What does the universe expand into?
410136
As a corollary to Chris' answer; It has recently been concluded that in fact the universe will go on expanding forever, there will be no reverse followed by a "big crunch" because there is not enough mass to precipitate this.\n\nAs for what the universe is "expanding into", this is a question based on the belief that all things must be finite, which is probably a limitation of our minds. There doesn't have to be a "there" there. If it makes you feel better you can imagine an infinite "ether" into which we are expanding.  \n\nAs a self-proffesed "curious" person you should probably read some Richard Feynman.
163028
Science states that the universe is ever expanding, but another theory believes that the universe will eventually fold back in on itself and will crush itself into nothing. Such an implosion will have to create an opposite reaction (an explosion) which will allow another universe to expand outwards.\n\nFollowing that theory, one could deduce that our universe was born when the previous one died.
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.
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
1168465
He discovered that the universe was expanding.
1098923
There is an end to this universe.  But, it is constantly expanding and contracting.  Empty space is what lies outside of it.  The universe is encroaching into empty space.
686202
Universe theories talk about a finite and unlimited Universe. The Universe is unlimited because it has no boundaries. There is no edge, no end where a spaceship would have to stop. See it as a tiny bug walking on the surface of a big balloon. The ballon has a finite dimension, but the bug will never find the end, so it is unlimited from the bug's point of view.\nSo, the Universe can be expanding or contracting or staying the same size. This is a very important question to answer in modern astronomy. Latest studies say that it is expanding, but it has not been totally proved.\nAnd where it is expanding? The Universe is creating more space and time where there is nothing.
51258
The Universe was created by an event known as the "BIG BANG" and has been increasing ever since.  There are many theories about what the universe will do in the future Ex. ever increasing, saddle shape, or will is contract and implode creating a massive black hole.\n\nVery cool and interesting stuff.\n\nCheck this site for more on the "BIG BANG"
1059228
If the universe is everything, then what is it expanding into?\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.  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\nIf the universe is everything, then what is it expanding into?  It seems that our universe is all matter, space, and energy that we can perceive in this closed system.  However, that does not mean that there is not additional matter, space, and energy outside our universe.  In other words, there are probably other universes.  Therefore, the zone that we call our universe (or braneworld) may be moving through or expanding into other universes (or braneworlds).  In sum, all universes may be moving through a multiverse.\n \nSteve\n:-D
127551
Because the universe is a vacuum and there's nothing to stop it from expanding. This is assuming that the big bang theory is correct and it's expanding because of the explosion .
467061
the proponents of the big bang theory say that it is still expanding. in fact studies have shown that it indeed is expanding. i am not aware of the exact figures bu the interplanetary distances are increasing by the minute. if that were to be so then all galaxies are also moving away from each other (its proven) . therefore it could be safely said that the universe is expanding.
958089
I don't know what cosologists are hypothesizing about.  Cosmologists on the other hand, are hypothesizing that the universe is expanding.
683506
Wow, what great questions.  Just so you know, we don't know the answer to what was before the big bang.  One idea is that our universe expands, then contracts on itself, over billions of years, and the whole big bang repeats over.  In other words countless universes preceded our own.
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.
11829
On one theory, the space of the Universe (as well as its contents) is what's expanding. That theory says the total amount of space is finite, and that finite quantity just gets bigger every second.  What, you might then ask, is outside of space?  There's no outside!  It's like asking, "What's north of the North Pole?"
265923
Yes. The universe is constantly expanding. It is possible we are all being sucked into a massive black hole, far far outside the reaches of our universe which would account for the the expansion of our universe. Additionally, the best competing theory for the start of the universe is the big bang , where everything expands out of one tiny point. It is reasonable to think that the universe could end in the opposite way - The Big Suck, where we get pulled into a massive black hole, just like the one you describe. So yes, I think it's very possible.
275416
The universe is said to be expanding,at least in the sense\nthat all of the galaxies are supposed to be drifting farther\naway from each other.That would seem to contradict your notion of a tremendously big circle as there's no gravitational pull binding them together.\n Also,if space is finite...then what's outside the boundaries?