In mathematics, a manifold is a topological space that resembles Euclidean space near each point. More precisely, each point of an n-dimensional manifold has a neighbourhood that is homeomorphic to the Euclidean space of dimension n.
One-dimensional manifolds include lines and circles, but not figure eights (because they have singularities called crossing points). Two-dimensional manifolds are also called surfaces. Examples include the plane, the sphere, and the torus, which can all be embedded (formed without self-intersections) in three dimensional real space, but also the Klein bottle and real projective plane which cannot.
Although a manifold resembles Euclidean space near each point, globally it may not. For example, the surface of the sphere is not a Euclidean space, but in a region it can be charted by means of map projections of the region into the Euclidean plane (in the context of manifolds they are called charts). When a region appears in two neighbouring charts, the two representations do not coincide exactly and a transformation is needed to pass from one to the other, called a transition map.
Eden Fesi, also known as Manifold, is a fictional, mutant superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by Jonathan Hickman and Stefano Caselli, the character first appeared in Secret Warriors #4 (July 2009), and joined that comic's regular cast. Fesi is an Aboriginal Australian mutant with the ability to bend time and space, connecting one piece to another and allowing him to teleport. Fesi joined the Avengers as a part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch. In 2013, ComicsAlliance ranked Manifold as #12 on their list of the "50 Sexiest Male Characters in Comics".
Eden Fesi first appeared in Secret Warriors #4 (July 2009), and was created by writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Stefano Caselli. He appeared in the book until its conclusion in issue #28 (September 2011). He also made guest appearances as a member of the Secret Warriors in Dark Avengers #9 (November 2009), New Avengers #62 (April 2010), and Siege #2-3 (April–May 2010).
Fesi, as Manifold, appears as a member of Hickman's Avengers, beginning with Avengers vol. 5, #1 (December 2012), a part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch. Hickman said that, when creating the character, he had initially intended to give him the codename "Calabi–Yau", named after a Calabi–Yau manifold, but when adding the character to the Avengers roster he decided on the codename "Manifold" instead.
In scuba diving a manifold is used to connect two diving cylinders (tanks) containing breathing gas, providing a greater amount of gas for longer dive times or deeper dives. An isolation manifold allows the connection between the cylinders to be closed in the case of a leak from one of the cylinders or its valve or regulator, conserving the gas in the other cylinder. Diving with two or more cylinders is often associated with technical diving.
Longer and deeper dives require a greater amount of breathing gas, in turn requiring higher filling pressure, a larger cylinder or multiple cylinders. A large diameter cylinder tends to move the diver's center of mass further from the centreline, making them unbalanced in the water, and a higher pressure cylinder has a similar effect, also reducing the buoyancy of the diver, due to the thicker metal required for strength. Cylinder length is also limited by ergonomic considerations in proportion to the height of the diver. A single cylinder also presents a critical single point of failure for the breathing gas supply. Multiple-tank configurations include downstream manifolded twins, with a single regulator, independent or separate doubles which are two cylinders clamped to a backplate, but without a manifold, side mount cylinders, or manifolded twins, with two complete regulator sets.
Supernova
Million years the time has come
Million years are on the ground
The stars are always there at night
Shining on the earth so bright
Endless systems in the space
Endless silence around this place
Million years the time has come