Scientists can't be sure what the
shape of space-time is, but most likely, it's flat (as opposed to spherical or
even donut-shape) and stretches out infinitely. But if space-time goes on forever,
then it must start repeating at some point, because there are a finite number
of ways particles can be arranged in space and time.
So if you look far enough, you would
encounter another version of you — in fact, infinite versions of you. Some of
these twins will be doing exactly what you're doing right now, while others
will have worn a different sweater this morning, and still others will have
made vastly different career and life choices.
Because the observable universe
extends only as far as light has had a chance to get in the 13.7 billion years
since the Big Bang (that would be 13.7 billion light-years), the space-time
beyond that distance can be considered to be its own separate universe. In this
way, a multitude of universes exists next to each other
in a giant patchwork quilt of universes. Space-time may stretch out to infinity.
If so, then everything in our universe is bound to repeat at some point,
creating a patchwork quilt of infinite universes.
Infinite Universes
Scientists can't be sure what the shape of space-time is, but most
likely, it's flat (as opposed to spherical or even donut-shape) and
stretches out infinitely.
But if space-time goes on forever, then it must start repeating at some
point, because there are a finite number of ways particles can be
arranged in space and time.
So if you look far enough, you would encounter another version of you —
in fact, infinite versions of you. Some of these twins will be doing
exactly what you're doing right now, while others will have worn a
different sweater this morning, and still others will have made vastly
different career and life choices.
Because the observable universe extends only as far as light has had a
chance to get in the 13.7 billion years since the Big Bang (that would
be 13.7 billion light-years), the space-time beyond that distance can be
considered to be its own separate universe. In this way, a multitude of universes exists next to each other in a giant patchwork quilt of universes. [Visualizations of Infinity: A Gallery]
Space-time may stretch out
to infinity. If so, then everything in our universe is bound to repeat
at some point, creating a patchwork quilt of infinite universes.
Credit: Shutterstock/R.T.Wohlstadter - See more at: http://www.space.com/18811-multiple-universes-5-theories.html#sthash.ohlIquVh.dpuf
Infinite Universes
Scientists can't be sure what the shape of space-time is, but most
likely, it's flat (as opposed to spherical or even donut-shape) and
stretches out infinitely.
But if space-time goes on forever, then it must start repeating at some
point, because there are a finite number of ways particles can be
arranged in space and time.
So if you look far enough, you would encounter another version of you —
in fact, infinite versions of you. Some of these twins will be doing
exactly what you're doing right now, while others will have worn a
different sweater this morning, and still others will have made vastly
different career and life choices.
Because the observable universe extends only as far as light has had a
chance to get in the 13.7 billion years since the Big Bang (that would
be 13.7 billion light-years), the space-time beyond that distance can be
considered to be its own separate universe. In this way, a multitude of universes exists next to each other in a giant patchwork quilt of universes. [Visualizations of Infinity: A Gallery]
Space-time may stretch out
to infinity. If so, then everything in our universe is bound to repeat
at some point, creating a patchwork quilt of infinite universes.
Credit: Shutterstock/R.T.Wohlstadter - See more at: http://www.space.com/18811-multiple-universes-5-theories.html#sthash.ohlIquVh.dpuf
Infinite Universes
Scientists can't be sure what the shape of space-time is, but most
likely, it's flat (as opposed to spherical or even donut-shape) and
stretches out infinitely.
But if space-time goes on forever, then it must start repeating at some
point, because there are a finite number of ways particles can be
arranged in space and time.
So if you look far enough, you would encounter another version of you —
in fact, infinite versions of you. Some of these twins will be doing
exactly what you're doing right now, while others will have worn a
different sweater this morning, and still others will have made vastly
different career and life choices.
Because the observable universe extends only as far as light has had a
chance to get in the 13.7 billion years since the Big Bang (that would
be 13.7 billion light-years), the space-time beyond that distance can be
considered to be its own separate universe. In this way, a multitude of universes exists next to each other in a giant patchwork quilt of universes. [Visualizations of Infinity: A Gallery]
Space-time may stretch out
to infinity. If so, then everything in our universe is bound to repeat
at some point, creating a patchwork quilt of infinite universes.
Credit: Shutterstock/R.T.Wohlstadter - See more at: http://www.space.com/18811-multiple-universes-5-theories.html#sthash.ohlIquVh.dpuf
Infinite Universes
Scientists can't be sure what the shape of space-time is, but most
likely, it's flat (as opposed to spherical or even donut-shape) and
stretches out infinitely.
But if space-time goes on forever, then it must start repeating at some
point, because there are a finite number of ways particles can be
arranged in space and time.
So if you look far enough, you would encounter another version of you —
in fact, infinite versions of you. Some of these twins will be doing
exactly what you're doing right now, while others will have worn a
different sweater this morning, and still others will have made vastly
different career and life choices.
Because the observable universe extends only as far as light has had a
chance to get in the 13.7 billion years since the Big Bang (that would
be 13.7 billion light-years), the space-time beyond that distance can be
considered to be its own separate universe. In this way, a multitude of universes exists next to each other in a giant patchwork quilt of universes. [Visualizations of Infinity: A Gallery]
Space-time may stretch out
to infinity. If so, then everything in our universe is bound to repeat
at some point, creating a patchwork quilt of infinite universes.
Credit: Shutterstock/R.T.Wohlstadter - See more at: http://www.space.com/18811-multiple-universes-5-theories.html#sthash.ohlIquVh.dpuf
