A is for Alpha (my Bubblews plunge into the A-Z Challenge)

Most have heard the phrase "The Alpha and The Omega" - the beginning and the end. This frequently is a reference to Jesus, the Messiah of Christianity. He is the beginning and the end because He has no beginning and no end.

But, the metaphor actually came from the Greek Alphabet (Alpha-Beta). Alpha was the first letter and Omega was the last letter of the Greek Alphabet. Thus, the first and the last, or the beginning and the end.

Alpha is used in other ways as well. I will list a few here.

Alpha - a rank, often followed by "male", showing hierarchy within a group. Alphas are the leaders.

Alpha, New Jersey - an incorporated town in northwestern New Jersey, county of Warren, established in 1911 whose incorporation was signed by Woodrow Wilson, then governor. There are other towns in the USA named Alpha as well.

Alphas - a science fiction series on the SyFy television network

Alpha particle - a form of particle radiation

Alphas - people with the highest intelligence and social status in the Aldous Huxley novel Brave New World

Alpha Quadrant - one of the four quadrants in the Star Trek universe

And, there you have several different uses of the word Alpha. There are more, but I think these might be the most familiar or most easily recognized.

Image is from Wikimedia Commons

First published to Bubblews on July 1.