How can the Universe not end?

[Rocketman]

Seriously. It irritates me when people say that the Universe is never-ending. Of course it ends, we just can't comprehend its end. We perceive it as never-ending because it seems infinite to us.

Everything that has a beginning has an end, right? Each person is born, and they die. They end. Relationships end. Planets, stars, end. Animals die, food rots. There's nothing inside the Universe that truly has no end. Even the Sun has an estimated end. So why would we have the audacity to say that the Universe itself has no end?

I realize that this is the ultimate question that physicists and astronomers have been pondering for awhile now: If the Universe does end, what's outside the Universe?

 

[Axl Van Sixx]

The basic question is, what's outside the Universe? In physical space, you can't really imagine it. Go a bit further, see something else...you might as well include it within the universe.

The best description I ever had of the shape of the universe was this: think of a globe, where a 2-dimensional surface eventually wraps back unto itself. If you travel in 3-dimensions, you can skip between two widely separated points on the globe surface. Now add 1 dimension to all this. The globe is the universe.

 

[The Question]

Seriously. It irritates me when people say that the Universe is never-ending. Of course it ends, we just can't comprehend its end. We perceive it as never-ending because it seems infinite to us.

Everything that has a beginning has an end, right? Each person is born, and they die. They end. Relationships end. Planets, stars, end. Animals die, food rots. There's nothing inside the Universe that truly has no end. Even the Sun has an estimated end. So why would we have the audacity to say that the Universe itself has no end?

I realize that this is the ultimate question that physicists and astronomers have been pondering for awhile now: If the Universe does end, what's outside the Universe?

You're talking about two very different definitions of the word "end."

The first is the idea of the universe one day coming to an end, as in ceasing to exist. We don't actually know that this will happen.

The existence of Dark Matter and the expansion of the universe suggests that it might happen, and there are several theories as to how it could come about, but we don't actually know with real certainty that it will. Dark Matter itself is named Dark Matter because we know pretty much nothing about it.

The things you listed that do come to an end don't prove that the universe has to. Stars don't last forever. So what? Stars are not the universe. Stars are in the universe, but they're two different things. The fact that one has a predictable end doesn't mean the other does as they are of completely different natures. And I don't see how it is audatious to say that the universe is or might be infinite. In fact, I would say the inverse is true. The idea that everything which has a beginning has an end is an entirely human concept based on out experiences and perceptions. But as stated before, we don't know everything there is to know about the universe, so to assume that it follows that rule simply because everything else in our experience does seems much more audatious to me.

However, you go on to ask what might be outside the universe, which speaks more to the idea of the end meaning the universe having physical boundaries, which is different.

And there could be any number of answers to that: Complete nothing, other universes, this universe looping back in on itself, again, we don't really know.

 

[bullets]

What if other universes are being formed as this one is dying out. I think this universe will eventually die but if we ever reach the end we'll have more questions than answers.

 

[8wid]

Nothing in the universe truly ends, it just changes form. Living things may cease to existing in their current forms, but the matter and energy they are made of only change form and disperse in new combinations around other space in the universe. The same is true for stars and even blackholes that will eventually fade out in a trillion years or so. The universe will be completely pitch black, but atoms and molecules will be bouncing around forever in some form or another. What lies beyond that existence is a question to ponder for the multiverse and string theory.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

Seriously. It irritates me when people say that the Universe is never-ending. Of course it ends, we just can't comprehend its end. We perceive it as never-ending because it seems infinite to us.

Everything that has a beginning has an end, right? Each person is born, and they die. They end. Relationships end. Planets, stars, end. Animals die, food rots. There's nothing inside the Universe that truly has no end. Even the Sun has an estimated end. So why would we have the audacity to say that the Universe itself has no end?

I realize that this is the ultimate question that physicists and astronomers have been pondering for awhile now: If the Universe does end, what's outside the Universe?

Actually when a person dies they are recycled. You might not consciously be alive but you do, in some form still exist. Likewise with stars (our sun), when they die galaxys are created. Practically everything that dies is re-used for the purpose of making or sustaining more life.

Edit: You beat me to it bro

 

[Marvolo]

Seriously. It irritates me when people say that the Universe is never-ending. Of course it ends, we just can't comprehend its end. We perceive it as never-ending because it seems infinite to us.

Everything that has a beginning has an end, right? Each person is born, and they die. They end. Relationships end. Planets, stars, end. Animals die, food rots. There's nothing inside the Universe that truly has no end. Even the Sun has an estimated end. So why would we have the audacity to say that the Universe itself has no end?
I realize that this is the ultimate question that physicists and astronomers have been pondering for awhile now: If the Universe does end, what's outside the Universe?

There are three perceived shapes to the universe: saddle, flat, and spherical. All have different implications depending on which one is the actual shape. None of them could be the shape but those 3 seem the most likely. Then you've got Branes which leads to more complications. Then you have the fact that the universe is always expanding outward at an ever increasing speed away from us. The universe will keep expanding until the distance between stars becomes unimaginable and it will just keep expanding after that. In that regard the universe does not have an end.

Then there is the holographic theory and the idea that the universe folds back on itself which if that is the case it would be impossible to perceive the end and the end would be the beginning.

Then there is the problem that time as we perceive it isnt actually the true way time works.

You see most of this is all theoretical. Don't worry about it because this planet will die in a burning blaze when the sun swells and consumes the inner planets in 5 billion years. That bit isn't theoretical lol. For all intents and purposes the universe has no end at least not any that would have any effect on insignificant atoms on a pale blue dot floating through the cold vastness of space.

 

[Galactus123]

Everything that has a beginning has an end, right?

How do you know?

 

[dark_b]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyzIau5dBao

 

[hopefuldreamer]

When you say the Universe has an end, what do you mean?

Do you mean there is more outside our universe? Because if you do, wouldn't what's outside it have to come to an end by your logic too? and what's outside that, and what's outside that... Etc.

Or do you mean that if we travelled far enough we'd come to some sort of barrier, where you simply can't go any further, and nothing is beyond it.

Tbh both those options spin me out more than infinity ever could.

 

[Marvolo]

Even if the universe has an end or edge you would need to travel faster than the speed at which it is expanding or moving away from us. If you can't you would never be able to reach the edge. In that most basic sense the universe would have no end or perceivable edge.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

I'm no scientist, but I think there will always be "something", even if the universe as we know it dies out.

 

[Dr.]

The current/best understanding is that the Universe will end - in "heat death."

But under some Multiverse models, the Multiverse – itself - is infinite – even though the individual universes it spawns are not.

 

[Destructus86]

the UNIVERSE is never ending...in terms of content...galaxies, etc....it ends eventually. The rest is most likely just empty void.

 

[Warhammer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyzIau5dBao

 

[Metamorpho1977]

Why worry, it's way beyond our lifetime?

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

The Universe may well have a boundary, but it is not one which we can perceive or imagine (yet)

In fact the Universe may be larger than we think, because what we see from everywhere in the sky is the light which has been able to reach us. Who is to say that there are not regions further out from which their light has not yet had the time to reach us yet. And by light I mean the entire electromagnetic spectrum of course, not just visible light.

But if the Universe does have a definitive edge, like the proverbial garden wall... Then the logical question to ask is, what's beyond the wall? Whereby you then have to ask the question, if there is something there, then should that be classed as part of our Universe or not?

Honestly, it makes my head hurt just thinking about it.
But it's fun too.

 

[Dr.]

Why worry, it's way beyond our lifetime?

Cosmology joke:

Professor: …so given that the Sun is about halfway through its life cycle, the Solar System has another 5 billion years left to go.

Student: Excuse me. Did you say 5 million years?

Professor: No, 5 billion years.

Student: Oh. Whew, you had me worried.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

The current/best understanding is that the Universe will end - in "heat death."

But under some Multiverse models, the Multiverse – itself - is infinite – even though the individual universes it spawns are not.

Doc, I can safely assume you've studied physics at some level since you generally have a good grasp of things.

So....

May I ask what do you think of the resurfacing theory of the cyclic model. Because, as I think you know, to try and create a TOE, you need to unite Quantum Mechanics with Relativity. And doing so is very difficult, and in fact, as the universe approaches the singularity, gravity itself becomes a repulsive force. Something to ponder.


Also, to answer the OP. The observable universe is around 14 billion light years. But there's no reason it should be that size. As space expands, the observable universe will get smaller and each galaxy cluster dies of heat death. There's no reason this couldn't be happening on a absolutely huge scale, in which the universe is infinite, filled with "bubble" cosmic webs.

 

[SuperMike335!!]

Seriously. It irritates me when people say that the Universe is never-ending. Of course it ends, we just can't comprehend its end. We perceive it as never-ending because it seems infinite to us.

Everything that has a beginning has an end, right? Each person is born, and they die. They end. Relationships end. Planets, stars, end. Animals die, food rots. There's nothing inside the Universe that truly has no end. Even the Sun has an estimated end. So why would we have the audacity to say that the Universe itself has no end?

I realize that this is the ultimate question that physicists and astronomers have been pondering for awhile now: If the Universe does end, what's outside the Universe?

Some people believe that there is no end to anything in our reality, only what we perceive as an end. Even life may be eternal, just not the flesh you currently wear.

Just because a relationship ends does not mean that your universe has to.

 

[Megarob]

It is weird to think that there is NO END. But its also weird to that open space just... STOPS. Right? And as a matter of fact, it makes me feel very small with I think about it.. Thanks for that.

 

[Dr.]

...what do you think of the resurfacing theory of the cyclic model. Because, as I think you know, to try and create a TOE, you need to unite Quantum Mechanics with Relativity. And doing so is very difficult, and in fact, as the universe approaches the singularity, gravity itself becomes a repulsive force.

Not sure what you mean by “cyclic.”

A couple of decades ago, scientists weren’t sure how much mass/gravity was in the Universe. It was possible that there was enough to put the brakes on expansion and eventually cause a contraction. In turn, this would lead to a Big Crunch… followed by another Big Bang… ad infinitum.

Nowadays, we have a more precise inventory of mass/gravity. And it appears that there’s not enough of it to stop expansion. Indeed, there’s an anti-gravitation force that’s actually speeding up expansion (so-called inflation). So… no Big Crunch, no infinite cycle of cosmic re-births.

…at least for this Universe.

 

[DV8]

watch this entire episode . . . don't think this was the first segment, but I'm sure it's all on Youtube . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcNi2zTlTC4

ps, Morgan Freeman=#Winning

 

[Steyin]

 

[Zanham]

Seriously. It irritates me when people say that the Universe is never-ending. Of course it ends, we just can't comprehend its end. We perceive it as never-ending because it seems infinite to us.

Everything that has a beginning has an end, right? Each person is born, and they die. They end. Relationships end. Planets, stars, end. Animals die, food rots. There's nothing inside the Universe that truly has no end. Even the Sun has an estimated end. So why would we have the audacity to say that the Universe itself has no end?

I realize that this is the ultimate question that physicists and astronomers have been pondering for awhile now: If the Universe does end, what's outside the Universe?

There is a short story by Issac Asimov titled The Last Question that basically gives the only way it is possible for the universe not to end. It's a couple pages that takes around 15 minutes to read.

http://www.multivax.com/last_question.html