The universe...?

Question

What ever the whole of space is called, i dunno if it's the universe or galaxy or w.e. But where does space end, surely it cant go on forever, and if it does end somewhere, whats on the other side?

Answer 1

The whole of space is called the cosmos. The universe does not quite mean the same (there may be parallel universes). The universe that we live in may be the whole of the cosmos if there are no parallel universes. It is made up of billions of galaxies (like our own milky way) which each in turn contain billions of stars like our sun.

To consider whether the universe goes on forever, consider the surface of a sphere, like the earth. It has two dimensions (North-South and East-West), but there is no 'edge' of the world, because if we keep going, we will eventually circumnavigate the earth, and end up where we started. We can even measure the surface of the earth, even though it has no boundary, and no 'end of the earth'. To leave the earth, we need to travel outwards into space through a third dimension.

It may be the same with the universe. It is three dimensional, but may have no boundary, unless we leave it in a fourth dimension, which we can't. The universe may be finite but unbounded, like the surface of the earth. We cant see the 'curvature of space., because the size is so immense; just like we can't usually see the curvature of the earth, unless we look down from a high place, or from space.

Answer 2

Why can't it go on forever? The problem with finite thinking is that, as you have stated, what is beyond the edge? If there is a boundary of everything, there can only be nothing beyond it. And if there is nothing beyond the edge of the universe, then, logically it cannot have an end. If space is curved back on itself, like some believe, that fourth dimension would pose the same problem again... What are the boundaries of that higher dimension?

The world is spherical, curving back on itself, providing no edge. Some use this as a model for the universe, saying that if you go far enough in one direction in the universe, you will end up back where you started. The problem is, that if space is curved in such a manner, the medium in which that curvature exists poses the same problem. Is that hyperspace curved as well? How far does it go? Infinity? Seems we are back where we started then.

Answer 3

Well that's the big question isn't it. The whole of space as we know is called the universe and is made up of galaxies. No one knows if there is an end or whats on the other side. There are many theories about the universe. One is the universe is like a balloon that is expanding and when it can't expand any further it's going to retract untill it collapses in on itself. I started to think about it all one day and i thought my head was going to explode so i've just decided to accept that the universe is there and leave it at that.

Answer 4

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. It is not known if the Universe is open or closed.

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 known facts and the suppositions and conjectures that extend from those facts.

Answer 5

You're asking the wrong question. It can't be explained that way because you are limiting the perception of the Universe, so by limiting the scope you are limiting the resources made available to give a valid explanation.

The Universe is the totality of existence. This is the best definition in words you will get. The Universe is not merely defined by space, mass, or their existence in any given moment of time.

Answer 6

The space does not end. Yes, it can go on forever. The question, "What's on the other side?" does not arise as it does not have an end. Even if there is another side, then it still means it hasn't ended there.

Answer 7

That is an unanswered question. There are theories that the universe is endless and theories that it is finite but curves back on itself. We will probably not know for sure in our lifetimes. There may even be an infinite number of universes coexisting with ours. Each one has the possible outcome of you making a different choice some time in your life.

A galaxy is a cluster of stars revolving around each other and there are probably billions of them. We are in the Milky Way galaxy.

Answer 8

I submit to you that you DO think that it CAN go on forever.

If you could not really imagine it going on forever, you wouldn't say that there must be something past the end. The very fact that you ask, "whats on the other side?" tells me you cannot imagine it NOT going on forever.

Answer 9

It can be what ever you want it to be , it's your imagination that counts . If there is an end to the universe a man with a box of Jaffa Cakes might just be waiting there for you. Let me know what you find, good luck .

Answer 10

By definition, the universe includes everything.

Physicists and astronomers believe that the 'universe' as we know it has a defined, expanding shape (theories range from a toroid to a topological nightmare without name to a klein-bottle like shape, but there is know way to theorize what is one the 'outside' because there it is, in essence, not there.