Finite? Hmmmm, so then what's on the other side? Other universes?



Scientists think universe shaped like soccer ball


LONDON (Reuters) --The universe may be finite, spherical and patched together like a soccer ball, according to U.S. and French researchers.

Jeffrey Weeks, a MacArthur Fellow based in Canton, New York, and researchers from the University of Paris and Observatory of Paris studied astronomical data which suggests the universe is finite and made of curved pentagons joined together into a sphere.

In research reported in the Thursday edition of the science journal Nature, the scientists said data from NASA's Wilkinson Microwave Anisotrophy Probe, which maps background radiation left over from the Big Bang, is not consistent with an infinite universe.

"Since antiquity, humans have wondered whether our universe is finite or infinite. Now, after more than two millennia of speculation, observational data might finally settle the ancient question," Weeks said.

In a commentary on the research, George Ellis of the University of Cape Town in South Africa, said if Weeks and his colleagues are correct we might indeed live is a small, closed universe.



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Copyright 2003 Reuters. All rights reserved.


There is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life
that is less than the one you are capable of living. - Mandela

It depends on one's definition, I suppose There's nothing different here from the long-held "infinite but bounded" description.

The problem with asking "what's outside?" is that we can never know. Light bends along the space-time curves, as do all electromagnetic frequencies, and if we were to try to find the "edge" of the universe we'd fail. IF we flew in a "straight line" (no such thing on a large scale in the universe) we'd just end up where we started. The universe is "flat" only on small scales.

what's outside? An interesting question, but only for theorists, I'm afraind. Membrane cosmologists believe that there are other universes out there, but they are toying with possibilities, not with knowledge. Fun, but we have to do that carefully.

I know this is simplistic, but I've long believed that our universe is just a cell of a larger organism.

Interesting. Why?

Well, for two reasons, one quasi-reasonable, the other purely emotional. I know the arguments are not well articulated or well thought out, but bear with me ...

Reasonably, [the Although I can't support this with researched evidence, (and I'm relying on my high school exposure to biology and astrology)] it seems that everything around us on the cosmic level (that that we can perceive) seems to follow the same rules as on the celluar level. For example, the cell is self-contained, with the cell's wall allowing some things in (e.g., water); but keeping other things out. This pattern is repeated on the cosmic level with the atmosphere. The atmosphere allows in light, while largely shielding us from radiation.

On the emotional level, it seems that the ego of man limits us to being the pinnacle of creation, as opposed to being a part of creation.

BTW, Melesi ...

Yes, this causes some conflict with my religious belief system. But that's other discussion.

kweli,

No problem. Thanks for your response. It's something to think about.

Peace.