They say that the Universe is constantly expanding, but I want to know what its expanding into!?

Question

Also, what was there before the big bang?

Answer 1

Old know all doesn't answer the question. What is nothing? All these scientists who agree with the big bang theory, and it takes a lay person to ask the question that they seem to have missed. I believe there is no end to the universe in space and in time. It was always there and it will always be. How can there be an end? what happens when you get to the end? Is there some invisible barrier that you can't get past? No, my view is the only one that makes sense and I don't believe science knows anymore than anyone else on this matter.
It is only because our minds cannot contain the enormity of absolute eternity and infinity that we try to limit it. It is not the universe expanding because the universe has no limit, but it is matter which is expanding into infinite space.

An alternative theory of mine is that there was a big bang, what originally existed was all the matter in the universe compressed into a incredibly small size and it exploded into the infinite space which was already there outside it. So matter is expanding outwards but space is not. So the universe is not expanding, only matter is.

Jeramey - you've just said the same as me then you go on about people not looking it up. The last two theories you have "copied" are just what I have said. The first one - have you read what it has said. The universe is like a balloon therefore it has nom boundaries. Of course a balloon has boundaries - it has an inside and outside. I should look at what I copy and paste first if I were you. And at the heart of the universe is mysticism - that is why science and our logical minds can never grasp it.

Zahbudar has a good point - the universe and God can never be solved by science and our minds. They can be grasped best with the heart of a little child, who "knows" nothing, staring into space with wonder.

What is your view on the universe millymolly?

Answer 2

I agree in concept with billy. I disagree with cosmicvoyager's metaphysical concepts of creation (his assumption is that something like the Andromeda galaxy exists because we WILLED it to be there !?!).

There exists no answer to your question. Our knowledge of our known Universe is still in it's infancy stages. What you will get in response to your question is opinions, educated guesses, hypotheses, and theories.

What you want to know is the same thing that scientists, astronomers, astrophysicists, and practically every person on the planet would like to know. We need to learn much more about the Universe before we can put forward any statements with any certainty. The problem with most theoretical ideas which attempt to answer the questions you raise is that none of them can be recreated in a laboratory. The Big Bang is not a fixed theory but rather an ongoing process whereby scientists are trying to understand general relativity for spacetime and quantum theory for matter. Even WITHIN the Big Bang theory there are many theories as to how it happened and what happened. The Inflationary theory, Hawking's cosmology, and others. We need to learn more about the laws of thermodynamics and how they operate within very large gravitational fields during singularity. It is not known if the Universe is open or closed so the question of what there was before the Big Bang also cannot be answered. It may have been created out of nothing or it may have been created out of a hydrogen-helium mixture. Because of the intricate complications involved, time cannot today be calculated to the beginning where time=0. Therefore, time before the Big Bang is also unknown.

All one can do is study and compare the theories and decide for oneself which to agree with and which to disagree with based upon what is true based upon current facts and the suppositions and conjectures that extend from those facts.

Answer 3

From Cornell University:

"My question is "what is at the end of the universe if it really does end?" because if the big bang theory is correct then then when the whole universe was one atom or very small what did it expand into because if there was nothing there it couldnt have expanded. for example if you have a room and you say that the walls are the end of the universe then you build on to the room to make it bigger (the universe expanding) there has to be room on the other side of the wall for you to build into."

"There is nothing called the end of the Universe. There are three possibilities of the shape of the Universe.

First, the Universe might have what we call positive curvature like a sphere. In this case, the Universe is called "closed" and it has a finite size but without a boundary, just like a baloon. In a closed Universe, you could, in principle, fly a spaceship far enough in one direction and get back to where you started from.

The second possibility is that the Universe is flat. This kind of Universe can be imagined by cutting out a piece of a baloon material and stretching it with your hands. The surface of the material is flat and not curved. You can expand and contract it by tugging on either end. Flat Universes are infinite in extent and have no boundaries.

Finally, the Universe might be "open" or have negative curvature. Such Universes are also infinite in spatial extent and have no boundaries.

Thus whatever be the shape of the Universe, there is nothing called a boundary and hence nothing called the edge or end of the Universe.

Regarding the second question of expansion, remember that space exists only IN the Universe and there is no meaning to the term "outside the Universe". What happens in expansion is that the space itself is expanding. With respect to your room analogy, it is not that the walls of your room are pushing against something but that the space in the room is expanding; there is nothing to push against. Thus, when we talk of galaxies receding from us due to the expanion, it is not that the galaxies are moving, but the space in between us and the galaxies is expanding."

People should at least look things up before answering questions... Old Know All is right. And my question is, "Why do people need something to exist outside of the Universe?" Instead we have the inklings of mysticism. The Universe IS existence, therefore nothing "exists" outside of it.

Billy:
I find it odd that I am being criticized for quoting from an educational source on something that directly applies to the question being asked. What I copied and pasted are the current theories on the Universe, and you are criticizing me for it? So instead of taking the knowledge passed on by actual people who research and study the topic at hand, I am to take your "belief" as the most logical? However I will cede to you on your alternate theory, it seems practical, but not being a cosmologist I cannot verify its accuracy.

Your point on the balloon analogy is taken out of context (I'm not saying I don't see the point, but it is not the point being made by the analogy). The point of the analogy is that the physical space within the balloon is expanding, not that it is expanding into another environment. If the Universe were expanding into something else, shouldn't we see some physically observable effects greater than that of the cosmic background radiation (roughly 3k)? I would think so.

Messenger:
Excellent and well reasoned answer.

Answer 4

The general view is ALL of space and mass was contracted around the singularity and when it went bang the universe expanded and space relaxed it's tight grip and started returning to a normal pattern.

Answer 5

Some people don't believe this but i think there is another universe. I mean that is the only possible theory right? Well, the universe must be expanding in something. It just doesn't make sense if there wasn't anything supposrting it. I believe I see a chain reaction in this. If the universe is expanding into something, the something must be in something. So the other something must be in something...whoa!



(A tiny universe...everything compressed into it. =Second answer)

Answer 6

I agree in concept with billy. I disagree with cosmicvoyager's metaphysical concepts of creation (his assumption is that something like the Andromeda galaxy exists through fact we WILLED it to be there !?!). There exists no answer on your question. Our know-how of our well-known Universe continues to be in it is infancy ranges. What you will get in reaction on your question is critiques, knowledgeable guesses, hypotheses, and theories. What you elect to nicely known is an identical element that scientists, astronomers, astrophysicists, and almost each and every individual on earth might choose to nicely known. we could study plenty extra with reference to the Universe earlier we are in a position to place forward any statements with any actuality. the difficulty with maximum theoretical suggestions which attempt to respond to the questions you develop is that none of them might nicely be recreated in a laboratory. the massive Bang isn't a fixed concept yet quite an ongoing technique wherein scientists are attempting to understand commonly used relativity for spacetime and quantum concept for remember. Even interior the massive Bang concept there are various theories as to the way it got here approximately and what got here approximately. The Inflationary concept, Hawking's cosmology, and others. we could study extra with reference to the guidelines of thermodynamics and how they perform interior of very super gravitational fields for the time of singularity. it is not well-known if the Universe is open or closed so the question of what there replaced into earlier the massive Bang additionally can not be replied. it could have been created out of not something or it could have been created out of a hydrogen-helium mixture. through complicated issues in touch, time can not immediately be calculated to the beginning up the place time=0. consequently, time earlier the massive Bang is likewise unknown. All you're able to do is study and evaluate the theories and ascertain for oneself which to trust and which to disagree with based upon what's real based upon present day info and the suppositions and conjectures that strengthen from those info.

Answer 7

Visualize a small pond of water maybe 200 feet wide by 200 feet long. I want you to look at this pond of water from a point about 675 Billion Miles away and tell me what is in the pond.
Are there fish in it? What kind of fish are they? How many are deep down in the pond, and how many are close to the surface? What do they eat, and when?

Can't do that? Hmm-m-m...

Well, standing here on Earth, which is in a Solar System around one single star, the Sun, which is a part of the Milky Way Galaxy of more than 200 Billion other stars and more than 1500 Light Years wide, and only one of thousands and thousands of other galaxies with billions of stars in each one of them, I am unable to tell you what is beyond that which I can see.

Your question about B4 the Big Bang is also comical in that you maybe presume someone on Yahoo was there and can give you a first hand report, or a pretty good theory (roughly one dime per dozen). Why be silly enough to ask such questions?

Why not just look in amazement at the beauty of the Universe "THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO SEE RIGHT NOW"???

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Now you have gotten something real for your trouble. Spend a bit of time looking at these pics of Outer Space and begin to comprehend the enormity of Space.

Answer 8

that answer would be so hard to answer on here. what you need to do it getthe book "parallel worlds" by michio kaku. it is all aboutthat topic, not only that but much much more, pretty much everythig about the universe and the unknown.

and a simple answer is that the universe if kind of like a bubble in a pot of boiling water. my personal oppinion is that everythin outside the universe is heaven, thats where god is, and thats what their was beforethe big bang, and god made the universe.

Answer 9

the simple answer is that most of us have no idea how to comprehend this.
the universe is defined as all of space-time.
we are simply unable to imagine it because all we can come up with are crude analogies from our everyday life [like we think of the big bang as an explosion like a firecracker and we think of the expansion like a balloon].
there are fancy ways of trying to explain your questions, but i just don't think we are capable of imagining it.

Answer 10

Old Know all is right . So what's existence expanding into then?
This is the onion with infinite layers!

If the universe is getting bigger. Bigger relative to what?

I'm afraid this is where natural Science lets us down. Science really has nothing meaningful to say about existence, if old know all is correct!

Seems to me that Science isnt up to much! Scientists like to spend time slagging off philosophers and theologians....and then they have the cheek to come up with drivel like this!


Jeremay says;
"
Regarding the second question of expansion, remember that space exists only IN the Universe and there is no meaning to the term "outside the Universe". What happens in expansion is that the space itself is expanding. With respect to your room analogy, it is not that the walls of your room are pushing against something but that the space in the room is expanding; there is nothing to push against. Thus, when we talk of galaxies receding from us due to the expanion, it is not that the galaxies are moving, but the space in between us and the galaxies is expanding.""


Jeremay that argument only looks reasonable until you start to think. Don't accept what your professors tell you without questioning. The room analagy is fatally flawed, because if you were in the room, how would you know? it reminds me of Einstien re-inventing the ether with the notion of the fabric of space-time


You sound like medeival theologians wondering how many angels can stand on the head of a pin! The mysticism is coming from the Physicists.......remember guys, physics can't even solve something as simple as the three-body problem!


To say there is nothing outside the universe is in itself a meaningless statement. it is a typical ploy of so-called scientists to say a question is meaningless, rather than admit to their own lack of knowledge and or understanding