Expanding Universe

[Khandro]

If the universe is expanding, which seems to be the case, what is it expanding in to?

[Hymie]

Logically the universe is expanding into nothing – but science does not like ‘nothing’ (no thermal energy, no light, no radiation of any kind). Scientists would argue that the ‘nothing’ does not exist (and cannot exist).
Since our universe is expanding at the speed of light (in all directions), it is impossible to determine what it is expanding into. If you could travel faster than light and reach beyond the edge of our universe – you would still be part of our expanding universe (and could never reach the ‘nothing’).

What would be interesting is if another expanding universe were to encroach on our universe (like two galaxies colliding).

[Old_Geezer]

In my view it's not expanding into nothing, nor is it expanding into anything. It's simply expanding. The human mind finds reality a difficult concept to grasp because the brain/mind evolved purely for survival in a macro world, not to understand everything. Anything we actually understand, is a bonus.

[dance2trance]

Ask NASA or Imperial College or any Uni with an Astro Physics dept.

[-Talbot-]

Prudie...did you get that interesting little piece from Viz?

[Khandro]

//I'm not quite sure that "Fermi Estimation" is the same thing as "guessing", but never mind.//

I take your point jim, but nevertheless Firmi was able to 'guess' within 10% accuracy, how many piano-tuners there were in Chicago!

Dance; //Ask NASA or Imperial College or any Uni with an Astro Physics dept.//

They don't know anymore than we do here on AB.

[-Talbot-]

Imagine if black holes were sucking matter out of this universe and into another.. a white hole could be the other side


You mean like Barnsley?

[Arksided]

Lol... like Barsley... where time and relative dimensions in space don't operate.

[Prudie]

Talbot you're lowering the tone :-)

[Arksided]

Lucky for him he's never being to Coventry ... obviously ;-)

[1ozzy]

Who cares?
As long as we know within 10% how many piano tuners there are in Chicago what else matters.

[1ozzy]

//They don't know anymore than we do here on AB.//

Bright sparks with an ego ;-/

[Arksided]

is someone messing with your G-string.

[-Talbot-]

jim360
I may not have succeeded in explaining why an infinite Universe can still expand, either, but to be fair it's a tremendously hard concept and in practice I only understand it myself by pretending to.



That about sums it up for me.

[1ozzy]

I'll have you know Arky I wear a "thong".

On both the left and right foot;-/

[Arksided]

.. is that what the universe is expanding into... gosh we're all in trouble.

[Arksided]

Sorry Kandro... for side tracking. I do like Hymies' explanation. It really is impossible to know.

[mibn2cweus]

It could be worse. A 'contracting' universe . . . now that might be reason for concern.

[Rev. Green]

Sorry, this relates to a much earlier answer: there is an infinity of boring numbers. Removing the highest and lowest boring numbers still leaves an infinity. As proof, here's a boring number: 2.502907875095892822283902873218…, or is it?

[Old_Geezer]

I think that you need to have at it with the lead piping.