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Topic: Just how big is the universe?  (Read 1132 times)

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Offline PhoenixTLB

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Just how big is the universe?
« on: February 04, 2010, 10:30:09 AM »
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Offline AndyRCM

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2010, 10:35:22 AM »
Superb find Dave! ;) Love it!
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Offline woody.cool

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2010, 12:04:38 PM »
ROFL!

On occasions, I've been tempted to do that ;)
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Offline rewind

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2010, 12:52:55 PM »
trippy!

I always thought the universe was infinite, how can something end and not be inside something else?

does not compute!!
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Offline Phu

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2010, 02:08:07 PM »
Space is infinite, the universe (or rather the energy and matter within it) is only effectively infinite.

Allow me to explain. The universe (according to popular theory) started when a single point of intensely compressed energy and matter exploded, the big bang.

This has caused the universe to expand at the speed of light at its edges. Since it is (alledgedly) not possible to travel faster than light, it is therefore not possible to "catch up" with the edge if you were to attempt to reach it, hence the universe appears to be infinite.

If you want the real headfsck, comprehend this:

If the universe is effectively infinite, and the number of matter/energy combinations that can create life is finite, then this means that somewhere else in this universe are clones of all of us having this exact same discussion.....

-- Richard
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Offline billdooruk

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2010, 04:30:34 PM »
Ohhhhh.

It's big then  ;D
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Offline PJ

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2010, 09:05:05 PM »
Must admit I've always found this difficult to get my head round too. Even if the universe is expanding at the speed of light - what's it expanding into ? Because light's quite fast, so there must be a lot of it...
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Offline combatking0

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2010, 09:33:20 PM »
I heard that the universe is expanding faster than the speed of light.

I'm no physicist, but I reckon the universe is like a table cloth. The stuff that exists in the universe (matter, energy, electromagnetic waves, etc) is like the cutlery and crockery. It moves about on the table cloth.
The space-time of the universe is the table cloth. Space-time might have a substrate - in this analogy, the table. The table is infinitely large (or almost infinitely large). The table cloth is growing over the table faster than the speed of light. The growth of the table cloth is independant of its movement.

A black hole (or anything with a gravitational field) distorts the table cloth, pulling it in. Acceleration due to gravity is caused by this motion of space-time. It also explains why the effects of time dilation apply to an object in motion AND to an object in a large gravitational field.

Just an analogy to cover my theory.
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Offline rewind

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2010, 11:42:46 PM »
I watched that horizon episode on iplayer the other day, talk about messing with your head. There's infinitely many universes with infinitely many copies of every person, and infinite numbers of those infinitely many infinities. Ad infinitum. Good program though, recommend it.
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Offline imnogeek

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2010, 03:54:07 PM »
Very interesting find and well presented :)

may I just add to this discussion

42

:)
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Offline AndyRCM

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2010, 03:55:36 PM »
you really think that is the answer to life, the universe and everything . . ?
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Offline Phu

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #11 on: February 18, 2010, 04:16:34 PM »
Ah but whats the question?

"What do you get when you multiply six by nine?"

And the answer is 42.... provided you work in base 13.

-- Richard
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Offline AndyRCM

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #12 on: February 18, 2010, 05:08:59 PM »
I think the question involves a more powerful computer . . .
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Offline Phu

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #13 on: February 18, 2010, 05:10:53 PM »
SAM Coupé ?

-- Richard
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Offline billdooruk

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Re: Just how big is the universe?
« Reply #14 on: February 18, 2010, 06:38:02 PM »
Don't be silly...An Oric-1 16k could do it with ease  ;D
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