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Is the universe a doughnut?
Cosmos Magazine ^ | September 6, 2007 | Paul Halpern

Posted on 11/04/2007 10:07:35 PM PST by SunkenCiv

Someday spacecraft will be powerful enough perhaps to journey at extraordinary speeds, spanning the vast interstellar voids. Our technology might develop until we become a vast, powerful intergalactic society, capable of resolving the deepest quandaries ever known. Only then could we definitely answer what is perhaps the ultimate question: "Is the universe shaped like a doughnut?" This last question pertains to an idea attributed to Homer and mentioned by guest star Stephen Hawking in an episode of The Simpsons. In the episode, Lisa Simpson joins Springfield's chapter of the brainy organisation Mensa, which assumes mayoral duties and vows to remake Springfield into a perfect society. The prospect of experiencing a blossoming utopia attracts the attention of the British cosmologist Hawking, who - in his first animated appearance on the show - decides to visit and see it for himself.

Is the universe a doughnut?

(Excerpt) Read more at cosmosmagazine.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: crevo; freepun; stringtheory
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To: The Spirit Of Allegiance
Q: So, sugar, what's your sign?

A: I'm a torus.


41 posted on 11/05/2007 7:59:02 PM PST by glock rocks (Did I forget my </s> tag?)
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To: SunkenCiv
Ich bein ein berliner


42 posted on 11/05/2007 8:00:56 PM PST by P.O.E.
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To: mikrofon; SunkenCiv; glock rocks; hispanarepublicana; Old Sarge; wizr; ozzymandus

To whom it may concern:

Oliver, you (buttermilk) Twist-ed little rag-a-Muffin, it would have been nice if you had pinged me to your posted toasties.


43 posted on 11/05/2007 8:13:27 PM PST by The Spirit Of Allegiance (Public Employees: Honor Your Oaths! Defend the Constitution from Enemies--Foreign and Domestic!)
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To: The Spirit Of Allegiance

I hope they don’t think the Universe is a Taurus, because that would raise the concern it is a lot of Bull. However, they might find a ‘FORD’ label on it. That is enough to cow the doubters. I cannot seem to find a horse anywhere, so there is a good chance the persentation will be ‘horseless’ in carriage.


44 posted on 11/05/2007 9:20:41 PM PST by punster
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To: timer

You might want to dunk this theory in your expresso-ion. ;)


45 posted on 11/05/2007 9:30:22 PM PST by anymouse
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To: SunkenCiv

BEWARE THE SUPER-GIANT COP!!!


46 posted on 11/05/2007 9:39:57 PM PST by Nick Danger (www.wintersoldier.com)
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To: SunkenCiv; All

Food for thought here. Thanks for the Ping.


47 posted on 11/05/2007 9:54:11 PM PST by Eastbound
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To: Hyzenthlay

If you’ve missed the first six minutes, you’ve missed a lot. ;’)


48 posted on 11/05/2007 10:15:06 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Profile updated Monday, October 22, 2007. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: LibWhacker

“The universe may be the same, except in three dimensions (or more) instead of two.”

Exactly the same, except that the 3 dimensional surface is an outie with the Earth, and an innie with Einie’s version of the universe.


49 posted on 11/05/2007 10:16:30 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Profile updated Monday, October 22, 2007. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: punster; mikrofon; Aeronaut; SunkenCiv; Rennes Templar; hispanarepublicana; .30Carbine

I didn’t know we could a-Ford to have the universe thread hijacked but since you have opened up a constellation of new oppuntunities, I’m Mercurial with anticipation and sitting on the edge of my orbit.

In other news, I adore Venus, but she wants to keep things Plutonic.


50 posted on 11/05/2007 10:31:35 PM PST by The Spirit Of Allegiance (Public Employees: Honor Your Oaths! Defend the Constitution from Enemies--Foreign and Domestic!)
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To: SunkenCiv

Universe to God:

“bite me”.


51 posted on 11/06/2007 3:52:16 AM PST by sodpoodle (Despair - man's surrender. Joy - God's redemption.)
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To: The Spirit Of Allegiance; mikrofon; Aeronaut; SunkenCiv; hispanarepublicana; .30Carbine

This pun thread has become pretty wide ranging. I suggest we all meet at Star Bucks to discuss it further. Or, you guys can mocha another suggestion.

I told my wife we were discussing the universe-donut theory, and she said we were all a bunch of cream puffs.


52 posted on 11/06/2007 7:31:08 AM PST by Rennes Templar ("The future ain't what it used to be".........Yogi Berra)
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To: Eastbound
Space, Matter, Time

On another thread the three basic elements were identified as space, time, causality. Time is mentioned separately because it is different. Physics has taken to treating time as another spatial dimension, and that works in the equations but has nothing to do with time. Space, time, and causality are mentioned by Kant as being concepts we have within our power of reason rather than being anything actually 'out there.' We cannot know what things are in themselves 'out there,' which is exactly the point of the many various explanations offered in these threads. Most of the explanations begin with some metaphysics, which is the ground of the main distinction between explanations.

53 posted on 11/06/2007 9:35:24 AM PST by RightWhale (anti-razors are pro-life)
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To: SunkenCiv

I always shape my stew and spagetti like a torroid when using microwave. It heats faster and more evenly.


54 posted on 11/06/2007 9:37:11 AM PST by DungeonMaster (Al Gore, the Jessie Jackson of weather.)
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To: DungeonMaster; Eastbound; SunkenCiv

So much for my pie in the sky dreams.


55 posted on 11/06/2007 12:12:39 PM PST by bigheadfred (don't say anything to the holier than thou types)
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To: bigheadfred
"So much for my pie in the sky dreams."

Not to despair, my friend. Remember,

As you ramble on through life, brother
Whatever be your goal
Keep your eye upon the donut And not upon the waitress.

56 posted on 11/06/2007 3:01:52 PM PST by Eastbound
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To: RightWhale
I'll ponder that. I'm close to creating an equation for the volume of everything. Thanks, RW.

Right now it's space x matter x time = X and was having a problem with time. Space has three directions, matter has three dimensions, and time has three aspects, (future, present, and past). Now if I can come up with the three aspects of causality I can continue.

57 posted on 11/06/2007 3:18:37 PM PST by Eastbound
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To: Eastbound
time has three aspects, (future, present, and past).

The past and the future don't exist. Only the present.

58 posted on 11/06/2007 3:25:25 PM PST by RightWhale (anti-razors are pro-life)
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To: RightWhale; All
My first thought was that causality is contiguous to the effect in the same way that the future is contiguous to the present.

But what is contiguous to the effect in the same way that the present is contiguous to the past? Looking for the third aspect of causality. Any suggestions?

59 posted on 11/06/2007 3:29:49 PM PST by Eastbound
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To: Eastbound

Causality is natural determination and is invalid due to the presence of life. Life has as its goal to increase indeterminism, that is, to reduce causality to nothing if at all possible. However, causality is in the mind, as is nature, and fortunately does not operate in reality. It is a total illusion.


60 posted on 11/06/2007 3:34:54 PM PST by RightWhale (anti-razors are pro-life)
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