the universe?

Question

does the universe go on for ever and if so how far is that?
Or, is the universe like a bubble so if you go far enough in one direction you go right back round to where you began in which case what's outside the bubble?

Answer 1

The universe is infinite and expanding, we will never know the true extent of its greatness.

Answer 2

The easy answer is: yes.

It is very likely that the universe is a 3-dimensional hypersphere wrapped around a 4th dimension (or more: in one theory, there could be as many as 12).

In the same way that the surface of a sphere is a 2-D space wrapped around a thrid dimension.

If that is the case, then yes, by starting off in one direction, you could end up where you started (but much later).

How large is the bubble? The most recent analysis of the data from WMAP (studying the cosmological microwave background) have ruled out most theories with "small" universes -- whatever that means. So it appears more and more likely that the 3-D size of the universe is infinite. If that is true, then it will take an infinite time to go around and return to the starting point (meaning: I will not wait around for you to return), and I will have lost a bet -- I wanted to believe that the 3-D size of the universe is finite, even if boundless.

In the same way as the surface of a sphere has no bound in 2-D (there is no edge), yet you can go all the way around in a distance that is not infinite. For example, start from any point on Earth, go in the same direction for 40,000 km (25,000 mi) and you will be back where you started, having never reached an "edge-of-the-Earth".

If the 3-D size of the universe really is infinite, then that solves a lot of problem, including your question of what is outside the bubble: there is no need for an outside (the universe goes on forever).

There is also no need for "something" for the expanding universe to expand into: it expands into itself.

Les us say that the universe expands to double its size, is there a point that is now outside what was the universe before expansion? No. For any point at distance x from us, its new distance will be 2x. Because the universe was (and is) infinite, there was already some part of the universe at distance 2x before the expansion (it is now at 4x).

Answer 3

Well no ones seen any ends to the universe.
So
It could go on for ever and if so that's for ever.
It could have an end like a bubble in which case there's nothing outside the bubble: unless the universe is expanding in which case there's empty hyperspace outside the bubble.
Or it could be a 4 (or more) dimensional shape in which case if you when all the way round you'd be back at the first place.

Answer 4

If it is like a bubble, then it would appear to us as if it just goes forever.
Ok, think about this, as you get out to the outer parts of the bubble, space gets bigger, or you get smaller. thus the edge of the universe always seems to be further away.
In this manner you would not come back around to the same place, but just keep traveling toward the edge without actually ever reaching it.
So in a way it goes forever, and is in a bubble shape.

Answer 5

Space is defined as the distance between two separate objects. Objects can be composed of matter and also exist as waves of energy. There is nothing outside the universe and the universe is expanding into it. However, as the universe expands as a whole, every object is getting farther and farther away from every other object. If the expansion continues forever, then the universe will not exist at some infinite point in time, since every object will be an infinite distance from every other object.

Answer 6

I vote for the bubble.

The thing is that space and time are intertwined with each other to form the universe in such a way that it is impossible to have anything outside the bubble - the 'outside' simply doesn't exist.

'Outside' of the universe, there is no matter, no time, no light, no energy, and no anything else. Since there is nothing that we could detect or measure in any way even if we could put an instrument 'outside' the universe, well, then, the 'outside' isn't there.

Answer 7

It depends on which theory of the nature of our universe you believe is true.

Most multi-dimensional theories state that our universe is similar to a bubble, just like you said, and if you travel far enough you'll eventually reach your original destination.

In that case, the universe is a confined 3-dimensional space in the 4th dimension. Weird, huh?

Answer 8

The truth is that no-one knows but we do know that it is expanding because the stars are racing away from each other.

Theoretically, there could be several other universes outside our own, this is known as the multiverse. The debate is whether they are parallel to our own or do they have a different set of natural laws - the eponymous laws of physics.

Answer 9

Since God created the heavens and the Earth only He knows the answer.He is the Alpha and the Omega.I believe too that what we can see is expanding but who really knows what's beyond that.Probably more stars and planets to infinity in all directions.God is infinite so should the the universe.

Answer 10

I think the current thinking is that the universe has bounds, it doesn't go on forever and ever. But there's nothing outside it. If you reached the end and kept going you would find yourself entering at the other end of the same universe.

It might be interesting to try sometime! 8^)

Answer 11

There are sooo many theories! Frankly, it's impossible to know. But, my friends and I sometimes joke that out universe could be just some small speck insides like a giant's necklace. Lol. The concept of forever is just so hard to grasp. I really don't know It's mostly just what you believe.