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Border of the universe?

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sErgEantaEgis
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31 Aug 2011, 7:46 pm

I know there is nothing outside the universe because the universe is all that exist. But then since the universe is finite, what would it's borders look like? I mean there's a point where the universe stop, and what would be the conditions there, and what would it feel like if I would touch the ''wall'' of the universe?



Jory
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31 Aug 2011, 7:49 pm

There's just a chain link fence.

But it's f***in' huge, man.



sErgEantaEgis
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31 Aug 2011, 7:54 pm

Jory wrote:
There's just a chain link fence.

But it's f***in' huge, man.


Is there also a sign that reads ''Keep of the lawn'' and ''Beware of God''?

I wonder if the border of the universe would make a good touristic attraction... :)



AtticusKane
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31 Aug 2011, 8:00 pm

sErgEantaEgis wrote:
I know there is nothing outside the universe because the universe is all that exist. But then since the universe is finite, what would it's borders look like? I mean there's a point where the universe stop, and what would be the conditions there, and what would it feel like if I would touch the ''wall'' of the universe?


Well according to quantum physics, string theory and all that mumbo jumbo, there are multiple universes. And dimensions.

But yea you'll have to hop the immigration fence first



purchase
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31 Aug 2011, 9:05 pm

It's possible for something to be finite and infinite at once the way I imagine it.

What if it's like being inside a sphere, and the entire sphere including the edges are made of space. It's finite but if you were to run your hand along the "wall" it would just be space as always.

If that made any sense.



Last edited by purchase on 31 Aug 2011, 9:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

AspieWolf
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31 Aug 2011, 9:05 pm

The universe does not exist physically. This is all a dream. But if it is a dream, who is dreaming? And if there is a who, then do they really exist, or are they a dream? And if so, of whom? Oh, I have brain ache
now!


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VIDEODROME
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31 Aug 2011, 9:23 pm

I think looking for the end of the Universe is looking starting an expedition to look for the end of the Earth.



Titangeek
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31 Aug 2011, 11:13 pm

If i am not mistaken the universe is expanding faster then the speed of light, if that is the case the edge of the universe would be black.


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pree10shun
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31 Aug 2011, 11:19 pm

I've always wondered what existed before the big bang happened.

Purchase wrote:

Quote:
It's possible for something to be finite and infinite at once the way I imagine it.

What if it's like being inside a sphere, and the entire sphere including the edges are made of space. It's finite but if you were to run your hand along the "wall" it would just be space as always.

If that made any sense.


Then wouldn't that space be a part of the universe too?



VIDEODROME
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31 Aug 2011, 11:47 pm

I've heard the Universe may have an overall shape like a Toroid. Which of course doesn't really have a border or edge.

But what if the big bang occurs in the middle of this Doughnut Universe? Then as matter moves out across the Toroid curve of space the expansion seems to speed up? Eventually this will come around back to the middle and the universe will keep recycling itself.

However what will this look like? From our point of view we've always been moving away from the center of the Universe where the Bang occurred. I think in a way we might think we're all headed towards a giant wall but in fact speeding towards the inside of the big bang.



Tom_Kakes
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01 Sep 2011, 4:38 am

purchase wrote:
It's possible for something to be finite and infinite at once the way I imagine it.

What if it's like being inside a sphere, and the entire sphere including the edges are made of space. It's finite but if you were to run your hand along the "wall" it would just be space as always.

If that made any sense.


+1

That's right, the universe is seen as finite but unbounded, much like a sphere or a mobius strip but four dimensional. I don't think the universe is actually infinite, rather it is just assumed so because we can't yet figure out what's outside it or rather special/general relitivity can't go outside.

Some versions of string theory predict a multiverse of which our universe is a part.


Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

Albert Einstein



bigbadbeast2007
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01 Sep 2011, 8:35 am

sErgEantaEgis wrote:
Jory wrote:
There's just a chain link fence.

But it's f***in' huge, man.


Is there also a sign that reads ''Keep of the lawn'' and ''Beware of God''?

I wonder if the border of the universe would make a good touristic attraction... :)
:D



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01 Sep 2011, 8:51 am

sErgEantaEgis wrote:
I know there is nothing outside the universe because the universe is all that exist. But then since the universe is finite, what would it's borders look like? I mean there's a point where the universe stop, and what would be the conditions there, and what would it feel like if I would touch the ''wall'' of the universe?

The universe is infinite. There is no "outside".



AtticusKane
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01 Sep 2011, 9:07 am

VIDEODROME wrote:
I've heard the Universe may have an overall shape like a Toroid. Which of course doesn't really have a border or edge.

But what if the big bang occurs in the middle of this Doughnut Universe? Then as matter moves out across the Toroid curve of space the expansion seems to speed up? Eventually this will come around back to the middle and the universe will keep recycling itself.

However what will this look like? From our point of view we've always been moving away from the center of the Universe where the Bang occurred. I think in a way we might think we're all headed towards a giant wall but in fact speeding towards the inside of the big bang.


This explanation gets my vote



Tom_Kakes
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01 Sep 2011, 9:12 am

Fnord wrote:
sErgEantaEgis wrote:
I know there is nothing outside the universe because the universe is all that exist. But then since the universe is finite, what would it's borders look like? I mean there's a point where the universe stop, and what would be the conditions there, and what would it feel like if I would touch the ''wall'' of the universe?

The universe is infinite. There is no "outside".


I think we shouldn't assume this because only a few hundred years ago, most people saw the earth as flat. Just because they didn't have the whole picture. Not because they were less intelligent.

We certainly don't have the whole picture yet. The universe is not infinate, rather infinate in theory.

In the theory of relitivity, the speed of light is represented as infinate for reasons of ease/elegance. Because it is an absolute of speed (kind of). But the speed of light has a finite speed. The same goes for the universe. Quantum theory can't exist outside so the universe is represented as infinate.

There must be more...



ruveyn
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01 Sep 2011, 11:05 am

Tom_Kakes wrote:

In the theory of relitivity, the speed of light is represented as infinate for reasons of ease/elegance. Because it is an absolute of speed (kind of). But the speed of light has a finite speed. The same goes for the universe. Quantum theory can't exist outside so the universe is represented as infinate.



That makes no sense.

ruveyn