How big is space?

Question

Does it have an end or does it just go on and on forever and ever? Do you think we are the only things that live in the whole of space????

Answer 1

We can only see the universe out to our horizon (essentially the distance of cosmic microwave background radiation about 13.7 billion light years away). The size of the rest of the universe can't really be known. Some cosmologies make our corner of the universe as a "pocket universe" in a much larger multiverse where physical constants (and so the behavior of so called physical laws) vary over unfathomable distances with little universes peppered throughout it. So, we can't really say how big it is, only how big the portion we can actually see is.

Here is a little summary in a review of a fun book:
http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/science/sc-imo17.htm

This Science article would be a good read too. Any university library will have a subscription and a good public library will too, or you can buy the article online.
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/309/5737/1022

With the universe so large, I think it highly unlikely that life did not evolve elsewhere, especially considering how quickly it seems to have arisen on Earth. Intelligent life is another story and much harder to address. A great book about life written for non-science major college students is "Life in the Universe" by Jefferey Bennett et al. Get it used, or maybe for Christmas. With some effort it is accessible even to a junior high school student.

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Universe-Jeffrey-Bennett/dp/0805385770/sr=1-8/qid=1163518785/ref=sr_1_8/102-7735916-8685767?ie=UTF8&s=books

Answer 2

Space has no end, there can be no boundary between space and whatever is outside as space encompasses all of creation. The physical dimensions of the universe may however be 1. (if the universe is closed) finite such that it would be possible to travel so far that you return to your starting position without ever deviating from a straight line path. 2 (if the universe is flat) then there are no boundaries parallel lines never meet etc. 3. (if the universe is open) unbounded, parallel lines diverge etc. But the question, given the universe is all that there is, does not make sense and holds no premise in the physical universe.

In addition to the 156 billion light years across answer the observable universe is only 28.6 billion light years across.

Answer 3

Space is Infinite. It is without beginning and so it is also without an end
Yes, it just goes on and on forever and ever just like us
Other than "We" there are other forms of Life that live in the whole of space.

Answer 4

No, space is finite in volume but without boundaries or edges as it loops back on itself.

We live in a three-dimensional world, but let us imagine (to make things simpler) we lived in a two-dimensional world. The universe would then be like a balloon, where all two-dimensional space is defined on the surface of the balloon. When the big bang occurred, the balloon inflated to its current (finite) size. Note, there is no meaning to "what is inside the balloon" as all space is two dimensional in this analogy and lies only on the surface.

The reason why we cannot directly experience the wrapping around of space is because it is so large. The universe is expanding faster than we could catch up with it (faster than the speed of light). One day this expansion will most likely stop and reverse, leading us to a deflating "balloon" and eventually a big crunch, followed by another big bang .. and the process repeats ...

Answer 5

Contrary to popular opinion, we do have an idea how big space is: At least 156 billion light years across. We are currently in an expansion phase. (Red shift analysis) .There is evidence we start contracating to a big crunch at some point. I certainly do NOT believe we are the only life forms. There's like 180 million potentials for earth. Elements, pressure, atmosphere, distance from light source such as sun etc..

Answer 6

No-one knows how big space is. Since there are billions of galaxies with countless stars, some of which must have planets with conditions similar to Earth there is probably some kind of life out there, because life has proven to be quite persistent given even the most extreme conditions here on Earth.

Answer 7

Space in infinite meaning there is no en. Our galaxy and/or universe and many others are expanding to fill space rapidly and constantly. Space can also measured in time. Ex.-light years.

Answer 8

It is theoretically infinite, much of it being an absence of matter. Even though space is not a complete vacuum of emptiness and has various gasses and matter throughout. The main reason is that it is still theory is that it cannot be proven.

Answer 9

That is unknown and always will be. It's definitely beyond what the human mind can comprehend. Everyone has their ideas on the matter, but no one can prove them. Is there an end, or does it go forever. Prove either

Answer 10

the space is end less well till now this is the belive of the scientists and i don't think that we are the only alive in the space and some time we will contact them...