WHERE IS THE CENTRE / EDGE OF THE UNIVERS (and what is beyond the edge)?
These are natural questions to ask and truly fascinating to contemplate.
Let's start with recognizing that the universe is 4-dimensional - 3 dimensions of space and 1 dimension of time.
Of course, "where is the centre" is a nonsensical question because "everywhere" is the unsatisfying answer.
To tame the question down a bit we need to back up and consider where the centre is of earth, if we (as our ancestors did) think earth is flat and 2 dimensional. The idea of a flat earth logically leads to "where is the centre?" And, "what is over/beyond the edge?"
We have the benefit of knowing that the flat earth is curved through a 3rd and undetected dimension, so that the 'centre" of the flat earth lies in the 3rd dimension "down" to the spherical centre, and beyond the edge of the flat earth is "up" to the sky.
So too then our 4 dimensional universe. When we ask for the centre and about the edge of the 3 dimensional universe it is fair to say that the centre of the universe is in the 4th dimension of space - "in the past" and the edge of the universe and beyond it is "the future".
How do you like that?
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4 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Wait "Flat Earth curved in 3rd undetected" dimension..seriously?..
Charlene
Level 9
Mar 14, 2019
0
As an analogy - yes.
Living on the 'flat' surface (with no knowledge of a 3rd dimension) a being would naturally think that there is a centre and edge to their flat plain. But grasping that the flatness is actually curved through a 3rd dimension provides the answer that on the flat 2 dimensional surface there really is no centre nor edge - that centre and edge lies in the 3rd dimension of 'up' and 'down' off of the 2 dimensions.
The analogy then of the boundary to a centre and edge to a 3 physical dimension universe lies in its 4th dimension of time. Since the centre is said to be "everywhere", conceiving it rather as being the singularity that birthed spacetime makes some more satisfying sense. Ergo - edge - lies in time and the future, too.
Interesting concept...making the centre and edge both time related..
VineetHonkan
Level 7
Mar 14, 2019
1
Indeed
So you have a source to add? I would like to read more. thanks for your post.
AntaresRose
Level 8
Mar 14, 2019
0
Alas, no. I cannot even credit the Prof I listened to giving that explanation - but it makes sense.
so you are explaning these 2 images using a different thinking and description.
1.The Universe center is in the past (Big Bang illustration)
2. and the edge of the observable universe is 1 billion light years while it is estimated that the actual size of the universe to be 98 BLY beyond the observable light to reach us (i.e. another dimension of light speed/distance)
Lukian
Level 8
Mar 14, 2019
1
Yes - we are moving at faster than light speed toward the 'edge' (in that space is expanding faster than the speed of causation) and eventually, at that edge, all other galaxies will wink out of sight. We will have crossed that boundary