General Chat

The universe is finite. The big bang was made with a finite amount of matter. This was born into nothing, The universe is finite & there is nothing beyond it.
The initial rapid expansion of space at the time of the big bang (faster than the speed of light) has mean't that what we can see, is only a view of a visible horizon. Think of it as being at sea, you can't see beyond the horizon because the Earth is curved. But the rest of Earth is there none the less.
From here astronomers can view to around 13.7 billion light years in every direction, galaxies seen at their earliest point of evolution 13.2 billion years ago. But because space has expanded further than light has travelled, we cannot (yet) see the galaxies beyond.

The visible universe is a sphere with a radius of 13.7bn light years.
The volume of this sphere = r³πx4/3 = 10,771billion cubic light yrs

So ironically for creationist, we are at the centre of the visible universe.
But we're not at the centre of the universe itself.

Steve

No Probs Gordon - you aren't my bro are you? LOL
Off to read the Fortean!!

Sorry Maggie,

Question was for Sue above, my internet connection is slow tonight!

Does it what?
It has articles about aliens etc and the weird & wonderful ideas people have.

Does it?

I get an interesting monthly magazine called 'Fortean Times' - some of you may remember the programme on TV called Fortean TV, hosted by Rev Lionel Fanthorpe in the 1990's - it was based on this magazine.
It discusses all that has been discussed an puts forward academic and well thought out views.
Sounds really boring - but trust me- it's fascinating!!
Deals with the ridiculous, unexplained and unexplainable!!

http://www.cwgc.org/fromelles/?page=english/the-project/lists/casualty_lists

This is the first time I've looked at it online - no real need to buy the mag - but I can't read a screen in bed!

I suppose that, by your definition, Gordon, there isn't an end of space - "behind every gate, there's something else". Isn't that what infinity means?

Sue x

Where does the Universe end? It can't just end at a gatepost, because beyond every gate, there is something else.

So where is the end of space?

anymore thoughts

Suppose we took our 13.7bn-year-old universe and condensed it to the age of a single year, illustrated Coyne. If the big bang occurs January 1, it's not until September 4 that life on Earth begins. Dinosaurs debut on Christmas day and the first humans don't arrive until 11:58 pm. In that same minute, Jesus is born, said Coyne. One minute later, Galileo observes a heliocentric galaxy and spends his last years under house arrest by orders of the Inquisition.

The universe is evolving, new star being born forming new solar systems with planets, that like ours will one day life will start, evolve. but the big question is for that life form to evolve to a level of interstellar travel before its Sun and solar system dies.

LGM, for many years we have been scanning space 24/7 waiting for that first sign to arrive at Earth, but nothing, so we can say with confidence that any LGM are at least 50 light years away from us.

Sorry I posted & went out........so know I'm late but,

Hi Trinity

Yes use the figures by all means Ed. But they're only hypothetical Nos. Just to show the vastness of our own Milky way & the possibilty of life elsewhere.

And you right Trinity the dinosaurs didn't fully die out. Not only crocodiles are related to dinosaurs, so are all of the birds on planet Earth.

That chirpy sparrow at the bottom of your garden was related to the dinosaurs. In fact birds diverged and existed before the dinosaurs died out.

Steve.

but did they all die

crocs - are they dinosaurs?

NIte Trinity

that i'll have to think bout off to bed got work tomoz

nite

I'll go along with the generally accepted scientific explanation on that one Trinity, as I can't offer a better one.

How about - why did the dinosaurs die out?

how bout this one

how did the world begin?

Hmmm, Trinity. So with space travel, you could expand that to being someone from another planet, solar system, galaxy ...

In lawful terms, alien means a person who does not belong to that area, region or country. That person is a visitor and not a citizen. This person may or may not ...www.blurtit.com/q425242.html - 54k - Cached

Hi Stevie,

Great figures there - thanks I may use them in future!

Which brings me onto a broader question - what is an alien?