FireFly

Is the expanding universe is a fact? Most people say Yes.

However, there was until recently some uncertainty about the exact rate of expansion. The last measurements show that the rate is increasing. That is strange, and it also suggests that the universe is "open." An open universe is bound to suffer heat death. For me, that feels wrong. There is much yet to be told. Can anyone add anything to this theory?

ADK_Forever

I seem to remember reading not too long ago that the rate of its expansion was slowing down. Can't look it up right now. Hopefully, we have some Carl Sagan followers who can educate us. And hopefully, they have better bedside manners than some "experts" we've heard from recently.

Mach

This may be good to move to the science forum.

Alternative models:
Cyclic model - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lynds model (he's not the first to "guess" about this) is the most fun philosophically (since it's simple and doesn't have much supporting it)

In reading wikis, it looks like there are many holes in all the models, and that the standard model has the fewest holes, and the most evidence, however it still seems pretty wide open.

-Mach

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Let teachers and priests and philosophers brood over questions of reality and illusion. I know this: if life is an illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and I am content.- Conan

FireFly

No, it is speeding up. That is the odd finding.

No need to anymore.

He is dead and cannot help on this recent finding.

Like me? There is no need to oblique references. If I have appeared to be rude, just tell me. I promise to listen and act in an appropriate manner.

Tashah

IIRC, the Hubble Constant is currently measured at 71 km/s/Mpc. Any galaxy with a redshift (z) equal to or greater than 1.4 (critical) is receeding from us at a velocity that exceeds the speed of light (c). Thus, any galaxy with a critical redshift will eventually outpace its emitted photons and disappear from our cosmic horizon. The Omega of the universe is very close to 1, which points to a flat geometry. A flat universe will slowly continue to expand forever. As to why the universe is expanding at an ever increasing rate, I would suggest that you investigate dark energy.

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independent_thinker2002

You just blew everyone's mind.

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==]:{o

ADK_Forever

Hi FireFly,

I was not referring to you.

Thanks for your reply,

ADK4ever

conquer

One million dollars to the one who proves with factual evidence that the universe is expanding.

Note: galaxies and stars going away is not evidence at all that the "universe" is expanding.

The evidence must demonstrate with accurate details the starting point and the moving away universe in its "expansion".

The lack of factual evidence -no simulations and neither computer graphics of any kind- will show us that this theory of an expanding universe really sucks.

__________________
Knowledge is more important than imagination.
Conquer.

ADK_Forever

After FireFly's post I did some Googling. (Don't you love that new verb? ) There are plenty of websites supporting this.

Why don't you explain why you don't agree?

Kernel Sanders

Just FYI, when scientists talk about things such as "the size of the universe" or "the universe is expanding" they're talking about the stars and galaxies. The physical universe - all the stuff

Science is not complete. Not every theory and not even every generally accepted theory can be properly modeled, in most cases we simply do not know enough about the universe. In some the task of simulation would be so gargantuan as to defy computation. In neither case is the theory inherently flawed or wrong, it is simply not well-developed or is incomplete. That's the nature of science, it's a constantly shifting and expanding viewpoint, not a monolithic, complete answer. That doesn't mean it sucks