Travelling to the edge of the Universe, 4th Dimensional Time Travel

In summary: I am a professional summarizer, not a physicist. In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of an edge in the universe and the possibility of traveling far enough to reach it. The idea of a finite universe and its curvature in higher dimensions is also mentioned, as well as the limitations of observing and understanding the universe due to the speed of light. It is concluded that we live in a universe with three spatial dimensions and one time dimension.
  • #1
GetBent
3
0
There is no edge of the Universe. Alright, I kinda realize this, I'm not a layman.

However, nobody addresses what would happen if you traveled far enough. There's only a limited amount of matter out there and going off the theory that the volume of our Universe is finite, there's 'an edge' somewhere. Maybe not one that is reachable in 3D space however..

Say you're an adventurer, and you cataloged every piece of matter in existence after traveling for trillions of light years in one single direction. My question: Would you eventually 'wraparound' back to your original location, like in a video game, like Pac-Man?

Take the balloon model, imagine a 3d Balloon. On there is a 2D Plane. The 2D plane is the universe. We put circles with marker over it to represent galaxies and we inflate it. That's our Universe expanding from Dark Energy and yada yada (We all know this). Now we draw a straight line around the balloon. Though it's not a straight line to us, it is to the 2D inhabitants. In our 3D world, the line 'bends' across our 3D vector, where to the 2D inhabitants however, it's just a line going on and on in one direction.

Now apply that to the 3D Universe. Assuming the Universe is just one big 4D hypersphere: Using the model, as we travel in a straight line journey across the Cosmos in one direction, we'd be 'bending' across this 4th Dimensional vector, which is Time correct? So if we keep traveling, the 4th coordinate vector would increase, than slowly decease back to our original vector location, which would mean our Time is getting distorted. Would we eventually return to our original location, and would it happen because the side effect of Time Travel has made it feasible?
 
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  • #2
The observable universe is always centered on the observer. No matter how far you travel, you are still at the center of your observable universe.
 
  • #3
GetBent said:
Say you're an adventurer, and you cataloged every piece of matter in existence after traveling for trillions of light years in one single direction. My question: Would you eventually 'wraparound' back to your original location, like in a video game, like Pac-Man?

We don't know. It may or may not be true. We do know that if the universe does curve back on itself it must take hundreds of billions of light years at least. Otherwise we would see curvature already. Instead, measurements show a universe that is very close to being flat.

Now apply that to the 3D Universe. Assuming the Universe is just one big 4D hypersphere: Using the model, as we travel in a straight line journey across the Cosmos in one direction, we'd be 'bending' across this 4th Dimensional vector, which is Time correct?

No, this curvature would be in a 4th spatial dimension, not in time.
 
  • #4
Drakkith said:
No, this curvature would be in a 4th spatial dimension, not in time.

Care to elaborate on what you mean by 4th 'spatial' dimension rather than just the 4th Dimension?
 
  • #5
Its impossible to ever prove this one way or the other since the observable universe is expanding faster then c. Since its impossible travel faster then c we can never reach the limits of the universe even if we traveled for trillions of years.
 
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  • #6
GetBent said:
Care to elaborate on what you mean by 4th 'spatial' dimension rather than just the 4th Dimension?

A 4d hypersphere by definition occupies four spatial dimensions. The curvature would be along the surface of the hyperesphere, not the time dimension.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypersphere
 
  • #7
The fourth spatial dimension could for example be orthogonal, at right angles to, to all three of the dimensions we are so familiar with. All three, simultaneously...
 
  • #8
..but the fourth 'spatial' dimension doesn't exist in our Universe correct?
 
  • #9
GetBent said:
..but the fourth 'spatial' dimension doesn't exist in our Universe correct?

As far as we know, we live in a universe with three spatial dimensions and one time dimension, so no, it does not exist.
 
  • #10
I puzzled by this. You say you are a professional physicists, yet you seem to be unable to answer fairly basic questions about physics.
 
  • #11
HallsofIvy said:
I puzzled by this. You say you are a professional physicists, yet you seem to be unable to answer fairly basic questions about physics.

Huh?
 

1. What is the edge of the Universe?

The edge of the Universe, also known as the observable Universe, is the farthest distance that we can see with our current technology. It is constantly expanding and is estimated to be around 46 billion light years away from Earth.

2. Can we travel to the edge of the Universe?

As of now, it is not possible for humans to physically travel to the edge of the Universe. The distance is too vast and our current technology does not allow for such long-distance space travel. However, we can send probes and spacecrafts to gather information and images from the edge of the Universe.

3. What is 4th dimensional time travel?

4th dimensional time travel is a theoretical concept that suggests the existence of a fourth dimension, in addition to the three dimensions of space. It involves the ability to move through time as easily as we move through space, allowing for travel to the past, present, and future.

4. Is 4th dimensional time travel possible?

There is currently no scientific evidence to support the possibility of 4th dimensional time travel. The concept is based on theories such as relativity and string theory, but it has not been proven or achieved yet.

5. What are the potential implications of travelling to the edge of the Universe and 4th dimensional time travel?

If we were able to travel to the edge of the Universe and manipulate time, it could lead to a better understanding of the origins of the Universe and potentially allow us to explore other galaxies and planets. It could also have significant impacts on our understanding of physics and space-time. However, it is important to note that these are currently just theoretical concepts and more research and advancements in technology are needed before we can fully comprehend the implications of such travel.

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