If the universe is expanding,what universe is it expanding into?
358429
That's it, I refuse to answer this question ever again
508366
It's expanding but it's also self-contained--much like the surface of a baloon as it expands. To creatures on the surface of a balloon it would be meaningless to ask what the balloon is "expanding into" because the surface of a balloon is contiguos in 3 (2 space 1 time) dimensions much like the universe in contiguous in 4 dimensions (3 space 1 time)
388050
1.Steady State Theory-According to this theory,as old galaxies move apart new galaxies are being formed in their space.\n2.Pulsating Universe-According to this,universe contracts and expands alternately.A great explosion occurred in the universe and it has been expanding since then.After some time gravitation would halt further expansion.After that all matter will begin to collapse upon itself and the process will be repeated. \n\n   However the most probable theory is the Big Bang.
1168465
He discovered that the universe was expanding.
1035265
Which is the end of expanding universe? If any end exists, what will be behind this end?\n\nBefore we can address that question, we must first define universe.  \n\nThe word universe denotes all space and everything (matter, energy) contained within it.  The prefix uni means one.  The root verse means word, carnate message, meaningful substance, matter.  Questions regarding our universe persist today.  Does it have a beginning and end, or does it go on forever and ever?  Is it linear or curved?  If it has limits of length or curvature, then what lies beyond the Universe?  If something lies beyond the Universe, then can’t we accurately call that the Universe?\n\nSome lay people and some scientists conceive of the universe as infinite space.  Others define the universe as finite, or limited (perhaps curved), space.  Still others incorporate the elements of matter and/or energy into their definition of the universe, as opposed to the space beyond matter and energy.\n\nGiven these concepts of our universe, some scientists conclude that the “totality of space could be infinite. Shrink an infinite space by an arbitrary amount, and it is still infinite. (Scientific American March 2005).”  \n\nAs to the notion that we live in an ever expanding universe, moving away from every other universe on the fabric of space-time, some scientists are careful to point out that “\n\nAndromeda, our nearest large galactic neighbor, is actually moving toward us, not away. Such exceptions arise because Hubble's law describes only the average behavior of galaxies (Scientific American March 2005).”\n\nIn accordance with your supposition that our universe is in another universe, “it has been hypothesized by some scientists that the universe may be part of a system of many other universes, known as the multiverse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe).” Modern astrophysicists talk about multiple "pocket" universes that branch off from one another.  Stephen Hawking points out that parallel pocket universes can have no effect on a real observer inside a single pocket, so, according to Hawking, they are theoretical baggage that should be eliminated from cosmology, the study of the origins of the universe.\n\nSome string theories define the universe as a three-dimensional space in an invisible space having more dimensions. This is, in essence, a universe within a universe.  Our zone, a “braneworld” could periodically bounce into another parallel braneworld.  \n\nThis may create what would appear as a Big Bang from one perspective or a Big Bounce of alternating expanding and contracting universe from another perspective.  Such a cataclysmic event is thought to occur 300 billion years from now, resulting in the rearranging and creation of a new universe.\n\nWhich is the end of expanding universe? That may be determined in 300 billion years, when it stops expanding (like a balloon).  If any end exists, what will be behind this end?  A multiverse void containing other expanding and contracting balloons, referred to as universes, may exist beyond our own.\n\nSteve\n:-D
533024
Is our universe in another universe?\n  \nBefore we can address that question, we must first define universe.  \n\nThe word universe denotes all space and everything (matter, energy) contained within it.  The prefix uni means one.  The root verse means word, carnate message, meaningful substance, matter.  Questions regarding our universe persist today.  Does it have a beginning and end, or does it go on forever and ever?  Is it linear or curved?  If it has limits of length or curvature, then what lies beyond the Universe?  If something lies beyond the Universe, then can’t we accurately call that the Universe?\n\nSome lay people and some scientists conceive of the universe as infinite space.  Others define the universe as finite, or limited (perhaps curved), space.  Still others incorporate the elements of matter and/or energy into their definition of the universe, as opposed to the space beyond matter and energy.\n\nGiven these concepts of our universe, some scientists conclude that the “totality of space could be infinite. Shrink an infinite space by an arbitrary amount, and it is still infinite. (Scientific American March 2005).”  \n\nAs to the notion that we live in an ever expanding universe, moving away from every other universe on the fabric of space-time, some scientists are careful to point out that “\nAndromeda, our nearest large galactic neighbor, is actually moving toward us, not away. Such exceptions arise because Hubble's law describes only the average behavior of galaxies (Scientific American March 2005).”\n\nIn accordance with your supposition that our universe is in another universe, “it has been hypothesized by some scientists that the universe may be part of a system of many other universes, known as the multiverse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe).” Modern astrophysicists talk about multiple "pocket" universes that branch off from one another.  Stephen Hawking points out that parallel pocket universes can have no effect on a real observer inside a single pocket, so, according to Hawking, they are theoretical baggage that should be eliminated from cosmology, the study of the origins of the universe.\n\nSome string theories define the universe as a three-dimensional space in an invisible space having more dimensions. This is, in essence, a universe within a universe.  Our zone, a “braneworld” could periodically bounce into another parallel braneworld.  This may create what would appear as a Big Bang from one perspective or a Big Bounce of alternating expanding and contracting universe from another perspective.  Such a cataclysmic event is thought to occur 300 billion years from now, resulting in the rearranging and creation of a new universe.\n\nIs our universe inside another universe?  Well, apparently the Men in Black had it right.  Our universe seems to be inside of something else, another universe, called the multiverse.\n\nSteve\n:-D
333639
What if you were told....there is more then one??? This is TRUTH. The Universe is Creator Source expressing itself in the vastness of ALL time and space....there are universes within universes....CREATOR cannot stop expanding....it is its nature.....so YES.....most definitely........ALL UNIVERSES are INFINITE!!!!! And WE are expanding with it!\nSLEEPERS.....AWAKE!!!!!!\nwww.fromthestars.com\nwww.operationterra.com \nwww.librarising.com\nwww.2012.com.au\nwww.goldennumber.net\nwww.survive2012.com\nwww.prisonplanet.com\nwww.evolutionoftruth.com
647718
An analogy may be in order. Model spacetime by a \nsphere with time being  represented by going down \na longitude line and space for a fixed time being\nrepresented by a latitude line. The Big Bang would \nbe represented by the north pole. In this model, \nspace expands until we get to the equator and then \nstarts to contract again until we get to the south \npole, which represents a 'Big Crunch'.\n\nNow ask what space is expanding into. By \nlooking at our model, we see the question is either \nmeaningless, or just has the answer 'into the future'.\n\nIn the real world, the spacial part is three dimensional, \nnot one dimensional like in our model (the circles of \nlatitude). Also, it is likely that the universe\nwill expand forever, so instead of a sphere, a \ntrumpet shape may be more appropriate. But the actual \nmodels used by scientists are generalizations and\nelaborations of models like this toy model.
366285
An analogy may be in order. Model spacetime by a \nsphere with time being  represented by going down \na longitude line and space for a fixed time being\nrepresented by a latitude line. The Big Bang would \nbe represented by the north pole. In this model, \nspace expands until we get to the equator and then \nstarts to contract again until we get to the south \npole, which represents a 'Big Crunch'.\n\nNow ask what space is expanding into. By \nlooking at our model, we see the question is either \nmeaningless, or just has the answer 'into the future'.\n\nIn this model, we can also ask what is north of the north pole. This is *exactly* like  asking what is before the Big \nBang. There is no real answer because the question\nassumes that time exists before the Big Bang, but \nin fact, time is part of the structure of the universe \nand began at the Big Bang.\n\nIn the real world, the spacial part is three dimensional, \nnot one dimensional like in our model (the circles of \nlatitude). Also, it is likely that the universe\nwill expand forever, so instead of a sphere, a \ntrumpet shape may be more appropriate. But the actual \nmodels used by scientists are generalizations and\nelaborations of models like this toy model.
838362
A very specific phenomenon called decoupling (specifically the decoupling of the strong force from the electroweak force) generated what amounted to a phase change in the nature of space-time.  This drove  a rapid superluminal expansion called "inflation" or The Big Bang.  Look up inflation on wikipedia.\n\nYou are correct that the universe was expanding just because it was a hot dense ball, but that is only a small part of the story and does NOT explain the expansion we see today.
344481
well let us take a "logical" look....the big bang says that there was nothing, then something, and now everything is expanding away.  So how did things get farther away than time has permitted?  Hmmm...kind of a hole in the theory.
251586
No. It is space itself that is expanding. The problem people have in thinking about this stuff is that it is tricky to think about curved space-time. But that is the level at which things must be thought to really understand what is going on.\n\nSo an analogy might be in order. Imagine you are at the north pole (the Big Bang). Time will be represented by the latitude down from the north pole and space will be represented by latitude lines. In this (very simplified!) model, space is one dimensional (a circle of latitude) and as time goes on (as we move down in latitude), space expands until we reach the equator and then contracts again until there is a Big Crunch at the south pole.\n\nSo now ask the question 'where is space expanding into?'. The answer is either meaningless or at best, answered by saying 'into the future'.\n\nThis analogy is actually very good except for a couple of points: The actual universe may not have a maximum spacial size (the equator) but may continue to expand forever; also, the size of space (the latitude lines) may actually be infinite in extent. The model has a finite universe with both a beginning and an end. The real universe may be infinite and have no Big Crunch.\n\nOne very good aspect of the model is that it clarifies a problem a lot of people have. There is no 'before the Big Bang' just as there is no 'north of the north pole'.
384787
The universe is curently about 156 billion light years across, expanding at a rate of 71(+/-4) kilometers per second per megaparsec. Current observations dictate that this rate is accelerating.  So we will go on, and on, and on for eternity
450787
When talking about the universe, asking "why" something is the way it is usually has no absolute, 100% answer.\nThe best answer to your question is that the universe somehow began over 13.7-billion years ago and immediately began expanding. The expansion has gone on, steadily increasing the size of the cosmos until we observe its vastness today.\n\nGod should be spelled B-I-G B-A-N-G\nPBrax@netscape.com
1003903
There are three possibilities, depending on solutions to the equations of General Relativity and how much mass is in the universe:\n\n1. the universe will stop expanding and then collapse in on itself to a big crunch\n2. the universe will keep expanding for ever\n3. the universe will reach a "stable size" - neither collapse nor expand forever\n\nNo-one knows which.
36543
As I understand it, the universe is in fact finite.  However, it's expansion is continuous and progresses at such a rate that we can not, with current technology, move beyond to see the end.
1149831
So far our observations are leaning more towards open, because our universe is expanding at an accellerating rate, and it shows no sign of slowing, if it were closed (which we havent found enough matter in the universe to help this theory) then the expansion would slow, come to a stop, and come back and collapse back in on itself. But so far evidence is telling us it won't.