How big is the Universe

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Karls48

That’s one of few regrets I got of being old fart. That I’m unlikely to see man landing on Mars and to see that speed of light is no ultimate limit. To see that I would have to live another couple hundred years.

At the rate they're going about it, I probably won't see them land on Mars, although I hope I do. So far as the invention of the warp drive goes, I wouldn't be so pessimistic. Give them another 50-100 years.

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

Just ask the folks drinking fine wine in the restaurant at the end of the universe

Arthur, Ford, Trillian and Zaphod would know for sure the answer to your question

[renormalised (Carl)]

I know it already.....42

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

aaaah..but what was the question??????

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by seeker372011

aaaah..but what was the question??????

What is 6 times 7...or....how hot can a hotdog get when a hotdog's as hot as it gets??

[Karls48 (Karl)]

As I see it – if the speed of light is absolute limit – there is no point in anything at all. Humanity is doom to spend its time in our solar system. Such a limit implies also limit on our understanding of the Universe that we live in. I’m quite aware of what current theories and the technologies limits are. But if we accept those limits we may as well give up and take up religion instead of science. I do hold hope for mankind based on history that whatever the conventional thinking places the limits; there will be always individuals that will try to cross the limits. I got no scientific paper to refer to validate my conviction. I just know that in any ages there always have been men trying to reach for impossible. I just hope that humanity has not been too badly affected by political correctness and all that rubbish circulates today in the effort for masses to conform to the will of few. We have rise above all living things because our ability to question and to adapt. My believe in humanity success in reaching the stars and to survive until the end of Universe and maybe beyond of that is strong

[renormalised (Carl)]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive

A lot more work needs to be done on this because there's many assumptions that have been made which will probably prove false. It's only because of our limited knowledge at present that we can't see beyond the problems. It will probably take some new form of physics.

There's to many "if's" being touted for and against, so I don't think they really know what to do with the physics as it is. For now, anything said for and/or against is pure speculation.

[sjastro]

If the Universe is expanding into existing space then the cosmological principle is violated.

Mathematically I would be able to define a "centre" of the Universe.
To account for the cosmological red shift data and observation that shows that the Universe is isotropic, I would have to place the Earth at the precise centre of the Universe.

Now that is too much of a coincidence.

Steven

[renormalised (Carl)]

The flat earther's, religious fundamentalists, the Vatican (behind closed doors, though) and conspiracy theorists would love that

[Karls48 (Karl)]

Originally Posted by sjastro

If the Universe is expanding into existing space then the cosmological principle is violated.
Steven

Hell, Steven I never thought you would ever say IF. I'm sorry if I underestimated your abilities to think beyond of math.

[Karls48 (Karl)]

Originally Posted by renormalised

The flat earther's, religious fundamentalists, the Vatican (behind closed doors, though) and conspiracy theorists would love that

That definitely was not intension of me writing it. Although I consider myself as agnostic lately, it is only because I come to conclusion that I’m hypocrite if I say that I’m atheist. I do not believe in creator but it is only my conviction. I do not have proof. Therefore if I insist on being atheist without any proof I place myself on same level as creationist or any religious fanatic. I’m atheist by believe but agnostic because I really don’t have proof for my conviction.

[sjastro]

Originally Posted by Karls48

Hell, Steven I never thought you would ever say IF. I'm sorry if I underestimated your abilities to think beyond of math.

Your backhander has as much subtlety as being hit by a semi-trailer.

At least I have the ability to think and not make judgements based on pure ignorance.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Karls48

That definitely was not intension of me writing it. Although I consider myself as agnostic lately, it is only because I come to conclusion that I’m hypocrite if I say that I’m atheist. I do not believe in creator but it is only my conviction. I do not have proof. Therefore if I insist on being atheist without any proof I place myself on same level as creationist or any religious fanatic. I’m atheist by believe but agnostic because I really don’t have proof for my conviction.

I didn't write that in response to your posts. It was in response to Steven's...it was meant in jest

[Peter Ward]

Space is big.

You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is.

I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space

(Douglas Adams, sorely missed)

[sjastro]

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

Space is big.

You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is.

I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space

(Douglas Adams, sorely missed)

Not when you are powered with an Infinite Probability Drive.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by sjastro

Not when you are powered with an Infinite Probability Drive.

Yeah, but who wants to end up looking like a garbage can

Or a carrot, bunny rabbit, sofa, toilet brush..........

[sjastro]

Originally Posted by renormalised

Yeah, but who wants to end up looking like a garbage can

Or a carrot, bunny rabbit, sofa, toilet brush..........

Well I didn't say it was perfect.

[mill (Martin)]

To answer your question in simple terms Alex, nobody knows
And as long as people are forced to think inside a certain norm (peer pressure and redicule) there will only be very slow progress and humanity will be long gone before the answer is known.

Martin.

[xelasnave]

Sorry to be late in thanking everyone for their input...but thank you all.
May I ask this...
If we have the Big Bang theory and observations consistent with it can they not extrapolate how big it must be by now with reasonable accuracy.
alex

[avandonk]

Alex here is a reasonable doco on the infinite and other problems. It fails somewhat due to the tabloid type of treatment.

It is a 175MB FLV

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...59998068380459

Bert