Is The Universe The Same Age Everywhere?

[I_Hate_Infinity]

It's only my first day on The Answer Bank and my two deeply perplexing questions were intelligently addressed and I'm thoroughly enjoying the banter. So here's one that's always intrigued me...

Einstein proved that time flows at different rates depending on environmental factors and our satellite GPS that guides us on our merry way each day, would catastrophically fail if the on board computers didn't account for time running faster in orbit than at sea level.

As this demonstrates, the Universe must be ageing at different rates depending on its proximity to matter/dark matter... Right? We see the moment of creation 13.7 Billion years ago, so I hope I'm not being rude to point out, have they taken time's alternating flow into consideration? Is the Universe different ages?

Take the time to post your thoughts,

Inifinity

[AliceTickband]

I have just read your posting and now my brain hurts trying to figure out why time flows at different speeds........

anyone seen Brian Cox?

[jake-the-peg]

I'm not sure your question actually has meaning.

As you say time is very relative

So age compared to what exactly? people do play a bit fast and loose when they talk about the universe being x billion years old they normally mean based on our current experience of time and it can get a bit messy as you scroll back and the Universe's density goes up.


There are a number of such questions that seem sensible at first but less so when you think a bit .

For example is something at 2 degrees Celcius at twice the temperature as something at 1 degree ?

What about if you convert that to Farenheit?

Can be tricky

[Old_Geezer]

That is an interesting question. In one time frame one part of the universe ages faster than another, but swop time frames and one will get a different viewpoint. Where is to be your reference ?

I think the age of the universe is measured from our point of view; simply calculated from estimating the present expansion rate and using that to come up with a rough age when what we see must have all been at the same location.

But I think I'd like to see thoughts on this one.

[LazyGun]

Ermm - I am not sure that using an example of time differentials between earth and a satellite GPS as an example of the Universe ageing at different rates is a good one.

I think it has already been established that gravity effects time, so the further away from the gravity caused by a large mass, the faster time will run? Thats where my understanding of space-time ,gravity etc starts to break down though :)

[Old_Geezer]

No, 2º C can not be twice 1º C as the scale conversion indicates. But I'd be more comfortable claiming 2º K is twice 1º K. It has a proper zero point.

[DTCwordfan]

But there in lies a problem. OG, prove that absolute zero exists....even allowing for the laws of thermodynamics, is it possible that there is a sink in the Universe where the temperature is even lower.

Infinity - of age ré your question, well how was mass created in the very first instance to create our galaxy? Therefore, it must have existed in some state before.....so time goes on back - perhaps its just been there in perpetuity moving from form to form and back again...

[I_Hate_Infinity]

Yes or −273.15°C on Jake's reckoning. Geezer your impeccable logic has highlighted the fundamental problem that lies in my question. I guess my response to that is, if we assume the expansion of space is measurable through the Dopler red shift in starlight and the variation in the speed of time is calculable relative to the observer, and the two (space and time) are bound into a single "existence"... Might all our calculations be necessarily but influenced by the Earth and our proximity to massive objects in our Solar System? Could we correct our data accordingly?

My mind bolts in odd directions sometimes, so I'm sorry if running before I can walk.

Infinity

[I_Hate_Infinity]

Addendum

If you take the concept of ageing back to brass tacks you end up with entropy and the laws of thermodynamics. As an observer, when we see time moving at a faster rate, does that mean that the space has increased entropy too, therefore fundamentally and irreversibly changing that part of space into a state of increased decay and disorder?

Time is a horrible subject to ask answers for. I'm struggling, but enjoying the thought process

Infinity

[Peter Pedant]

yes my go my go

The av pt in whatsit space is [x,y,z,t]
wh doesnt look much however the real point is that time is local

and part of the fun is that you may not be able to agree since time is local on a common point in time to measure from.

see telegraph pole and garage paradix

[ludwig]

// Is The Universe The Same Age Everywhere? //

Yes, I think it is.

[Peter Pedant]

And the answer is:
you could be right I H I

The book you need to read NOW! is
Infinity by John Barrow - cheap copies available at the usual

which I was piecing thro this afternoon whilst also looking at the latest Dexter blood and guts and so on
and thought blimey this is the answer he needs !
page 104 but hey read the whole lot

I am aware of the irony of I hate infinity posing a question for which the answer is in a book called 'Infinity' but there it is

John Barrow the author is a prof of math at Cge
and it was one of his forebears who after the Tripos (=finals) exam in Cambridge in 1665 said, I shouldnt be Lucasian Prof of math, Mr Newton should !
True and remarkable - how many of your acquaintances have said of someone X anyone : " X is really a very bright man/leddy indeed." No-one ? Same experience as myself