Re: The Universe Isn't Infinite


"Morituri-|-Max" <newage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:c5g8e.9947$AE6.2159@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Aighghghghhhhh!
>
> That finally sunk in for me... BOING! or D'Oh!
>
> Thanks TWake.
>
> So basically any point in the universe can see 13x10^9 LY in any direction
> which might lead one to say that it COULD effectively be infinite in size.
> Maybe. At least as far as any poor schmuck is concerned who tries to go
> to the edge of the universe and ends up back home.
>

Well this can be contentious. The general theory in physics is that no one
place is "special" - which means that what can be seen from Earth is pretty
much the same as what can be seen from any other point in space. This
implies that where ever you are in the universe you can see 13x10^9 ly in
every direction which, as you say can imply the universe is infinite - or it
can imply that the curved universe means it folds back on itself.

Personally, (and will everyone please note this is a personal opinion - not
a troll or attempt to stamp my belief on the internet! :-) ) I go with the
infinite universe theory. If the universe was curved back on itself then we,
by definition, would have to be at a "special" point in space which goes
against the grain a bit. However, I am happy to accept I am totally wrong if
someone can show me some evidence to the contrary. Or, for example, the
universe could be just a bit bigger than we can see which is why we cant
look at the "back of our heads" by staring in one direction for long enough.

Also, getting back to Nick - the term infinite has no set value. Something
very, very small can be infinite simply because it has no end. Even your
(Nicks) statements lead to the "future is infinite" which implies time is
infinite. Time also had a start point (along with the big bang) and has
expanded ever since. Therefore there must have been a "point" at which time
was very small, yet also infinite. Does this make sense?


.

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