If the universe is continually expanding, what is it expanding into?
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.
9649
It does not end and its growing, before you try tackling such a question, answer the micro-level questions of the same kind.  The universe encompasses all that exists, and by default then, it is largely unknown.  We don't know where the universe ends, and all evidence points to it being endless and growing, therefore we make a conclusion based on a portion of the information actually needed.
5808
Nobody really knows for sure.\n\nThere's a theory that the universe is expanding in a spherical shape and will continue to expand until it reaches maximum entropy. At that point all of the energy and matter in the universe will be equally distributed and the universe will no longer be able to support life.\n\nThere's another theory that the universe will expand (again, roughly in the shape of a sphere) until all of the galaxies exhaust their kinetic energy. At that point the universe will begin contracting. When the contracting is complete a singularity containing all of the mass in the universe will form and explode in a big bang.\n\nIf you think about it, if the latter theory is true then it's possible that the universe has expanded and collapsed an infinite number of times in the past!
962950
This sort of question generates the highest percentage of false and meaningless responses of any other I know of in A&S forum. Here's the real poop. According to the BB model of the universe, the universe is expanding, but there is no boundary beyond which there is only empty space into which stars and galaxies are expanding into. This is a common misinterpretation due to a widespread inability to grasp the concept of curved space. On a large scale, every can consistently be presumed to be pretty much the same as it is in our neighborhood, although any conclusions about what lies beyond the observable universe are impossible. However, the volume of the universe may be either finite or infinite. This is simply not known. In General Relativity, finite *and* unbounded is not a contradiction.
621567
The most recent evidence suggests that it will expand forever. In fact, the rate of expansion seems to be accelerating. This is because of something called Dark Energy, which we don't understand at all, but relates to the cosmological constant in General Relativity.
958089
I don't know what cosologists are hypothesizing about.  Cosmologists on the other hand, are hypothesizing that the universe is expanding.
710329
I hate to be the philosopher but that is why the question still reamins. No one can accuratly tell what lies beyond the boundries of the universe. Is there another? Is it just white noise? I believe that space is infinite and our "universe" could well be a part of a cluster of "multiverses". i was once told that the universe is expanding in the same way that a balloon is blown up. So what lies beyond our universe? I say space, space, and more space! \n\nIf our universe began with the "big bang" then that would mean that at some point the universe had collapsed upon itself, leaving empty space.
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.
1164204
Everything started off with The Big Bang. As there is the Big Bang Theory, there is also the big crunch theory if im not wrong. During the Big Bang, the universe is formed and it is expanding. But scientific discovery have showed that the Universe is expanding at a decreasing speed. It will come to a point of time where the Universe will stop expanding and due to the internal gravitational force, the Universe will also start contracting but at a slow rate. It will be really contract really slow at first but the rate of contracing will speed up. Think it as a exponential curve. Yup... Then everything will be suck back to the point of sigularity again and when energy in it becomes unstable it will explode again thus forming the new Universe. But anyway we wouldnt be ard to witness this by then. Not even a million lifetime. HAhahah... So dun worry!
429563
There is no way for us to know since we are defined by our own universe.  There does not need to be a substance outside of our universe for it to expand.  A substance would slow us down.\n\nThe most popular theories for what lies beyond our universe are nothing (nothing to us anyway, it would be nothing of this universe so we certainly wouldn't recognize it), and other universes.  But explaining multiple universes gets complex and it's hard to decide if they are more like bubbles or like russian matryoshka dolls.
105484
1) Infinity\n2) Ever Expanding\n3) Since the beginning of time
410246
Well, this is uncertain. I will explain it as it is currently understood. There are three possibilities based on relativity and the Standard Model. There are three types of expansion depending on the mass-energy density of the universe - open, flat and closed.\n\nIn an open universe, expansion will continue and will actually increase with time. This is because there is not enough mass and energy in the universe to pull it back in.\n\nIn a flat universe, the universe will continue to expand, but expansion will begin to slow at a certain point and as time approaches infinity the expansion will stop. Of course, since infinity means forever, the expansion will continue but slow down constantly, little by little.\n\nIn a closed universe, there is enough mass and energy to cause a collapse of the universe, known as the "big crunch."\n\nAnyway, current theory holds that we live in a flat universe and that inflation will continue forever, as mentioned.\n\nOh. It expands into nothing - as in before the universe is there, there is nothing there.
988250
space is not infinite  although to us it is pretty much,  confused  great.  the universe is currently expanding, whether it will always continue to do so is due to critical density and mean density of the universe.     if critical density = (3i x hubbles constant^2)/ 8piG      if critical density is greater than average density then the universe will contineue to expand forever although it wont ever become infinite because the recession of the galaxies is limited by the maximum speed of light, and the fact that the universe had a begining therefore has a limmited size. \nalso  if average denisty is greater than critical density then the universe will be closed (hyperbolic) and the gravitational pull of the galxies will cause the universe expansion to slow and eventually contract. if critical density = average density then universe expansion will slow down universe would be flat, Most cosmologists believe that the universe is open and will continue to expand, which is nice, heres something nice to think about that if the universe is exapanding at the speed of light and the universe has been around for 1/Ho   1/hubblesconstant then the unverse is about 13 biliion years old this is 4.16x10^17 seconds  times the speed of light  3x10^8 ms-1 is  1.248x10^26m  in one direction   if the universe is spherical  which it isnt but lets pretent it is for an easier calculation then the Volume of the Universe is  4/3 pi r^3    is 8.142x10^78m^3   which is quite alot of space. As the amount of volume that real mass takes up is insignificant at these measurement  we can forget about it.   On the other hand light follows the shortest routes as mass distorts space it is likely that this answer is a bit smaller.  Oh and the universe isnt spherical its more like a ball thats been sat on,    So in summary the universe is not infinite but it is pretty much as it is likely to be expanding at the invariant maximum speed of light so your never going to hit the edge, infact there isnt an edge im not sure would happen if you got to the edge before the first radiation from the beggining of the big band reached the edge,   But i dont think youd get there,  well about your car  at the moment if your car takes up 6m^3  then theres enough space in the universe to hold 1.3x10^78  cars   but theres not enough matter in the universe to make that much cars  for that so dont worry too much about it, also in 1 second the universes volume increases by lots  uhhh     ok if the universe was 8.142x10^78m^3   rite this second  and the universe is exactly 13 billion years  old  (which its not) then in one second later the universe would be bigger yeas thats right  bigger by           ok one second is too small to make any effect on the calcullation,  but if it was a billion years older then it would be 1.016x10^79m^3  thats 2.02x10^78m^3 more than it was a billion years earlier which means it expansion is well logarithmic exponential whatever, the next billion year the universe would expand even more in the same time,   soo  thats even more parking spaces, if u look hardenough im sure you wiil find some.    No wonder i dont have a girlfreind.
1082539
Drunk again?? No problem. The Universe is expanding outward at about the speed of light and the "edge" that you refer to is the actual outer boundary of our Ubiverse as it contines to expand.  Outside of our Universe, or the absolutely empty vacuum that the Universe is expanding into has no light to shine into our Universe.  It is a totally dark, empty, absolute zero cold, infinite vacuum.
441363
In addition to memac63's pretty good answer, intergalactic space and the entire universe is filled with other "things" that don't necessarily have any solidity -- dark energy (the mysterious force that's causing the universes's expansion rate to increase), gravity (its range is infinite), and something called the cosmic microwave background radiation which is the "afterglow" from the Big Bang.\n\nGod should be spelled B-I-G B-A-N-G\nPBrax@netscape.com
49948
the same thing thats on this side. new matter is not being formed it is just expanding from the force of the big bang all those millions of years ago. Some scientists say the expansion will eventually stop and the universe will collapse onto itself, and then maybe explode again. All theories so in effect we dont know.
398088
I asked that question to Dr. Brian Greene, author of "The Elegant Universe".  His answer was "the Universe is continually expanding", and therefore, you can't put a size on it.  The Universe, in a sense, CREATES the space it's expanding into.  It is all-encompassing.