Serious question - there must be SOMETHING at the end of the universe? Or if the universe is infinate - just how???!?!
2006-09-05 09:59:15 · 12 answers · asked by Darren S 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
How big is the Earth to an ant? He would probably answer "infinite. It's all about perspective.
2006-09-05 10:03:39 · answer #1 · answered by MuffinMan 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
As we look at things that are further and further away, we see them as they were in the past, because the speed of light is not infinite. When you look at the Sun, you see it as it was 8 minutes ago, because it takes light 8 minutes to travel from the Sun to the Earth. When you look at the stars, you see them as they were years ago.
When we look back as far as we can see, in any and all directions, we see the "Cosmic Microwave Background". This is from a time 13 billion years ago, about 400 thousand years after the Big Bang. We can't see through the Cosmic Background using light, because it is opaque. If we could somehow see through it (maybe using neutrinos), we would see the Big Bang, and that would truly be the end of our Universe.
All the evidence suggests, however, that the material we now see as being in the Big Bang is probably a lot like our nearby piece of the Universe. In other words, if you could somehow go there infinitely fast (through a wormhole or something) it would look a lot like our part of the Universe is now: galaxies, stars, et cetera. Normal stuff.
This suggests that the Universe is in fact much bigger than the furthest we can see. The "Inflation Theory" (a type of Big Bang theory) suggests that the Universe is much, much, much bigger than the distance to the Big Bang. The region of the Universe that is similar to the local Universe may be more than 10^55 lightyears across. Beyond that, no one knows---there may be different laws of physics. It could be infinite.
2006-09-05 17:39:54 · answer #2 · answered by cosmo 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Another Universe.
2006-09-05 17:05:17 · answer #3 · answered by markos m 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
As far as we know right now, you'll just find some more universe hanging around at the end.
2006-09-05 17:18:40 · answer #4 · answered by dam 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There's some evidence to suggest that the universe ends at the biker bar down the street from me.
2006-09-05 17:04:59 · answer #5 · answered by Wolfeblayde 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
42
2006-09-05 17:06:37 · answer #6 · answered by Jackie J 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Perhaps it's infinite or is one giant ball such as earth. Perhaps it leads into several different demensions. Just one of those questions that should be asked of God.
2006-09-05 17:05:35 · answer #7 · answered by wrtrchk 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Maybe it's all the socks that go missing from everybody's dryers?
yeah, lame, I know.
2006-09-05 17:14:32 · answer #8 · answered by josephine 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
a restaurant -- haven't you read the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy?
2006-09-05 17:05:41 · answer #9 · answered by L J 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
the beginng of a new world
2006-09-05 17:05:40 · answer #10 · answered by seb. 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋