If space is expanding whats at the edge? where does it stop?

Question

I want to know where space found the "space" to exist? Also will this recreating Big Bang experiment cause a paradox? or another little universe on a nano level??

Answer 1

AHA!

An excellent question for once!

Based on some reading I've done, mostly of Dr.s Hawking and Einstein, the universe as I understand it is considered "Finite" and "Boundless."

You probably know what each of those words mean seperately, but put them together and it makes no sense whatsoever. Here's where you take what my favorite physics prof. describes as "your first red pill."

The universe is finite, meaning that you can go everywhere in the universe in a set ammount of time (this may be a really long time, though). Essentially, it is limited.

The universe is also boundless, meaning that you'll never hit a wall or end to the universe no matter how far you go.

What the heck?

The explanation is pretty cool in my opinon. When you approach the expanding "edge" of the universe (I say "edge" because there really is none, remember, boundless), space-time, the very universe iteslf, in other words, curves. This curve of space-time would bend the path of something (anything, even light) asymptotically, meaning that you can keep getting closer to the edge of the universe, but you never make it. If you turn in any other direction, you get farther away from it.

Mind blowing, huh?

As for "recreating the big bang," you must have heard incorrectly. Scientists would love to do just that, unfortunately it would take all of the energy in the universe (exactly all, in fact), the vast majority of which we do not have access to. The best we can do is approximate some of the big banc conditions and theorize about it.

Answer 2

I like a thinker...

I don't think anybody knows for sure.

Perhaps the universe (space) goes on forever... just the stuff inside it is expanding from a location where the "big bang" occurred. For some reason, the human brain seems to have a hard time getting around something physical going on forever.

Perhaps space is curved. into other dimensions and eventually it will wrap in on itself... of course that would depend on the type of curve space has.

There's still the the theory of a pulsating universe... but I believe that is out of favor at present.

If it makes you feel any better, there are probably hundreds of mathematicians and other theoreticians working on a mathematical model for the universe.

Keep wondering... you might be the one to come up with the answer.

Answer 3

A good question, and some very good answers but why must there be an edge to space? It is only us (humans) that need to know this. We need a start a middle and an end to everything just so we can accept it. We are borne we live and we die, but just because we think like that doesn't mean that's how it has to be. I believe the universe has all ways been there, and it all ways will be there, there was no start and there will be no end. Carl Sagan said of the cosmos it is all that was, all that is, and all that ever will be, or something like that and its right. Big bang? why not but that's just something that happened with "stuff" that was all ready there and had been there forever.

Answer 4

There is an edge to what we are able to see and could ever possibly see in the universe. Light travels at 300,000 kilometers per second. That's top speed in this universe—nothing can go faster—but it's relatively slow compared to the distances to be traveled. The nearest big galaxy to our Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy, is two million light-years away. The most distant galaxies we can now see are 10 or 12 billion light-years away. We could never see a galaxy that is farther away in light travel time than the universe is old—an estimated 14 billion or so years. Thus, we are surrounded by a "horizon" that we cannot look beyond—a horizon set by the distance that light can travel over the age of the universe.

Answer 5

I have no data to back this up, but I have a pet theory that the universe is actually a lot smaller than we think. All of this talk of a curved, boundless, finite universe makes very much sense to me.

One consequence of all this that nobody's directly touched on is that if the universe really does loop around, you could go one direction long enough and get back where you started, just like Magellan. In other words, maybe some of those distant objects out there we're seeing are in fact US billions of years ago!

More distant objects are in fact highly energetic compared to anything around here. (I'm refering to quasars). When the universe was more compact, things would have been much hotter (like compressing a gas). It all just makes sense to me. Have you ever stood between two mirrors? You see reflections going off into infinity. If you had a powerful enough telescope you'd be able to see yourself hours and hours ago! You'd look like you were hundreds of millions of miles away, but if you could see yourself through this telescope, you could actually peer into the past!

Of course, no mirror we've ever made is reflective enough to keep light bouncing around like that without attenuating (absorbing) it all long before it's travelled far enough to appear as the past to us.

Brain candy, my friend. Brain candy!

Answer 6

There is no scientific observation possible to determine where the substance of space ends.
As far as Creation of the Universe is concerned the Bible Record does indicate some changes.
There is no way of proving that the Universe came into existance as per Big Bang theory,its all speculayive and the theory is still pseudoscience.

Answer 7

we are brought up to beleive in beginnings and endings sort of conditioned from birth.its a mindset.therafore we must always ask the question where does it begin and end.
but the truth is there is no such thing everything in existance has always been there, averything merely changes into something else.
that being the case,then then is no begining and no end space is inexaustable
Hard to grasp,yes but no harder than your question ,just a different point of view. ok

Answer 8

appreciate all the answers, esp plamadude, philip et al. the current theories also come to the conclusion that the observable universe (that interacts with light) only forms less than 5% of the entire universe. by implication we have no idea about the properties of 95% of the universe, apart from its gravitational effects. of course this is now confirmed by hubble observations (read Dark Matter). I would like to see what Philip J says to that.

But for a concise answer to your question, the plamadude is spot on.
Cheers

Answer 9

The only thing expanding is our ability to see the edge. As technology grows we will see farther. At this point in time space stops around 13.5 billion light years away, but we have not reached our full potential in brain usage (30-40 % of our full brain capabilities).

Answer 10

I hope space is expanding, cause apparrently we are all getting obese, so may need more room. I wish seats would expand on airlines to accomodate these big folk and give us normal size ones space to breath.