Those of you who attended my Big Bang lecture last year know how difficult cosmology can be to explain, and how poorly a job I really did. Luckily, we don’t have to rely on me. Lawrence Krauss, a physics professor at Arizona State, discusses a wide range of topics in cosmology, including the expansion of the universe, dark energy and dark matter, the Big Bang, and how it may be possible that the universe actually did create itself from nothing. Most importantly, he discusses the evidence and reasoning for how we know what we do know.

LA Times reports:

“Plaintiffs challenge Proposition 8 under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment,” the judge wrote. “Each challenge is independently meritorious, as Proposition 8 both unconstitutionally burdens the exercise of the fundamental right to marry and creates an irrational classification on the basis of sexual orientation.”Vaughn added: “Plaintiffs seek to have the state recognize their committed relationships, and plaintiffs’ relationships are consistent with the core of the history, tradition and practice of marriage in the United States.“

Ultimately, the judge concluded that Proposition 8 “fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. … Because Proposition 8 prevents California from fulfilling its constitutional obligation to provide marriages on an equal basis, the court concludes that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.”

Judge Vaughn Walker’s full decision is available here.

Here’s a Twitter feed thingy about Utah’s reaction, and a reaction by the creator of 8: The Mormon Proposition.

This is incredibly good news. I’m especially pleased the Judge’s decision notes that marriage is a fundamental right. But it begins a (likely) long road to the 9th Circuit and then to the Supreme Court. Overall though, this is a wonderful moment for justice and equality, and is a big boost in confidence for other challenges and activism around the country.