How can we be so sure that it has no end? Infinity just does not seem like a scientific answer for a distance of area. It is so abstract. If it is infinite doesn't this mean that there are an infinite number of planets and galaxies? Wouldnt this leave an infinite amount of possibilities for atmospheres and lifeforms?
If the big bang started from one concentrated amount of matter, then the matter in space is finite. Therefore, does matter stretch out into areas of space that simply contain nothing?
sorry for all the questions. I guess the subject just really interests me.
2006-08-15 17:42:42 · 16 answers · asked by Walty 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I do understand that space is just that. The space between matter. But are we positive that this emptiness goes on forever? And is the matter in space not limited?
2006-08-15 17:52:30 · update #1
At first there was the vacuum. Space is not the same thing.
Space is full of light particles, electrons, protons, photons, cosmic dust and other small things and then, of course we have the stars, planets, comets, and other big things.
Compared to the vacuum, space is a high pressure system. The vacuum had absolutely nothing in it and it was infinite. The powerful and massive vacuum force it contained did nothing until matter was introduced. The forces in a vacuum are expansionary and anything introduced to the vacuum would be expanded until it filled the vacuum. A vacuum and mass with gravity will not co-exist in the same space. So when matter was introduced to the infinite vacuum, it expanded and filled the vacuum. The infinite vacuum no longer exists and the universe has to be infinite. It is possible that there are a finite number of planets but an infinite amount of matter resulting in an infinite process of planets and stars dying and exploding and new ones being created. So, an infinite universe does not have to mean that there are currently an infinite number of possibilities for life to exist. It does mean that there are will be an infinite number of chances for life to be created.
Science labels the vacuum as philosophical which allows them to avoid considering it in their theories. They don't want to consider it or infinity because the moment that they plug infinity and 0 into their equations, they don't work.
The original question was, how was matter created from nothing but, this was too hard. So, they called the vacuum philisophical associating it with religion. Then they came up with a theoretical (philisophical?) single point a few centimeters across that existed in the vacuum and became so compressed that it exploded and created the universe. If this was the case, the universe must have a theoretical end.They have not explained how anything would have become compressed in a vacuum or what strange matter it was that was a single point a few centimeters across. The line between theory and philosophy is defined by what science can and cannot prove, currently.
So, they say there was an infinite vacuum, then they say that they don't have to consider a vacuum or infinity because they are philisophical and religion like.
and, hold the presses, they now have proof that the universe is 156 billion light years wide (see site in references).
In a sense, science is kind of like infinity. Its answers and numbers continually change and get bigger. These are referred to as scientific break throughs and scientific advancement. The problem is that infinity never was a number and will never be a number to change or plug into formulas.
2006-08-15 19:41:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do not think there is just one universe but an infinite number of universes. So an infinite number of big bangs have occurred and are even occurring today. What lies beyond infinity? Perhaps all the universes are telescoped into one another. I support the theory of multidimensional worlds. There are not just 11 dimensions but an infinite number of dimensions. This makes it more mind boggling. There may be an infinite number of clones of of a person in existence. This will answer the age old 'Chicken or Egg' question. Also the 'Grandfather Paradox' where you could go back in time, kill your Grand Father and yet be born as you.
2006-08-16 01:01:42 · answer #2 · answered by MARS1951 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hey you know, that's a really good question...that's actually so good of a question that one could only theoretically speak about it.
Yes, I belileve we do have an infinate amout of possibilities as far as lifeforms and atmospheres go. The problem these days, is only explaining how they got there.
I personally don't think that there is a such thing as "nothing" when in context to the universe. There are things that are "unseen" or "useless". However they are still there because you have the power to imagine them.
We should have more questions like this being asked.
And to answer your question, I have no clue. : )
2006-08-16 01:54:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Contrary to one of the answers on this question, the mathematical equation determines the mere probability of life in the universe. Since some of the numbers in that equation are currently unknown, and cannot yet be known or even guessed without any amount of certainty, the answer to the equation is incalculable.
Current Scientific theories hold that the universe is round. It may be closed, flat, or open. There currently is the possibility that there are other lifeforms out there, but the truth is we cannot yet say definitively...
2006-08-16 01:05:30 · answer #4 · answered by double_dip_34 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
space is finite, the nothingness outside it is finite. there is an edge of the universe, but we probably won't get to play there, so its really just there for decoration... Everything is finite, except non-matter, which is infinite. Therefore the universe of matter must have come from non-matter, since matter cannot create itself, and is infinite. The rest is the realm of theology and philosophy. Science can't answer any more than that.
2006-08-16 00:54:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I wouldn't say that science "believes" that because it cannot actually be proven or disproven. Scientific "beliefs" only run on the things that can be proven or disproven... However, I think that logically it makes sense that space is infinite. If there was an "end" to space, then what's beyond that? Because with the end of space there has to be something else to start and continue right? Just thinking about it makes my head hurt...
2006-08-16 01:27:26 · answer #6 · answered by caitlynsmommy 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I swear people slept during this period in school. Science only cares about the known universe, which is ~13.7 billion lightyears in diameter with earth as the center. Anything outside of that is irrelevant, as we cannot know. So no, science doesn't think the universe is infinite, nor do they think it is finite.
I should define "known" universe before someone throws something. The known universe is the universe that we can "see" as of now.
2006-08-16 00:58:47 · answer #7 · answered by johngrobmyer 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
With the available information it has been concluded that space is infinite and contains many more galaxies and our own galaxy , the milky way is expanding. Unless new findings on this direction throw more light we have to be contended with the present available information.
VR
2006-08-16 01:47:16 · answer #8 · answered by sarayu 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Science is not a belief system and has no dogma to teach about the nature of infinity (which relates as much to time as space in any case), or of the true nature and composition of space.
2006-08-16 00:52:11 · answer #9 · answered by Grist 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Space as a whole is infinite. Since space is the literal area in between all stars and planets, etc. The space you are talking about is our universe literally meaning one verse or space, so I guess your question is a mute point.
2006-08-16 00:50:55 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋