The universe doesn't care what anyone believes. The only possible guide we have is our best current physical theories and the models we build with them. The best we can say in answer to your title question is that our best current model of the universe has it spatially infinite, but it is still possible that it is spatially finite (with the topology of a 3-sphere), just much, much larger than our observable universe.Chunkythunk said:
We don't know that. If spacetime is indeed a continuum, and we have no evidence that it's not, then there is a continuous infinity of points in any region.Chunkythunk said:
The number of possible positions I can move to between where I'm sitting and 1 meter to my left is infinite. The number of possible velocities my car can move at between 0 and 35 mph is infinite.Chunkythunk said:
For starters, we haven't seen a boundary or any other indication that the universe is finite. Not yet at least.Chunkythunk said:
There's no evidence of this.Chunkythunk said:
Where/how have physical infinities actually been found in nature?russ_watters said:
Heh, what experiment(s) have you done to confirm this? I'll bet you don't have a ruler or speedometer that measures with infinitesimal precision...Drakkith said:
It's funny that two "experts" explain why the answer is "yes" and two explain why it's "no". Only one gives the honest "I don't know" answer.russ_watters said:
A valid point.strangerep said:Heh, what experiment(s) have you done to confirm this? I'll bet you don't have a ruler or speedometer that measures with infinitesimal precision...
Indeed. Plus a strong dose of "can't believe it could be infinite".PeroK said:
The universe does not care what you believe. The earlier you come to grips with this, the smoother your study of physics will be.Chunkythunk said:
Scientists have not yet been able to definitively answer this question. The current understanding is that the observable Universe is incredibly vast, but it is not infinite. However, the possibility of an infinite Universe cannot be ruled out.
Scientists use a variety of methods to measure the size of the Universe, including observing the cosmic microwave background radiation, measuring the expansion rate of the Universe, and studying the distribution of galaxies. These methods all give slightly different estimates, but they all indicate that the Universe is incredibly large.
One piece of evidence that suggests the Universe may be infinite is the fact that it appears to be flat. If the Universe were finite, it would be curved, but observations suggest that it is not. Additionally, some theories, such as inflationary theory, suggest that the Universe may have no boundaries and therefore be infinite.
Some scientists argue that the concept of infinity cannot be applied to the Universe because it is a human construct and may not accurately reflect the nature of the Universe. However, others argue that the concept of infinity can be used as a mathematical tool to understand and describe the vastness of the Universe.
If the Universe is truly infinite, it would mean that there is an infinite amount of space and time. This could have profound implications for our understanding of the origins and fate of the Universe. It could also challenge our current understanding of the laws of physics and the nature of reality.