What is the Relationship Between the Age and Size of the Universe?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the apparent contradiction between the estimated age of the universe, approximately 13.7 billion years, and its size, which is stated to be 157 billion light years across. This discrepancy arises from the expansion of the universe, which allows for regions of space to be farther apart than the age of the universe would suggest. The concept of cosmic inflation and the observable universe are critical to understanding this relationship.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of cosmic inflation
  • Familiarity with the observable universe concept
  • Basic knowledge of light year as a distance measurement
  • Awareness of the Big Bang theory
NEXT STEPS
  • Research cosmic inflation and its implications on the universe's size
  • Study the concept of the observable universe and its boundaries
  • Learn about the Big Bang theory and its timeline
  • Explore the methods used to measure astronomical distances, including light years
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Astronomy enthusiasts, students of cosmology, and anyone interested in understanding the complexities of the universe's age and size relationship.

timrod1011
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Hello Everyone,

I'm a new member to this interesting forum, just joined.

I was watching a program on the Discovery channel about the Universe. They were talking about the size and said it was "157 billion light years across. I watched the program 2 times to make sure I got it right.

QUESTION

If the universe is about 13.7 billion years old, how can this be?

thanks
tim
 
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