About dark matter and the limits of the universe.

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of the universe being finite and the surface of a higher dimensional object. There is no evidence to support this theory and it is unknown whether something traveling across the universe would reach the same point. The accelerating expansion of the universe may be attributed to dark energy, but it could also be a result of a higher-dimensional twist that has not yet been calculated. However, even if the universe is a higher dimensional surface, it is not possible to complete a circuit due to the accelerating expansion and the impossibility of traveling faster than light.
  • #1
WindScars
50
0
1. Is the universe finite?

2. Could it be just the surface of a higher dimensional object?

3. If something travels across the universe will it reach the same point?

4. Could the effects of the accelerating universe, that scientist credit dark matter to, be just a side effect of some higher-dimensional twist that we weren't able to calculate yet?
 
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  • #2
This should be in the Cosmology forum; but, here goes.

1) Unknown.

2) It could be (this usually goes under the name of "brane theories"); but, there's no evidence to point one way or the other on this.

3) No. Even if the universe is finite and closed, the accelerating expansion will prevent anything from making it all the way around.

4) I think you mean "that scientists accredit to dark energy." And, again, that might be possible; but, nothing we know necessarily points to it.
 
  • #3
But if the universe is the surface of a higher dimensional space would not you end up in the some point?
 
  • #4
WindScars said:
But if the universe is the surface of a higher dimensional space would not you end up in the some point?
The surface is expanding (at an accelerating rate) and you'd have to go faster than light (which is impossible) to complete a circuit.
 

1. What is dark matter?

Dark matter is a hypothetical type of matter that does not interact with light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation, making it invisible to telescopes and other scientific instruments. Its existence is inferred through its gravitational effects on visible matter, such as stars and galaxies.

2. How is dark matter different from regular matter?

Regular matter, or baryonic matter, is made up of atoms and subatomic particles, and can be detected through its interactions with light. Dark matter, on the other hand, is thought to be composed of particles that do not interact with light, making it invisible to traditional detection methods.

3. What is the evidence for the existence of dark matter?

The evidence for dark matter comes from its gravitational effects on visible matter. Scientists have observed that the rotational speeds of galaxies are much faster than they should be based on the amount of visible matter in the galaxies. This suggests the presence of additional, unseen matter that is providing the extra gravitational pull needed to explain these high speeds.

4. How does dark matter affect the limits of the universe?

Dark matter plays a crucial role in shaping the structure of the universe. Its gravitational pull helps to hold galaxies together and can even influence the rate of expansion of the universe. Without dark matter, the universe would look very different and may not have been able to form the large-scale structures that we see today.

5. Can we detect and study dark matter?

While we cannot directly detect dark matter with traditional instruments, scientists are working on various ways to indirectly study and measure its properties. These methods include observing the effects of dark matter on visible matter, as well as experiments to detect potential dark matter particles. However, there is still much we do not know about dark matter and further research is needed to fully understand its nature.

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