The Universe is flat?
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The Universe is flat?
This discussion is intended to be friendly shared opinions on the matter of why we maintain the image of a "flat" universe.
I was just thinking about this the other day, so way back when we used to think that the Earth was flat. This idea has been corrected and we now see images and what have you of an Earth in a shperical nature.
I cant say the same for our persona of the Universe? Every picture I generally see depicts an expanding universe on a horizontal plain, never a spherical image. Our pictures of galaxies are spiral clusters of stars in a two dimensional fashion. Is this just for simplicity reasons or do we really believe the Universe is expanding only in a horizontal plain??
My proof that this is not the case is that no matter where someone is standing at any one location of the Earth, they will see stars. If we know that the Earth is a sphere then that means there would be millions of "stars" in various distances away from the Earth in EVERY direction. This would mean that the universe must also be spherical in nature, no? yes?
Your thoughts please...
I was just thinking about this the other day, so way back when we used to think that the Earth was flat. This idea has been corrected and we now see images and what have you of an Earth in a shperical nature.
I cant say the same for our persona of the Universe? Every picture I generally see depicts an expanding universe on a horizontal plain, never a spherical image. Our pictures of galaxies are spiral clusters of stars in a two dimensional fashion. Is this just for simplicity reasons or do we really believe the Universe is expanding only in a horizontal plain??
My proof that this is not the case is that no matter where someone is standing at any one location of the Earth, they will see stars. If we know that the Earth is a sphere then that means there would be millions of "stars" in various distances away from the Earth in EVERY direction. This would mean that the universe must also be spherical in nature, no? yes?
Your thoughts please...
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The universe can be infinite and flat or it could be finite and flat. We don't know whether the universe is infinite or not, but according to the data we have now we believe the universe is flat (not closed or open). Meaning that two parallel beams of light will remain parallel and not converge or diverge from each other.
The universe also appears to be expanding at an accelerating rate. In my view the universe is finite but given infinite time it will be infinite in size.
The universe also appears to be expanding at an accelerating rate. In my view the universe is finite but given infinite time it will be infinite in size.
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From: Benicia, CA
Dark matter seems to be increasing in a 'vertical' direction at a slower rate of speed than it does in a 'horizontal' direction. On paper it would look like an ever expanding longitudinal(?) rectangle. That said, in a universe where we're working with ~12+ dimensions, 3 dimensional concepts like spheres hardly begin to explain the 'shape' of our universe/entangled multiverse depending on which theory you look through.
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From: Benicia, CA
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Originally Posted by azn akira' timestamp='1332124471' post='21521240
In my view the universe is finite but given infinite time it will be infinite in size.
, the real mind bender is, what exactly seperates the nothing of space and the nothing outside of space, and what happens when/if you cross that line.
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From: Rockford illinois/Las Vegas
My thoughts on this.
When a blast occurs, everything is emitted outwards in all directions. Unless you are blowing something up on a flat surface that limits the expansion, but that would raise more questions in the big picture. Why wouldn't that apply the same for our very own universe? What exactly outside the universe would limit the expansion to a flat plane type explosion? It would almost then seem that outside this universe is a pressure regulating such an outward emitting explosion.
I would agree that our universe is infinite basing on the theory it is STILL expanding. But what would happen if it stops expanding or is stopped by reaching a certain distance due to its own pressures or those outside? I'm curious if space would exhibit the same behavior as any explosion or "ripple" that reaches an end point.... Reverse direction in a reflection.
Further input?
When a blast occurs, everything is emitted outwards in all directions. Unless you are blowing something up on a flat surface that limits the expansion, but that would raise more questions in the big picture. Why wouldn't that apply the same for our very own universe? What exactly outside the universe would limit the expansion to a flat plane type explosion? It would almost then seem that outside this universe is a pressure regulating such an outward emitting explosion.
I would agree that our universe is infinite basing on the theory it is STILL expanding. But what would happen if it stops expanding or is stopped by reaching a certain distance due to its own pressures or those outside? I'm curious if space would exhibit the same behavior as any explosion or "ripple" that reaches an end point.... Reverse direction in a reflection.
Further input?