If the universe is perfectly geometrically flat, then it can be infinite. If it’s curved, like Earth’s surface, then it has finite volume. Current observations and measurements of the curvature of the universe indicate that it is almost perfectly flat. You might think this means the universe is infinite.
Is it possible for the universe to last forever?
Scientists now consider it unlikely the universe has an end — a region where the galaxies stop or where there would be a barrier of some kind marking the end of space.
Does the galaxy go on forever?
Imagine, like in our case, a universe that’s expanding. As we pump more air into the balloon, we’d see the space or surface area expanding and every point or galaxy living on the surface getting farther and farther away from each other. That expansion might go on forever, but the universe itself is still finite.
Can the universe not end?
No. The universe is finite but has no end or boundary, because that would mean there was somewhere beyond the end And wherever you are, you are in the centre of an observable universe defined by the Hubble radius.
How can the universe be endless? – Related Questions
What created the universe?
Our universe began with an explosion of space itself – the Big Bang. Starting from extremely high density and temperature, space expanded, the universe cooled, and the simplest elements formed. Gravity gradually drew matter together to form the first stars and the first galaxies.
What is beyond our universe?
The trite answer is that both space and time were created at the big bang about 14 billion years ago, so there is nothing beyond the universe. However, much of the universe exists beyond the observable universe, which is maybe about 90 billion light years across.
Is the universe infinite?
The observable universe is finite in that it hasn’t existed forever. It extends 46 billion light years in every direction from us.
Will the universe decay into nothing?
According to our best measurements, it appears that dark energy doesn’t decay, meaning that even as the Universe relentless expands forever and ever, this form of energy density will remain constant.
Can the universe be reborn?
The universe could bounce through its own demise and emerge unscathed. A new “big bounce” model shows how the universe could shrink to a point and grow again, using just the cosmic ingredients we know about now.
How far is the end of the universe?
The comoving distance from Earth to the edge of the observable universe is about 14.26 gigaparsecs (46.5 billion light-years or 4.40×1026 m) in any direction.
What is bigger than the universe?
No, the universe contains all solar systems, and galaxies.
How many universes are there?
In a new study, Stanford physicists Andrei Linde and Vitaly Vanchurin have calculated the number of all possible universes, coming up with an answer of 10^10^16.
Can we go to another galaxy?
The technology required to travel between galaxies is far beyond humanity’s present capabilities, and currently only the subject of speculation, hypothesis, and science fiction. However, theoretically speaking, there is nothing to conclusively indicate that intergalactic travel is impossible.
Is it possible to travel back in time?
Time travel to the past is theoretically possible in certain general relativity spacetime geometries that permit traveling faster than the speed of light, such as cosmic strings, traversable wormholes, and Alcubierre drives.
Will humans ever leave the solar system?
Climate change is altering our planet, and some have wondered if we may have to leave Earth to another distant planet. We will never escape climate change, and unfortunately, we will never leave the Solar System, and Earth may be our home forever.
Have we ever left the Milky Way?
On November 5, 2018, Voyager 2 officially left the solar system as it crossed the heliopause, the boundary that marks the end of the heliosphere and the beginning of interstellar space.
Can we see outside our galaxy?
Observing stars beyond our Galaxy
It is possible to see stars outside of the Milky Way Galaxy, but not as individual points. If you take a look within the wedge-shaped constellation of Andromeda you’ll see the elongated misty patch known as M31, or the Andromeda Galaxy.
Can you land on a star?
The calculations show that, even using the most theoretical of technologies, reaching the nearest star in a human lifetime is nearly impossible.
How far has a human gone in space?
Farthest away
In April 1970, the crew of NASA’s Apollo 13 mission swung around the far side of the moon at an altitude of 158 miles (254 km), putting them 248,655 miles (400,171 km) away from Earth. It’s the farthest our species has ever been from our home planet.
What does space smell like?
sweet-smelling welding fumes’, ‘burning metal’, ‘a distinct odour of ozone, an acrid smell’, ‘walnuts and brake pads’, ‘gunpowder’ and even ‘burnt almond cookie’. Some astronauts have likened the smells of space to walnuts.
Do you age in space?
In space, people usually experience environmental stressors like microgravity, cosmic radiation, and social isolation, which can all impact aging. Studies on long-term space travel often measure aging biomarkers such as telomere length and heartbeat rates, not epigenetic aging.