Is it true that the universe's age is infinute and not 15 billion years baloney? thanks. anjum azad
2006-09-12 05:29:30 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
the universe as as infinite as your mind. the universe is infinite and that alone stands for your correct statement on its finite
15 billion year baloney. you are brilliant my friend, go in peace!!!
2006-09-12 05:33:46 · answer #1 · answered by lee f 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is a very interesting question that has been pondered by many. Albert Einstein thought the Universe had to be infinite in time and space, and in a "steady state". However, there was a German Astronomer by the name of Olber who first examined the thought of an infinite universe mathematically. He reasoned that if the universe were truly infinite, then why is the night sky dark? He calculated that if the universe were truly infinite, the night sky should have the same brightness as the surface of the Sun, since every line of sight in the vacuum of space would eventually lead to the surface of a star with a similar brightness to the Sun's surface. Since the night sky (trust me on this) is, in fact, dark, we can infer that there can't be a simple infinity of stars present. Furthermore, we now know that all of the distant galaxies are traveling away from us, and from each other. This situation could not have gone on forever, obviously. So the best guesstimate of the age of the Universe is around 15 Billion years, give or take a Billion.
2006-09-12 15:45:34 · answer #2 · answered by Sciencenut 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Big Bang event occurred 13.7 billion years ago, and that was the creation of all of the Universe that we can see. We know, however, that there is additional Universe that we can't see, because there is new stuff flowing through the Event Horizon all the time. The Big Bang may have occurred in a place that had time, and there may be many Big Bangs. The whole Universe could be infinite in space and time.
The Big Bang is not baloney---there are many lines of evidence for it, and very little evidence against it. It is the central theory of modern astronomy, and is needed to explain almost all astronomical observations.
2006-09-12 12:38:56 · answer #3 · answered by cosmo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Can anyone really answer this question definitely? I mean, we live only about a century, less than a blink of the eye in comparison to the lifespan of the universe.
Current calculations based on the expansion of the universe has the age at about 15 billion years. For now, that is our best answer based on scientific observations.
2006-09-12 12:37:20 · answer #4 · answered by mmmodem123 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It really depends on how you look at it.
If you believe that the big bang happened and will happen again after some universal cosmic meltdown or something, then the universe's age is infinite.
If you believe that the big bang just happened once and will never happen again, then maybe 15 billion years or so is right.
2006-09-12 12:38:27 · answer #5 · answered by Dennis B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it is 15 billion years. Infinite age is baloney.
2006-09-12 13:09:55 · answer #6 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think it is infinite. Even the scientists say matter can neither be made nor destroyed. Although earth may be 15 billion years old what it came out of was there forever.
2006-09-12 13:56:28 · answer #7 · answered by tman 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
read a good book on cosmology. most scientists agree on an age of the universe somewhere between 10-20 billion years.
2006-09-12 12:32:13 · answer #8 · answered by Jim 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The universe is continuously in flux...hmmm I believe in finite.
yet I am a LAY MAN.
I am going with the scientists who believe 10-15 billion years old.
2006-09-12 12:38:29 · answer #9 · answered by Tabor 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I'm not an astronomer so I can't really answer that question, but consider that the most brilliant of minds came up with that age I think I will believe it.
2006-09-12 12:32:53 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋