What is the ultimate truth about the universe?

[uperkurk]

As physicists and mathematicians, do you honestly believe that before humans die out, we will ever understand what the universe really is. What is behond it, if anything. Are there more universes. What is at the very bottom of a black hole.

I mean, physics and maths can only prove so much, but there gets a point where the only way to prove somethin is to see it with your own eyes.

Realistically, do you guys ever see humanity figuring this stuff out before our time is up?

 

[russ_watters]

No, physics/science cannot answer every possible question, particularly "why" questions. But what's with the rolleyes? So what?

 

[uperkurk]

Because I hope by the time I die I get to know what the universe is. The rolleyes is more of a "deep thought" emot

 

[Yayfordoritos]

Isn't the more universes part of the string theory thing?

Maybe someday they will be able to have a real life start trek crew that explores space, that would be cool.

 

[Number Nine]

Because I hope by the time I die I get to know what the universe is.

Your question is so vague as to be meaningless. What could an answer possibly look like?

 

[ImaLooser]

As physicists and mathematicians, do you honestly believe that before humans die out, we will ever understand what the universe really is. What is behond it, if anything. Are there more universes. What is at the very bottom of a black hole.

I mean, physics and maths can only prove so much, but there gets a point where the only way to prove somethin is to see it with your own eyes.

Realistically, do you guys ever see humanity figuring this stuff out before our time is up?

I haven't the slightest idea what humanity will known 10,000 years from now, much less ten million.

 

[julcab12]

Realistically, do you guys ever see humanity figuring this stuff out before our time is up?

A mild and vague "uperkurk of the gap" version. Sidenote: Rough estimate and analysis. "Are we able to?"...

 

[jtbell]

My philosophy of physics is similar to my philosophy of travel: the fun is more in the journey, than in the destination.

 

[Evo]

Because I hope by the time I die I get to know what the universe is.

You've put two completely different time lines in this thread, fisrt you said

Realistically, do you guys ever see humanity figuring this stuff out before our time is up?

and now it's before you die. Before you die, I'd say NO.

 

[zoobyshoe]

No matter how much we understand anything, people can always generate more and more questions and thereby work themselves into a state where they feel we don't understand anything.

 

[Drakkith]

I understand exactly what the universe is. Banana pudding. One simply enjoys banana pudding and doesn't contemplate what an empty bowl means. Mmm...pudding...

 

[mfb]

My philosophy of physics is similar to my philosophy of travel: the fun is more in the journey, than in the destination.

Related comic

I see some reasonable probability that humans will be able to find a fundamental theory of the universe which covers all known (current+future) fundamental phenomena in the next 200 years. This would not be the end of physics, but it would mean particle physics and cosmology would have nothing unexpected left to discover.
I think it is meaningless to talk about "truth", "reality" and similar things in physics, therefore such a theory would be the best possible achievement of fundamental physics.
If we don't have such a theory in 200 years, I have no idea how strange it might be, and if it can be discovered at all.

 

[Containment]

It's highly likely imo that there will always be new things in science to understand.

 

[mfb]

This would require an infinite number of things to understand, or a certain point (might be extremely far away) after which nothing else is found.

And that for the basic laws of physics? I would not expect this.
For applications of physics? I agree.