MJR
C++ developer in the mix
This video just marvels me on how big the universe is. It is beyond human understanding.
How massive the universe really is
- Thread starter MJR
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This video just marvels me on how big the universe is. It is beyond human understanding.
MJR
C++ developer in the mix
Even traveling at the speed of light takes 20 billion years to reach the end of the universe. That is the fastest we can go too.
Andy44
owner: Oil Creek Astronautix
I wonder if there is an "end" to the universe. There are a finite number of stars and galaxies, but the fabric of spacetime is curved. Does the universe have an escape velocity? Is space defined beyond the edge of the Big Bang's blast wave?
MJR
C++ developer in the mix
I also wonder if the universe is just a small cluster in a nerver-ending space-time-continuum that we can't find an end to.
Linguofreak
Well-known member
No, there is no "end" to the universe. It is not even certain whether the geometry is curved on a large scale (it is on a small scale by gravity, just as the Earth is curved on a small scale by hills, to make a *very* rough analogy), but as to the large scale geometry, we don't know what the curvature is. We also don't know if the universe "wraps around" and has finite area or if it is infinite in extent, which seems at first like it would be a matter of curvature, but actually isn't. Curvature, in the sense used when we say that "spacetime is curved," is a matter of whether parallel lines on a surface or in space diverge, converge, or remain parallel on a large scale. Two parallel straight lines on a cylinder or a donut will remain parallel, so we say that those surfaces are "flat" in that sense, but they nevertheless do wrap around on themselves. Meanwhile, on a sphere, which wraps around, a straight line is a great circle, but you will find that any two great circles on a sphere always meet at two points. In other words, there are no parallel straight lines on a sphere.
The closest thing to an "end" or "edge" to the universe would be the big bang, or the singularity of a black hole, or the big crunch singularity if the universe ends that way (which is an idea that seems to have fallen out of favor). But all of these are boundaries in time, not in space.
Not having an edge, the universe has no escape velocity. And there is no "blast wave" from the big bang. Or, for a very rough analogy that is pretty much false but helps illustrate the principles, space *is* the blast wave. Consider a balloon being inflated. The surface of the balloon is expanding and the points on the surface are getting farther away from each other, but there is no center or edge to the expansion on the surface of the balloon. Space is like the surface of that balloon. Now, this analogy has its problems. There probably isn't any hyperspace that the universe is expanding "into," like the balloon is expanding into 3d space. Consider a game of Asteroids. The playing field wraps around in both the left-right and up-down directions, and is thus a surface that's basically the same as a donut. (This also illustrates how a donut is flat but wraps around. You can map the surface of a donut to a flat screen without major distortions, but not that of a sphere). But this donut doesn't have a hole, because it doesn't exist in any three dimensional space. Only the surface is defined in the memory of your computer. We could even increase the size of the playing field and stretch distances between objects at a certain rate, but the playing field wouldn't be expanding into anything.
Dig Gil
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Good explanation Linguofreak.
I've not seen the video until the end because the player stopped loading, but I've seen once a powerpoint like this and it was a wonder. True: The universe is so big and my imagination stops loading at the size of a continent
.
I've not seen the video until the end because the player stopped loading, but I've seen once a powerpoint like this and it was a wonder. True: The universe is so big and my imagination stops loading at the size of a continent
.
TMac3000
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I find the idea that the creator of all that stuff wants a relationship with me to be mind-boggling. It's like me wanting a relationship with a quark.
cinder1992
Random failhurricane.
:rofl::lol::lol::rofl:
TMac3000
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Umm, I was being serious. I don't mean to get all preachy, but the idea of God wanting a friendship with me was never so staggering until I watched that video.
cinder1992
Random failhurricane.
I'ts still hilarious.
lockingtoggle
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Anyone remember "Powers of 10" ?
http://www.powersof10.com/
http://www.powersof10.com/
Linguofreak
Well-known member
"When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?"
Psalm 8:3-4
And David had no real idea of the scale of the universe...
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?"
Psalm 8:3-4
And David had no real idea of the scale of the universe...
Congratulations on arriving at one of the most humorous (and convincing) arguments against His existence! :rofl:
TMac3000
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Thank you for posting that, Linguofreak.
Heilor, what I said was an expression of humility. If you know what that word means, then you might be a little more respectful to those who believe differerently than you do.
MJR
C++ developer in the mix
You would also respect what he says and try not taking it as too offense. If you think you know what is right then don't pay attention to what he says. It is your beliefs just like his.
The quark who believes that he is so special as to warrant a relationship with the human is not being humble.
I am not being disrespectful of your beliefs. I firmly believe that anyone should be allowed to believe whatever they want to. I was merely pointing out that your statement, regardless of the intention in which it was said, lends itself very easily to alternative interpretations.
Andy44
owner: Oil Creek Astronautix
...thus going in circles.
If the quark takes it as a given that the human wants to interact with him, then it is humble for the quark to wonder at it.
The assumptions make the difference in this argument.
Frankly, given that TMac's comments are openly religious, I'm surprised it took so long for this thread to turn into an argument and forget about the video that started it.
If the quark takes it as a given that the human wants to interact with him, then it is humble for the quark to wonder at it.
The assumptions make the difference in this argument.
Frankly, given that TMac's comments are openly religious, I'm surprised it took so long for this thread to turn into an argument and forget about the video that started it.
My point is that the "taking it as a given" is the part that is far from humble. In making that assumption, the quark is not being humble.
Whoa, there was a video?
Andy44
owner: Oil Creek Astronautix
I understand that, but a religion is nothing if not a collection of assumptions taken on faith, is it not?
I think I am agreeing with you here. In the AI thread you made the distinction between metaphysics (which you called magic, a somewhat provocative term) and science and how it's okay to believe in both as long as you can keep the two seperated, which I also agreed with.
