Poll: Do You Believe Outer Space is Infinite

[silverpig]

Okay, there are some major issues in this thread.

1. Space IS expanding. That is how everything that isn't condensed is flying apart from each other. The actual space between everything is increasing. It's like putting 9 dots on a balloon, and blowing it up. The space between all the dots expands. Same thing with the universe. The space expands. This is the only explanation as to why you can tell the age of something by it's red-shift.

2. The universe is expanding and it is accelerating as it does so. No one can exactly say why right now, but that is what current evidence supports. This solves a few problems nicely, namely how some stars seem to be older than the universe itself. An accelerating universe would have time slow down as it progressed, making the universe seem younger than it really is.

3. Space is not nothing. Space is filled with a sea of virtual particles created and destroyed according to a combination of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and relativity.

4. Space is in fact curved, but the amount of curvature probably isn't enough to make it fold around so that the beginning is the end.

5. String Theory requires 26 dimensions IIRC. Superstring Theory requires 11 (again IIRC). There are also many other branches of string theory.

There's probably more, but I'm lazy.

 

[HombrePequeno]

Originally posted by: XZeroII

Originally posted by: HombrePequeno

Originally posted by: morkinva
Hmm many a night I've lain awake trying to answer this question.

If we assume the big bang is fact, then what existed before the big bang? Intuitively I feel there was something else other than the point of the big bang origin. Why do we think that only this stupid universe exists? Anyhow, since the space laid open by the big bang at one point had a definable boundary, then it still has a boundary albeit further out.

There was no "before" the big bang since time started at the big bang.

So how did this "big bang" occur? Something from nothing? There is no time, space, matter, or anything and suddenly there is an explosion. Now who's crazy?

Well all physicists have to be at least a little insane to come up with some of the stuff they do.

I really couldn't tell you how the big bang could occur without time and I doubt anyone can right now. I believe Stephen Hawking has some pretty decent theories in that area. About the something from nothing...well that happens all the time. Virtual particle pairs pop up all the time out of the nothingness of space.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

What makes you think that space is curved? Is it because your minds cannot comprehend infinity?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Gravity curves space. dontcha know

Space HAS to be curved, unless relativity is a fraud and the earth does not orbit the Sun. The question applied to the universe is how is it warped and to what degree?

 

[RobCur]

the world believe so we not sure if it is or not. like if the earth is the only living planet in the universe. wouldn't matter much at all since we havent even invented space travel still living in present time we have much longer to go before knowing this. but interesting indeed life would be much more fun if we can travel to other planet within days or even sec. like warping throught space holes.
how about this, time travel go back to the past say 1 year or whatever and invest in stock and make millions. now you got money, then go 50 years into the future and see what it like and vice versa.

 

[ChurchOfSubgenius]

Originally posted by: busmaster11
There aren't enough choices to chose from. finite space atleast as I imagine it implies that there is a tangible boundary, and something beyond that boundary exists and is defined. I believe that space is finite in the sense that it is expanding, and something that is infinite cannot expand. On the other hand, it is infinite in the sense that I don't believe that it is possible to reach the boundaries of space, even with time and distance out of the equation.

That we are 3d creatures living in a 4+ dimension universe is my guess for it.

Sadly so, I agree. Our perception of time and space isn't refined enough (or availible) to answer such large questions. Most humans can't even find thier asses with both hands and two catchers mitts much less figure out where the picket fence lies.