons.org) or GFDL (gnu.org)], via Wikimedia Commons

Just a little bit farther…

By Andrew Z. Colvin (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (creativecommons.org) or GFDL (gnu.org)], via Wikimedia Commons

Almost there…

By Andrew Z. Colvin (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (creativecommons.org) or GFDL (gnu.org)], via Wikimedia Commons

And here it is. Here’s everything in the observable universe, and here’s your place in it. Just a tiny little ant in a giant jar.

By Andrew Z. Colvin (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (creativecommons.org) or GFDL (gnu.org)], via Wikimedia Common

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Commonly Confused Words

These are a few of the Commonly Confused Words that are most often confused with each other.

Adoptive adopted : Children are adopted. But parents are adoptive.

Adverse averse : Adverse means unfavourable or bad. Averse means strongly disliking or opposed to as in: I am not averse to helping out.

Affect effect : Affect means make a difference to whereas effect means a result or bring about (a result).

Ambiguous ambivalent : Ambiguous primarily means having more than one meaning and open to different interpretations while ambivalent means having mixed feelings.

Amoral immoral : amoral means not concerned with morality while immoral means not conforming to accepted standards of morality.

Appraise apprise : Appraise means assess while apprise means inform.

Augur auger : Augur means be a sign of a likely outcome whereas auger means a tool used for boring.

Censure censor : Censure means express strong disapproval of whereas censor means suppress unacceptable parts of (a book, film, etc.).

Climactic climatic : Climatic means forming a climax which means relating to climate.

Complacent complaisant : Complacent means smug and self-satisfied whereas complaisant means willing to please.

Complement compliment : Complement means a thing that enhances something by contributing extra features whereas compliment which means an expression of praise or politely congratulate.

Continuous continual : Continuous primarily means without interruption and can refer to space as well as time as in the cliffs form a continuous line along the coast. Whereas Continual typically means happening frequently with intervals between as in the bus service has been disrupted by continual breakdowns.

Council counsel : Council means an administrative or advisory body whereas counsel means advice or guidance.

Councillor counsellor : A councillor is a member of a council whereas a counsellor is someone who gives guidance on personal or psychological problems.

Credible creditable : Credible means believable or convincing whereas creditable means deserving acknowledgement and praise.

Definite definitive : Definite means certain or sure whereas definitive means decisive and with authority.

Defuse diffuse : Defuse means remove the fuse from (an explosive device) or reduce the danger or tension in (a difficult situation) whereas diffuse means spread over a wide area.

Desert dessert : Desert means a waterless area whereas dessert means the sweet course.

Discreet discrete : Discreet means careful and not to attract attention or give offence whereas discrete means separate or distinct.

Draft draught : In British English draft means a preliminary version or an order to pay a sum whereas a draught is a current of air or an act of drinking. In North American English the spelling draft is used for all senses. The verb is usually spelled draft.

Draw drawer : Draw is primarily a verb whereas drawer meaning sliding storage compartment.

Egoism egotism : Egoism is a less common and more technical word for an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality. Egotism means excessive conceit or self-absorption.

Envelop envelope : Envelop means wrap up, cover or surround completely whereas an envelope is a paper container used to enclose a letter or document.

Exceptionable exceptional : Exceptionable means open to objection or causing disapproval or offence. Exceptional means something not typical or unusually good.

Fawn faun : A fawn is a young deer and a light brown colour. A faun is a Roman deity that is part man, part goat.

Flaunt flout : Flaunt means display ostentatiously while flout means openly disregard (a rule).

Flounder founder : Flounder generally means have trouble doing or understanding something and be confused while founder means fail or come to nothing.

Forego forgo : Forego means precede. But is also a less common spelling for forgo which means go without.

Grisly grizzly : Grisly means causing horror or revulsion whereas grizzly is from the same root as grizzled and refers to the bear's white-tipped fur.

Hoard horde : A hoard is a store of something valuable. Horde is a disparaging term for a large group of people.

Imply infer : Imply is used with a speaker as its subject, as in he implied that the General was a traitor, and indicates that the speaker is suggesting something though not making an explicit statement. Infer is used in sentences such as we inferred from his words that the General was a traitor and indicates that something in the speaker's words enabled the listeners to deduce that the man was a traitor.

Its it's : The possessive its (as in turn the camera on its side) with the contraction it's (short for either it is or it has, as in it's my fault; it's been a hot day).

Loath loathe : Loath means reluctant or unwilling whereas loathe means dislike greatly.

Loose lose : As a verb loose means unfasten or set free while lose means cease to have or become unable to find.

Luxuriant luxurious : Luxuriant means rich and profuse in growth whereas luxurious means characterized by luxury or very comfortable and extravagant.

Marital martial : Marital means a matter of marriage whereas martial means a matter of war.

Militate mitigate : Militate is used in the form militate against to mean be an important factor in preventing. Mitigate means make (something bad) less severe.

Naturalism naturalist : Naturalism is an artistic or literary approach or style. A naturalist is an expert in natural history or an exponent of naturalism.

Officious official : Officious means asserting authority or interfering in an annoyingly domineering way. Official means relating to an authority or public body and having the approval or authorization of such a body.

Ordinance ordnance : Ordinance means an authoritative order whereas ordnance means guns or munitions.

Palate palette : The palate is the roof of the mouth. A palette, on the other hand, is an artist's board for mixing colours.

Pedal peddle : Pedal is a noun denoting a foot-operated lever. As a verb it means move by means of pedals. Peddle is a verb meaning sell (goods). The associated noun from pedal is pedaller (US pedaler) and the noun from peddle is pedlar or peddler.

People pupil : People means citizens and group of men and women whereas pupil means student.

Perquisite prerequisite : A perquisite is a special right or privilege enjoyed as a result of one's position. Prerequisite is something that is required as a prior condition for something else. Prerequisite can also be an adjective meaning required as a prior condition.

Perspicuous perspicacious : Perspicuous means expressing things clearly whereas perspicacious means having a ready understanding of things.

Principal principle : Principal means first in order of importance or main. Principle is a noun meaning chiefly a basis of a system of thought or belief.

Proscribe prescribe : Proscribe is a rather formal word meaning condemn or forbid whereas prescribe means either issue a medical prescription or recommend with authority.

Regretful regrettable : Regretful means feeling or showing regret whereas regrettable means giving rise to regret or undesirable.

Shear sheer : Shear means cut the wool off (a sheep) whereas sheer as a verb means swerve or change course quickly or avoid an unpleasant topic and as an adjective means nothing but absolute or perpendicular or (of a fabric) very thin.

Stationary stationery : Stationary is an adjective with the sense not moving or changing whereas stationery is a noun meaning paper and other writing materials.

Story storey : A Story is a tale or account while a storey is a floor of a building. In North America the spelling story is sometimes used for storey.

Titillate titivate : Titillate means excite whereas titivate means adorn or smarten up.

Tortuous torturous : Tortuous means full of twists and turns or excessively lengthy and complex whereas torturous means characterized by pain or suffering.

Turbid turgid : Turbid is generally used in reference to a liquid and means cloudy or opaque. Turgid tends to mean tediously pompous or in reference to a river, swollen, overflowing.

Unexceptionable unexceptional : Unexceptionable means that cannot be taken exception to or inoffensive whereas unexceptional means not exceptional or ordinary.

Unsociable, unsocial and antisocial : Unsociable means not enjoying the company of or engaging in activities with others. Unsocial usually means socially inconvenient and typically refers to the hours of work of a job. Antisocial means contrary to accepted social customs and therefore annoying.

Venal venial : Venal means susceptible to bribery; corruptible whereas venial is used in Christian theology in reference to sin (a venial sin, unlike a mortal sin, is not regarded as depriving the soul of divine grace).

Who's whose : Who's is a contraction of who is or who has while whose is used in questions such as whose is this? and whose turn is it?

Wreath wreathe : Wreath with no e at the end means arrangement of flowers while wreathe with an e is a verb meaning envelop, surround, or encircle.

Your you're : You're a contraction of you are while your is a possessive determiner used in phrases such as your turn.

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All You Need To Know About Cholesterol

Cholesterol, from the Greek chole- (bile) and stereos (solid) followed by the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol, is an organic chemical substance classified as a waxy steroid of fat. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes and is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity.

In addition to its importance within cells, cholesterol also serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, bile acids, and vitamin D. Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by animals; in vertebrates it is formed predominantly in the liver. Small quantities  are synthesized in other cellular organisms (eukaryotes)  such as plants and fungi. It is almost completely absent among prokaryotes (i.e., bacteria).

Although cholesterol is important and necessary for human health, high levels of cholesterol in the blood have been linked to damage to arteries and cardiovascular disease.

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