I expect this has been asked before but oh well ?

Question

If the universe was to decrease in size, what would be on the outside?
And if it was to expand, what would it expand into?

Answer 1

Yes, it's been asked loads of times, but don't worry - it's still a good question.

I get soooooooo annoyed with all the people who say the universe is infinite. It is NOT. Think about it folks - we know (because we can see) that it is expanding continually - therefore it is bigger today than it was yesterday. That is COMPLETELY at odds with the idea of infinity.

But to answer your question - we don't know, and we never will. Our understanding of everything has to include the notion of space and time, it's completely impossible for us to imagine anything existing outside of that.

If I said to you, imagine that you have no dimensions, no width, length or breadth and that you have no past, history or future, you would wonder how you could even be said to exist at all under those conditions.

Now apply that to "outside" the universe - no space, no time. Mind-blowing and impossible to imagine.

So, somehow, there is an "outside" to the universe - but we could never, ever reach it and have a look even if we had the technology to get that far. Time and space curve in such a way that no matter how far we went, we would end up back where we started.

It's a complicated subject and there isn't really an answer to your question.

Answer 2

How can the Universe be finite in size? What is ``outside'' the Universe? The answer to both these questions involves a discussion of the intrinsic geometry of the Universe.
There are basically three possible shapes to the Universe; a flat Universe (Euclidean or zero curvature), a spherical or closed Universe (positive curvature) or a hyperbolic or open Universe (negative curvature). Note that this curvature is similar to spacetime curvature due to masses, like stars, in that the entire mass of the Universe determines the curvature.
It is impossible to draw the geometry of the Universe, it can only be described by mathematics. All possible Universes are finite since there is only a finite age and, therefore, a limiting horizon. The geometry may be flat or open, and therefore infinite, but the amount of mass and time in our Universe is finite.
Remember, there is no `outside' to the Universe. One could, in theory, measure the size of the Universe much like you measure the radius of the Earth. You don't dig a hole in the Earth and lower a tape measure, you measure the circumference (take an airplane ride) of the Earth and divide by 2 pi (i.e. C = 2 x pi x radius).

Answer 3

If the universe began to decrease, on the outside of it would be another universe.

If it expanded, whatever surrounded it would also move to accomodate it. I think that our expanding universe pushes into other universes and makes them shrink.

We can only speculate though.

Answer 4

There are many explanations. One of them says, that there do not have to be anything to expand into, there do not have to be any "outside". What there is, is all there is. Variation of that says, that there is no "end" of universe, as one could understand it, because (that theory is quite old and probably not true) Universe is a 4-dimensional hypersphere, which means, that if you were going into one direction, without changing course, you would finally got into point where you had started (simplified explanation).

Other theory says, that our universe is a child universe to another, so outside is other universe, and there is probably another and so on.

Other (not mutually exclusive with previous one) says, that our universe is 3(or something near three)-dimensional membrane in higher-dimensional "space".

Answer 5

Universe is not a living organism nor is the universe infinite, in fact, nothing physical is.

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity... and I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

there is absolutely nothing outside of it. In fact it is expanding at the speed of light, which started at the Big Bang.

Answer 6

Not sure,
but I read interesting article last night about scientist that theorize instead of the big bang that it was an explosion inside a black hole. That would explain the finite matter and the infinite expansion. If the universe is inside an expanding black hole hole eventually it could exit through a white hole into the real universe.

Answer 7

well im not a scientist but apparantly there are loads of other universes surrounding ours, with more planets in them. So im guessing that we would expand into another universe, or if decreasing in size would just bring the other universes closer? I like to think that in other universes there are fairies and giants and stuff.... like i said, i am no scientist! there could even be a parallel universe to ours, with an earth and exact copies of us. they might think we are the copies.... im confusing myself now!

Answer 8

The universe is constantly expanding. for now anyway. You should read:

A brief history of time
The universe in a nutshell (theyre both by Stephen hawking)

and watch :

the eleventh dimension (just google it its a short video.)

Answer 9

I always likened our existence to that of an atom....each atom being the sun with life all around it...link this to more atoms then more and you form the universe, therefore if that universe is linked to another and another you end up with an object... in that light how many universes, galaxies, suns and planets exist within one cell...or a person....if we are part of a larger entity will we all perish when that entity dies?

Answer 10

u cannot do this.

but if u wanna answer then
if whole universe is 1/2ed then the space outside will also be halfed so as there will be no thing to measure and we will not know because all thing along with measuring devices will also shrink and so is the case in expansion but if the spce is not taken the space will get new heavenly bodies formed

i guess u hit the jackpot..................