Reach the End of Universe: Is There a Wall?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of the universe's boundaries, specifically whether there is an "end" or "wall" to the universe. Participants explore various models of the universe's structure, including finite and infinite possibilities, and the implications of these models on our understanding of space and time.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that if the universe is finite, it could wrap around itself, similar to a donut, suggesting no true "end" exists.
  • Others argue that envisioning a wall at the end of the universe is akin to ancient beliefs about the Earth having an edge, which is misleading.
  • A participant suggests that if there were a wall, it might be made of space that expands at the speed of light, raising questions about observable evidence of the Big Bang.
  • Some participants discuss the analogy of video games where crossing an edge leads to reappearing on the opposite side, likening this to the universe's structure.
  • There is mention of different topologies for a flat universe, indicating that a flat universe can still be finite without a definitive boundary.
  • One participant reflects on the philosophical implications of the universe being a reflection of human thought, suggesting that our perception shapes our understanding of the universe.
  • Questions are raised about what exists outside the universe and whether such a concept is even meaningful within the framework of current cosmological theories.
  • Humorous and metaphorical responses are presented, including references to mythical concepts like a turtle supporting the cosmos.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the existence of a boundary to the universe, with no consensus reached. The discussion remains unresolved, with various interpretations and analogies presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference the curvature of space and the implications of the Big Bang model, but there are unresolved questions about observable evidence and the nature of space beyond the universe.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring cosmology, the nature of space and time, philosophical implications of the universe's structure, and the interplay between scientific models and human perception.

  • #31
selfAdjoint said:
On the "Strings, Branes, and LQG" forum we are discussing a couple of papers that suggest our observable universe is in the interior of a huge bubble, the expanded result of some fluctuation when the whole universe was small, and that is why we have a nearly flat universe (omega ~ 1), but our mass and dark matter together only come up to an omega of 0.27. The missing .73 has been attributed to "dark energy", but these papers suggest that in the bubble interior, our matter is depleted, only 27% of what it is on the average in the whole universe, so both the omega ~ 1 and our 27% are explained as a special case without positing any dark energy.

So in this picture there would be an expanding "wall", the surface of the bubble, but what it would separate us form is just the rest of the universe.


Interior of a bubble huh? :rolleyes: Ok, I can see that (kinda have to when it comes to physics and the universe :wink: ). Where did the bubble theory come from. My computer is very tempramental when it comes to links. So I didn't ge to see the papers you were talking about.

Not to be a pain or anything, but could someone please explain the Dark Matter concept? Someone, I don't remember who, tried to explain it, but unfortunately I didn't comprehend it as well as I previously though. :redface: Sorry. :redface: :redface:
 

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