The known universe is billions of light years across - but most scientists seem to agree that it is finite. What would you see if you were to travel to the edge and look over? Perhaps a reflection of yourself - or another universe beyond ours?

First, I don't think you'd "see" anything, because there would be no stars, so no light.

I think the theory I'm going to go for is a vacuum, we know the Universe is expanding exponentially, a vacuum at the edge of it best explains this to me.

What I hope is there, is the other side of the Universe, that would be cool. Just the same as if you fly in one direction on Earth you'd go right around the world and back again without changing direction. If the Universe was the same, out one side and in the other - suddenly everything wouldn't seem so big anymore...

Don't forget that finite doesn't mean that there has to be an edge. The current model for the universe is a little like the inside of a basketball, with no outside. If you were to "pierce" through (there is, however, no barrier there, just to be clear), you would find yourself on the polar opposite end of the ball. That would make it finite, but with no edges. There is nothing beyond, because there is no beyond.

So, travelling away from the centre will bring you back to a point diametrically opposite your starting point?

If the universe is expanding - it must be expanding into something surely? Perhaps the edge is just time - a distance just too far to travel?

Like aquatus said... it doesnt have to have a boundary and anything outside of it necessarily (I still believe that there might be, but we need to understand more than these 4 small dimensions we think in)... Anyway, the current shape of the universe is assumed to be, well, damn, I dont know what its called. But basically, if you go str8 in any direction... eventually you'll return to the position you started out at.

The universe is expanding, and it is acclelerating. If you were to travel in a straight line, you would not end up in the same spot. you would just keep going.

Although the universe may be finite, there is nothing to suggest that it is bound by anything. Nor is there any evidence to suggest that there is anything that would stop the cosmic acceleration. Its Finitude is only a matter of opinion.

Of the 3 models on how the universe may be "shaped" the flat model fits best in my opinion. which would allow an infintely expanding universe.


Below is an image of the keyhole nebula. There is an uncanny resemblence of a finger pointing. Perhaps its pointing towards the edge

Reality expanding ?! Very interesting. Here is some food for thought. what if on the other side of the "edge" is the exact opposite of our universe or a previouse universe that is being destroyed by the expantion of our univ.

It looks loke a middle finger to me. Maybe a celestial being giving the finger to onlookers across the galaxy.
BTW- why is it called the keyhole nebula?


[EDIT]- No need for a double post, there is an edit button you can use
*its called the keyhole nebula because of the odd hole (in the larger part of the nebula)

Also, I must add in my behalf that this is MY opinion, not claiming to be your fact. Not claiming to be anything but me, growing and learning, living and learning. And yes you ALL are helping me. Thank you

As you reach the "edge" if it exists, by virtue of your presence you are extending the universe, so perhaps there is no end. If you exist, then so does it, if you (meanng sentient life) do not exist, then it does not exist?

I always imagined that the universe was a spherical shape with an infinite diameter.

Isn't the universe supposed to be expanding at like 1000 miles per second? (I heard this somewhere, correct me if I'm wrong. ) Even if it is finite we'd never reach the end.

The last thing i read about the expansion of the universe is that is ever expanding!
No slow down in site! If there is an end it may go back to the beginning.Thus a
complete circle and an end to life as we know it!

The issue on what lies beyond the edge of the universe and what the latter is expanding into, it quit frankly beyond our comprehension.

Well, here's a thought, may not be a sane thought, but it's a thought. Now, for the universe to keep expanding, it has to have raw material with which to build on itself, right? Where is all this material coming from? I know that it stretches, but at the rate of growth, there would have to be some kind of building process going on as well.

If, as aquatus says, the universe is merely reality creating itself, then our thoughts and perceptions are in fact creating the universe, and as we grow and learn and imagine, the universe expands to accomodate all this extra activity. And that means we exist because we want to.

It also means, that in a parallel universe, far far away, I actually got a pony.

How can you believe that there is an edge. Were you there?
We can all ponder, but the truth is there regardless. We can
only speculate until we have sufficient technology to discover
the universe and its boundaries (if any).

It IS fun to speculate. The reality is that we are all probably quite wrong, whatever our thoughts about the subject, it is porbably impossible for mere mortals to comprehend such things.

Current scientific thinking however is that there is an edge, and if there is an edge then there's another side to it.....

Here is a theory: What if there is a "reverse" or inverse universe
beyond? Or maybe there is nothing.... hmmm

Have you ever thought about exactly how big out universe is? It can't really be big or small because you don't have any other universe to compare it to. Another thing: What if the universe that we know is the equivalent to a molecule in a much larger universe? Our galaxies could be the atoms etc.. And if this is true, maybe if it were possible that a larger universe existed, then a smaller one than ours exists too. If you could magnify a quark (3 levels down from molecule) there could be new kinds of energy that don't seem to exist in this world. What causes the laws of physics to apply? Exactly WHY does gravity bring objects together? Maybe if we could see the smaller world we could figure it out. But that won't happen in any of our lifetimes. The smallest we can see now is subatomic particles with electron microscopes. It would probably help if we could actually change the size of matter. But what is matter really? Is it just a bunch of tiny dots that make up this world? But why, then, does it have these forces that can send other pieces closer or away? These scientists have explained all of the WHATs about physics, but not really any of the WHYs.

Yeah! I always had that same idea! Like you know the atom stuff?
Its kind of like our planets... the way they revolve, and the electrons?
man, what if thats true? Or maybe even a speck of dust could be a
universe! Hey, what if the universe is a loop?

Isn't gravity supposed to be linked to space/time? Like the miniscus on a glass of water which distorts the water around an object floating in it, so any "solid" object distorts space/time and causes attraction...

But solid objects are not solid anyway - when they are continually reduced to their components we end up with energy not matter. So perhaps the energy can reconfigure in other dimensions so that our universe might only be one of many others.

A thought; if you were the only sentient life in the universe and you died. Would the universe die with you?

does anyone know what lies on the outside of our universe?any therorys? if there is an outside... gulp

Nothing.

This question cannot be answer, because "what" and "lies" are words that are used for a material existance of something.
There is no relevance of asking about material things when you talk about something besides the universe - because the universe and matter (and energy for that matters) are interconnected.

There could be other universes or something.

or just chupas....

There is only one universe... A universe outside the universe would be the single universe, not two different ones...

Current thought is that there is no outside. The universe is spherical in concept, and loops onto itself.

Yeah, what Aquatus said.

It is hard to concept to understand...physics can get a bit funky when you try to conceptualize it without understanding everything that goes into the theory behind it.

yeah but (eerily (spelling?) similar to my topic...) whats with the new multiverse idea?

I dont understand the theories, but i think its endless

Our minds are vast, powerful things...there power has no end...and space, is just that. Space. There are no limits. and time...there is no such thing.

haha once again it is HUGE!!!!! i dont think there is a way of even finding out how big it really is is there? all you can really do is estimate

Well when you asking how big owr universe is what is your definition of universe cause in my mind the word universe stands for all that is and insn't and in all ways of all meaning everything theirfore how could their be an outside or another of what already is everything?

Ashta i agree completely TIME DOES NOT EXIST. when thinking of distance and how far somthing can go or not go your refering to time. TIME is just a word we put on change or distance refering to physical worly reality matter when talking about outside of that you have no time their for their is no distance. Time is an illution that we as human use to explain change.

I was meditating on the beach the first time my soal left my body when it did at first i noticed that i could see myself sitting on the beach with my journal and i was huvering above my body next all i remember is leaving this world and relm as we know it. I was a ball of mass that could see, touch, feel, hear, taste, smell, and so much more that any physical since in all direction as far as the mind can fathem and father, as far is as east from west never actualy seemed as far as it actualy is once you experiance it. Insainity, Astranomical is so huge no human word not even the human mind can understan it. I've experianced infinite and i don't even think i have but i've at least touched a peace of it and i still can't fathem it in my consious mind at hand. i had obtained all of knowlege understanding and knowing of all that exists all that doesn't exist all that is and all the isn't. i had touched the eternal IS. THeirs no word to describe it becuase it's outside of what we can fathem to exist. i was a flood of knowlege and understanding of the essance of existance that was almost to much. to the point wear i believed very powerfully that i had died and what i was experiance ing was death not thinking i would ever return to reality and not wanting to. But i had no desires no cares no worries it was as if nothing mattered. in any since of any being it was as it was. and i was the essance of being content in every posible way.

This affected the rest of my entire life that was 4 months ago. After it happend with in a two week time i got rid of my car, quit my job, got a friend to move into my room in my dueplex bought a plan ticket to florda and gave away. practicly all that i owned and flew to Florida i have been hitchicking on the the road across the contry ever since liveing only out of a bookbag. in the woods, under bridges in peoples homes that i meet along the way im' in san fransisco now and life has become amazing in every posible way. i live every moment sec by second not thinking to much about the past nor the furture i only feast my eyes on the present. and it's amazing how much life starts to work perfectly in every situation providing all i need and seting up meeting with the exact people that i need to meet at that exact moment. I am 20 years old.

I have one question...Why do you post that in every thread you go in, Consious Expansion? Anyways, I think that the universe has to end somewhere...But then, what's after? I belive that dark holes can take us to another dimension, but I would never go in one

People have different meanings of universe. Some people think its just our planet, or solar system, or all of space. My opinion or theory (one of the many) sounds a little odd. But I made it up: The earth could be a cell inside a body of some sort. Space is inside a body and out there there could be millions of these bodies in a world like were in? No...Anyone understand what I'm saying. Anyways - most likely not true, the universe is probably a number of lightyears thats beyond our number system.

I get what you're trying to get across, but it sounds very unlikely

(Dedicated to Magnet) Yeah, I know, I have a weird mind and a strange sense of curiosity.

Yea man, I've had many discussions about your theory. Of course, they started for a particular reason



I don't see why it can't be likely.

(Dedicated to Diebytheflyguy) Thankyou. Im sure there hundreds and hundreds of more explanations of what space could possibly be. But seriously and honestly, not to be rude, but what the hell could be out there!!! Theres so much space out there and its DRIVING me crazy. I want to know what is beyond our solar system.

I suggest reading about the terms "particle horizon" and "event horizon" on the web. Two good links could be
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_horizon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event_horizon

There is a difference between what we "see" (or "will see", as a matter of fact) and what "there is"

Wow, no joke intended but this is a big question!!!! I opened this to read others thought on this subject I am not well versed in things astronomical but am looking forward to reading others replys to this topic.

Thanks for the links -

you know what would be funny, if the univerce was made like an asteroid game

Universe is not a reality. It is a great dream in the Mind of God. A dream is a condensed thought. When dream further condenses it become a physical thing. As Ice, water, steam & vapour are different forms of H2O at different temperatures, similary a thought, vision, dream & physical thing are the different forms of same thing at different frequecies of your mind.

When you go to sleep, this universe does not exist for you. You even forget your body. You can never dream in your awakening state. You create another universe anda new body foryourself in your dream state, which is not real, but appears to be real. While dreaming you cannot say it is a dream not a reality.

God's Dream (universe) is so real that we are interpreting the false images as the reality. Universe is a creation of our mind at certain frequency. If we go beyond mind then the reality will be revealed to us. Through our daily dreams God is trying His best to convince all of us that the universe is like a dream and not not reality. But we are ignoring his efforts. Our sense organs, mind & intellect are befooling us and keeping us away from the reality. To know the reality go beyond mind, senses and intellect. God will reveal Himself. He is waiting for us.
Dharam Vir Mangla
Author: God & Self Realization (Scientific & Spiritual View)

Ditto, We have yet to break down the smallest particles we have discovered...but as science develops, perhaps they'll find that the electrons were actually galaxies within electrons and atoms are planets....haha, reminds me of the movie Men In Black 2 when Tommy Jones at the very end opens a regular door and Will smith looks out and they are just teeny tiny people in a locker of huge aliens leading a much larger life.



Exactly, it's like saying that there is something more than infinity (remember the game you'd play as kids when one would say "infinity" and the other would say "infinity times 2" and then "infinity times infinity") there is no "more" than infinite and no more "outside" a universe, because what is "outside" would technically be inside the universe.