the Daily Mind Fuk.....

[krugerr]

Krugerr, your profile states you are a university student. May I ask what you are majoring in and what are your career plans?

I was originally in the Royal Navy, studying toward a Marine Engineering degree, I decided it wasn't for me, I left, went through college I'm now at University studying Electronic Engineering.

[basketballfan22]

At my last understanding of this topic, I think it was generally excepted that at very large distances, Gravity actually became repulsive, rather than attractive, which is how the universe stays balanced, assuming it is not infinite.
If the universe is infinite, then there is no center, and every planet therefore has an infinite number of planets at every possible angle from itself, and is held in equilibrium by the combined gravity of these. Whether the Universe is expanding or not is a different matter, we do know that galaxies are moving away from us due the the phase shift of there light. (Think doppler effect).

I don't think there is much argument about whether or not the Universe is expanding. In fact it is pretty much accepted (not excepted, ) that the Universe is even accelerating.

[basketballfan22]

I was originally in the Royal Navy, studying toward a Marine Engineering degree, I decided it wasn't for me, I left, went through college I'm now at University studying Electronic Engineering.

Cool man. I was just curious. I wish you good luck.

[krugerr]

I don't think there is much argument about whether or not the Universe is expanding. In fact it is pretty much accepted (not excepted, ) that the Universe is even accelerating.

Universally accepted, yes. Proof?

I think they've decided it's either shrinking, expanding or static. Leaning toward expanding because that basically makes it easier for us to make certain assumptions about gravity.
A static universe causes problems and we have to revert to the non used theory of special relativity to say that there is an 'ether' in the void to keep it all balanced. We just use the relativity theory for the current assumptions!

/I think/ this topic has always drawn my attention. The amount of times I've read Stephen Hawkings works and understood only 5% of it!

[krugerr]

Cool man. I was just curious. I wish you good luck.

Me too, final year starts October. I can't wait to be finished!

[basketballfan22]

Here you go man. It is not a scientific article, but a Google search provides many results (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_expansion_of_space). It is even more amazing that the expansion is accelerating though; so not only is it expanding, but it is expanding at a faster and faster rate.

[basketballfan22]

Me too, final year starts October. I can't wait to be finished!

Yeah, but you Brits have it easy! Only 3 years! Pshhh!

[Times Roman]

Here you go man. It is not a scientific article, but a Google search provides many results (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_expansion_of_space). It is even more amazing that the expansion is accelerating though; so not only is it expanding, but it is expanding at a faster and faster rate.

...leading up to what is referred to as "the Big Rip"

[basketballfan22]

...leading up to what is referred to as "the Big Rip"

Now the Big Rip is interesting. It uses infinity and dark energy though, so I am sure you hate it.

[krugerr]

Here you go man. It is not a scientific article, but a Google search provides many results (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_expansion_of_space). It is even more amazing that the expansion is accelerating though; so not only is it expanding, but it is expanding at a faster and faster rate.

I haven't read that link yet, but it makes sense that it has to accelerate. From a logical viewpoint, the bigger it gets, the more mass it has inside which in turn means a greater total gravitational pull, this means as it gets bigger, the greater gravity would 'pull' the edges back in. The only way to counter this is for it to accelerate.

I still believe we're in a marble belonging to a teenage giant alien.

[Times Roman]

I haven't read that link yet, but it makes sense that it has to accelerate. From a logical viewpoint, the bigger it gets, the more mass it has inside which in turn means a greater total gravitational pull, this means as it gets bigger, the greater gravity would 'pull' the edges back in. The only way to counter this is for it to accelerate.

I still believe we're in a marble belonging to a teenage giant alien.

not true. the bigger the universe gets, the emptier it becomes. it doesn't expand at a consistent mass density, but instead, the mass ratio approaches zero.

Now the Big Rip is interesting. It uses infinity and dark energy though, so I am sure you hate it.

No need for infinity for the big rip. but it does require a repulsive force that dark energy, in theory, seems to exhibit. Or our understanding of C could be flawed, and we scrap E=MC2 and do a total rethink on our origins and our eventual demise.

[krugerr]

Yeah, but you Brits have it easy! Only 3 years! Pshhh!

We have to do years at college first to get A-Levels then we can apply for a university course, varying from 3years upto 7 years for a veterinary course.

[Times Roman]

There is a quote in the movie "the shooter" with mark Walberg, between him and the gunsmith.

the old boy, tapping his head, said

"and when you think you got it right...

....you're wrong!"

We are an arrogant species, and like to think that we can find the ultimate answers. So we make certain assumptions, and like a house of cards, we build assumptions on top of other assumptions, until we have this whole construct that seems to explain things.

But if we pull one card out from the bottom, like our understanding on the limitations of C, then the whole thing comes crashing to the ground in a big mess, and we are left scratching our heads wondering how it all could have happened.

Then there are those in the scientific communities that have built entire careers in helping build this house of cards, and when someone comes along and questions the foundation, they are labeled a heretic, their theories attacked, and their findings are mocked.

Scientific truth comes very slowly, and is met with much resistance.

The bread crumbs are out there that could already topple our house of cards. No one is bold enough to begin to change the foundation.

[basketballfan22]

We have to do years at college first to get A-Levels then we can apply for a university course, varying from 3years upto 7 years for a veterinary course.

I was arguing with a few English friends of mine last summer in Uganda about the differences in the education systems. Personally, I prefer the American system as far as post-secondary educations goes (and I am not one of those arrogant Americans that think our shit doesn't stink). From what my English friends have told me, you guys don't put much emphasis on anything other than your speciality. I think it is great to learn about a variety of topics other than one's specific specialty or major. I also think it is great to have the flexibility of changing majors which requiring more years of schooling allows. It puts too much pressure on a kid to immediately start down a path they may not be sure is best for them. I am a big believer in knowledge in as many different areas as possible.

[basketballfan22]

There tends to be resistance to accepting new things in physics, but some resistance is good. It forces physicists and the like to be extremely accurate. You are correct about its being a slow process though. No one believed Einstein because he threatened what had been accepted for hundreds of years (the dude should have won multiple Noble Prizes, lol); but if we immediately accepted new things, we would adopt incorrect theories (see the neutrino discussion).

We are an extremely arrogant species, both collectively and individually. Very few people are willing (or even capable of) admitting their own flaws. Citizens like to believe their country is the best, and religions claim they are the one true religion. People claim we are superior to all other creatures on Earth, and even have the nerve to believe we are the most advanced life form in the entire Universe!

It is funny how few people recognize this.