Cosmological crisis: We don't know if the universe is round or flat

newscientist.com ^ | Nov 4,2019 | By Leah Crane

[P.O.E.]

I thought it was (european) football shaped :)

[piasa]

I thought the consensus has that it was spherical, expanding like a big ol’ soap bubble?

[fruser1]

We're in one of these:

[CincyRichieRich]

I like your tauroid idea, but we still need to consult with Dr. Who.

[null and void]

It was, then it wasn’t then it was again.

Kinda like a mountain...

[philman_36]

An optical illusion.

FLAT

Turned counterclockwise one time there is one direction...UP
(Note the same isometric circle on the left)

[philman_36]

An optical illusion.

FLAT

Turned counterclockwise one time there is one direction...UP
(Note the same isometric circle on the left)

[piasa]

True, but that was just in the beginning...

[Flick Lives]

Who would imagine Sir Mix-A-Lot would make it into a discussion on the Planck constant.

[Redcitizen]

“Cosmological crisis: We don’t know if the universe is round or flat”

Whether it’s round or flat depends on whether it was made with yeast or not.

[Redcitizen]

Near the edge: “here there be space dragons”

[beethovenfan]

Yeah, that keeps me awake at night.

[null and void]

Thanks for adding a little levity...

[DesertRhino]

Cool story bro...

[Dave Wright]

I thought the consensus has that it was spherical, expanding like a big ol’ soap bubble?

Inflation theory holds that indeed the Universe expands and creates space spherically from the point of the big bang but only if we could observe it from some higher dimensional space outside our bubble. This is part of the theory of eternal inflation with bubble Universes forming a "foam". Within any of these bubbles measurable space time curvature is determined according to Einstein's General Relativity Theory. If there is a net zero energy (gravity = total e=mc2) then there is no curvature and we say that space is flat. If the net energy is positive space is curved. So far flat is winning in the polls.

[buckalfa]

"Hmm, I thought the answer to the universe was 42...."

👍👍👍👍👍 for the Hitchhiker's reference.

[frank ballenger]

"if you travelled far enough in one direction, you would end up back where you started." Except that the universe is also expanding, and you'd have to go faster than light to outrun it.

Then we'll need to drink more coffee. Strong enough caffeine and somebody can outrun it.

I bought several physics books and haven't read them yet. Missed my chance to (finally) look well read like you guys.

Read but can't remember the Michio Kaku books and several time travel ones. The Science of Science Fiction. Hated -- You Are the Universe by Deepak Chopra.

I bought but have not yet read The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli, Out There by Michael Wall, What is Reality? by Ervin Laszlo and Beyond Weird by Philip Ball. Anybody who can tell me which to read first?

[KarlInOhio]

Sir Bedevere: ...and that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana shaped.

King Arthur: This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere.

[Huskrrrr]

Miss Universe is definitely round, therefore.....

[xp38]