If the universe if finite, then what lays beyond the physical universe?

Answer 1

Some of the people who previously answered this question have a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the universe.

The universe is finite, and it is expanding, yet there is no penetrable barrier at the edges of the universe. Asking the question "What lies beyond the universe?" is a meaningless question with no answer. It is exactly like asking "What is north of the north pole?". A meaningless question with no meaningful answer.

You see, there is no space beyond the universe, so there is no space to travel within beyond the universe. Space itself is expanding with the expansion of the universe. As a side note, the expansion of the universe is actually accelerating, not decelerating, as one would tend to think. A good way to think of the universe is as the SURFACE of a sphere. There are no boundaries. You can travel around it as much as possible and never reach a physical barrier preventing you from going beyond it. You never can get "beyond" the surface of a sphere because that is an impossibility. You only return to the place you started at. Our expanding universe is like the surface of a balloon that is being blown up. It is getting bigger, yet it is expanding into nothing. It is simply getting bigger, reality is simply getting bigger. (for the purpose of my analogy you must ignore the air outside of the balloon, you must only consider the surface of the balloon as all that exists.) If you consider this analogy, you will understand why the universe is expanding, yet it isn't expanding "into" anything, and you will understand why the universe is finite, yet has no boundaries.

Answer 2

The universe is indeed finite and continues in every direction without ending. This is something that the human mind can have no real perception of because our minds are infinite and therefore limited. It cannot be said that there actually exists even an end to the physical universe within the void of eternal space. The heavens, If there was an actual end, would be the blackness of void...even a darkness which may be felt.

Answer 3

If you are to assume the universe is finite then you must also assume that there will either be some sort of boundary or force keeping you from leaving that finite border. Otherwise you can no longer assume its size to be limited, even if there is a finite amount of space that is taken up by stars etc, there can be simply empty space forever in the distance. Trick is, who knows.

Answer 4

The universe is not finite. Universe is an all inclusive term so if theoretically there is something beyond the universe, that would also be part of the universe. The universe is everything. You can't go outside of everything.

Answer 5

When talking about 'our' visable universe:
At least, no source of light (or energy). Then we would have seen or measured those. Unless the outward power of the 'big bang' is more powerful then the power of the inward pointing energy/light. In that case, millions or infinite universes could lay beyond ours, with all having not enough power to enter the neighbouring universes.

Multiverse:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse_(science)

Answer 6

Good question and a good answer from , Nick. I just want to add
that the universe is our reality and it really has no boundaries ,as such. The classic theory says the universe creates reality as it expands... ok, I don't have a clue as to what that means but there it
is ...

Answer 7

Most of the people who answered this question are pretty clueless. There is already a great answer from Nick Hahn so I won't add anything except to say, pay attention to him. He knows what he is talking about on this subject. :)

Answer 8

The universe is infinite (never end).

Answer 9

Either nothing or something that is impossible for us to expirience or understand (being outside of the domain of our physics) so it is equivilant to nothing.

Answer 10

more of the universe, but we will probably never know