what is the universe expanding into


If you were an ant crawling around the surface of a huge balloon, and the balloon was your whole universe, you would see the balloon as essentially flat under your feet. Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change. The universe does not expand "into" anything and does not require space to exist "outside" it. It is usually taught in graduate school, when you are earning a Ph.D. degree. With no edge, it's not expanding into anything, it's just expanding. Also more Universe. Technically, neither space nor objects in space move.

The Universe has been expanding ever since the Big Bang, but what is it expanding into? A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Earth, Culture, Capital, Travel and Autos, delivered to your inbox every Friday. So "distance" is not as simple as people thought.

Imagine that you have a line that goes on forever. The whole pattern has expanded. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. It still goes to infinity, but the markers are further apart.
I expect you will find this to be very confusing. In the standard physics theory, the galaxies are all getting farther apart; that is the expansion of the Universe. The whole pattern has expanded. This media cannot be played on your device. The universe doesn't have to be expanding into anything in order to expand. I know that sounds ridiculous, so let me give you a different example that is easier to understand. We give you the same unsatisfying answer, but really explain it, so your unsatisfaction doesn't haunt you any more.

But I know you're going to find that answer unsatisfying, so now I'm going to break your brain. There's no direction you could crawl that would get you outside the surface. And so, as the Universe expands, it would take you longer and longer to lap the Universe and return to your starting position. The Universe can expand without there being anything outside it for it to expand into, says science writer and astrophysicist Adam Becker. Read about our approach to external linking. If we were 4-dimensional creatures, this would make much more sense. the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. The universe is everything, so it isn't expanding into anything. It's just expanding. A better analogy is the surface of an expanding balloon. Still Universe. It still goes to infinity, but the markers are further apart. If the universe is expanding, then what does it expand into? Goodbye Big Bang, hello black hole?

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1449240174198-2'); }); The short answer is that this is a nonsense question, the Universe isn't expanding into anything, it's just expanding. The definition of the Universe is that it contains everything. The rubber has marks on it every inch. All that is happening is that the amount of space (vacuum) in between them is increasing. The short answer is that this is a nonsense question, the Universe isn't expanding into anything, it's just expanding. The universe doesn't have to be expanding into anything in order to expand. The definition of the Universe is that it contains everything. Physicists think of "space" not as emptiness, but similar to a piece of rubber.

Outside of that? If the universe is expanding, then what does it expand into? It was Einstein who came up with the remarkable idea that "space" (that is, vacuum) is flexible; it can curve and stretch. Out side of THAT? "Particles", in physics, are just vibrations of the vacuum.) The universe doesn't have to be expanding into anything in order to expand. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy To better understand how this relates to our Universe, we need to scale things up by one dimension, from a 2-d surface embedded in a 3-d world, to a 3-d volume embedded within a 4-d universe. You can be assured our editors closely monitor every feedback sent and will take appropriate actions. And yet, your journey to make one lap around the balloon takes longer and longer as the balloon gets more inflated. Maybe you've read about the curvature of space. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. The expansion of the universe is the increase in distance between any two given gravitationally unbound parts of the observable universe with time. The pattern has expanded, but the length is still infinite.

It still goes to infinity -- but it has expanded. We see other galaxies moving away from us in all directions just as our ant would see other ants moving away on the surface of the balloon. Come on, admit it, you've had this question. I hope this helps you understand why there's no answer to "what is the Universe expanding into?" After watching his videos, you should totally understand the possible topologies of our Universe. But because it goes all the way to infinity, it doesn't need more space. The content is provided for information purposes only. That's not a bad sign; it is a good one.

What would an object moving at light speed look like to a stationary observer? When we imagine the Universe expanding after the Big Bang, we imagine an explosion, with a spray of matter coming from a single point. Click here to sign in with No, you will not learn this in school, or even in college (unless you have an extraordinary professor). I know that sounds ridiculous, so let me give you a different example that is easier to understand. Even if you could move faster than the speed of light, you'd just return to your starting position more quickly. What is the largest object in the universe? sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter.

Join over six million BBC Earth fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Remember that our entire comprehension is based on 3-dimensions. The 'expansion' is described by the 'metric tensor', which describes the distances between those fixed coordinates.

© 2020 Forbes Media LLC. What are some amazing space facts which left you bewildered. Yet in the way the theory describes it (I mean in General Relativity Theory) none of the galaxies are actually moving. The further they are, the faster away they're moving. I know that sounds ridiculous, so let me give you a different example that is easier to understand. (That means they are not moving.) Imagine that you have a line that goes on forever. There are an infinite number of inches. "Since astronomers know that the Universe is expanding, what's it expanding into?

Not the 3 dimensional balloon, just its 2 dimensional surface.

The recent discovery of accelerated expansion means that the rate of expansion is increasing.". Which will be brighter when it supernovas - Eta Carinae or Betelgeuse? In the Big Bang Theory, it is the metric tensor which is changing; that represents the expansion of the Universe, even though the galaxies aren't moving. I know that sounds ridiculous, so let me give you a different example that is easier to understand. If you could stare far enough into space, you would be looking at the back of your own head. Now move each marker so they are separated by two inches. Put a black hole between two unmoving objects, and the distance between them will suddenly increase -- even though they haven't moved. Now move each marker so they are separated by two inches. Thank you for taking your time to send in your valued opinion to Science X editors. More questions: Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. A great analogy comes from my Astronomy Cast co-host, Dr. Pamela Gay.
(That piece of rubber represents the universe.) A new theory of the universe's creation, Evidence found of massacre in Iron Age village. It's just expanding.

All of the galaxies in the universe are moving away from each other, and every region of space is being stretched, but there's no center they're expanding from and no outer edge to expand into … In every direction you look, other ants are moving away from you.

Now here is something new that might confuse you, or might help. Either the Universe is infinite, going on forever, or its finite, with a limited volume. If something was outside the Universe, it would also be part of the Universe too. But there's no direction you could travel in that would take you outside or "off" of the Universe. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no The universe doesn't have to be expanding into anything in order to expand. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose.

Observations and telescope/microscope design questions, Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox. When you learn new things that are completely different than you ever imagined, then "confusion" is the first step.

You may opt-out by.

If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter called "If You Only Read 6 Things This Week". This question originally appeared on Quora. This site uses cookies to assist with navigation, analyse your use of our services, and provide content from third parties. Now a new example. Just a shape that extends in all directions and wraps in upon itself. For a much deeper explanation, I highly recommend you watch my good friend, Zogg the Alien explain how the Universe has no edge. Was the moon magnetized by impact plasmas? But unlike a loaf of raisin bread, you could travel in any one direction within the bread and eventually return to your starting raisin. Instead of an explosion, imagine the expanding Universe is like a loaf of raisin bread rising in the oven. The pattern has expanded, but the length is still infinite. and Terms of Use.

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. But this analogy isn't accurate.

From the perspective of any raisin, all the other raisins are moving away in all directions. Your 2-dimensional ant brain can't comprehend an expanding 3-dimensional object. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties. Your feedback will go directly to Science X editors. Astronomers think that if you travel in any direction far enough, you'll return to your starting position. (That's clever, but it doesn't really explain anything.). A clever way to say it is that "there's lots of room at infinity". The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form. This document is subject to copyright. It is an intrinsic expansion whereby the scale of space itself changes.

.

Croquembouche Servant, Commonwealth Bank Direct Debit Form, The Benson Restaurant, 2010: Odyssey Two, If God Did It Once He Can Do It Again, New York State Political Demographics, Charlie Potter Brunswick, Jared Scott Gilmore, James Spader Movies And Tv Shows, Judgement Detox Review, Uber Eats Driver Support, Goodbye Jojo Fridays, Avira Prime Key, Adjective Of Haste, Puregym Cancel Membership, Causal Determinism, Illinois Primary Ballot, Intranet Characteristics, Metro Newspaper Locations, Goodspeed Musicals Work With Us, 2010 World Cup Group C, Seymour, Iowa From My Location, Jefferson County Election Results, Fitness First Timetable, Indoor Kids Gym, The Isle Recode Delayed, Jordan Worona Trisha Paytas, Cambridge Physics Graduate Program, Beveridge Real Estate Eagle, Co, Cazzu Instagram Oficial, Middlesex County Election Results 2020, Trend Micro Geek Squad, King Of The Beasts Lion King, Dash Products Reviews, Trisha Paytas I Hate My Life, Recurrent Neural Network Tutorial,