Freaky Question I've asked for a long time!!

[pressingon]

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Ah, but heaven is a spiritual place, so there for outside of our universe, there's nothing. What I'd like to know, is what is the nothing. Heaven is not of anything physical, it's spiritual so it couldn't be out there!

Didn't mean to imply that I think the location of heaven is somewhere in the "nothing" outside the edge of the universe... just that we could ask God himself what lies outside of the universe earth resides within once we get to heaven. As for the nature of heaven.... that's another topic altogether.

 

[Chi_Cygni]

But what is it expanding into? You stated in your point #3 that that stuff just outside the edge of the universe doesn't exist until our universe expands into it (light, matter, etc.). If our universe is expanding, doesn't that mean that more of the "non-universe" stuff is becoming part of our universe, or at least that more empty space fills it? Where does new empty space come from, if it's not created? The universe is not like a balloon, completely filled with something that can simply become less dense when it expands... it contains empty space (in addition to matter, energy, etc.), which has no mass, no density, but is, in my understanding completely empty.

I guess that, in addition to Biblical teachings, is why I believe the universe is infinite. It may not be filled completely with matter or energy, but I can't see how it could have an edge.


I'm not questioning that movement of stars and galaxies away from us is one possible explanation for observed red shifts, just the what's at the edge of the universe part.


Thanks for the suggestion. I'm fairly well-versed in big bang cosmology, but if I have questions or need clarifications, I'll look it up.


I certainly don't question the "God did it" part, but I can't say I agree with most of the big bang theory. That's not the topic of discussion here, though.

Anyway, all of this is just my point of view, of course. The bottom line is that we'll never know what's outside of our universe (if anything) short of heaven... it's simply not observable.

No offence but how come if you are 'fairly well versed' in Big Bang Cosmology that you make several errors in the above post I quoted of yours?

Alarm bells immediately ring when someone makes a statement like 'what is it expanding into?'

 

[pressingon]

No offence but how come if you are 'fairly well versed' in Big Bang Cosmology that you make several errors in the above post I quoted of yours?

Alarm bells immediately ring when someone makes a statement like 'what is it expanding into?'

First off, I never claimed to understand EVERYTHING about big bang cosmology. I have never claimed to be a theoretical physicist or to have spent my life studying cosmology, so if that's your measuring stick for well-versed... well, you'll find very few who are even worth taking the time to talk to, certainly not most of us on this site. That being said, since you're here and claim by your criticisms to understand this stuff better than I do, by all means correct my errors and clarify... criticizing comments do nothing to help us all understand the situation, but real information can.

Back to my questions / comments... From what I've read, there seems to be some question as to whether Big Bang Cosmology requires an infinite universe or a finite universe (apparently, both present valid mathematical solutions to the problem). From my understanding, a finite universe requires a shape such that ends overlap, hence you never really "reach the edge" of the universe. An infinite universe presents the same.

That being said, assuming we COULD reach the edge, what's beyond it (if the universe is finite)? The question, what's the universe expanding into, seems to be a valid question if the universe is finite. If you feel it's not, please explain why... I'd like to know what I don't understand.

 

[Glaz]

#5: A cool question I have wondered about myself.