What Is The Universe Expanding into?

[Denki Cho 3.0]

I mean, what is truly out there beyond the edge of the universe?@ What are the most likely theories?!

 

[Nicholas Gur]

Nothing you can't observe exists, bud. Your dick, when you're not looking at/touching it, *poof* just like that.

 

[WelfareNiggerQueen]

Another universe.
The merge is happening.

 

[StevieLasVegas]

 

[#FF0000]

We're never gonna know and that's the fun part about it.
You can come up with the most batshit nonsensical answer to this question and it will probably have as much validity as general consensus from numerous astrophysicists because we won't know until whatever does happen ends up killing us all before we realize it. That is assuming, of course, that there is an end to the universe's expansion and that it'll lead to anything detectable.
And I think that's pretty cool.

 

[Tanuki Mixed Nuts]

Realistically, there is no way to know if the universe is finite or not. So, the "edge of the universe" is a bit of a misnomer, as it's just how light works at vast distances that makes it seem as if there is an "edge". Realistically, the universe could be expanding, but the stuff at the edges has been long since destroyed and we simply would not know, as not enough time has passed to allow that light to get to us.

As for a proper answer to the expanding question: haha universe inflate big and round

 

[Meriasek]

Simplest answer is we don't and can't know. Intuitively I'd say there's simply nothing beyond where the background radiation of the Big Bang has reached so far. Perfect vacuum, simply nothing.
The boundary of the universe is the speed of light.
There might be another universe, if it is CP symmetric there might be an antimatter universe expanding backwards in time from the Big Bang.

If the perfect vacuum still has a quantum sea, there might be other universes like ours existing and annihilating in cosmic pair productions. If one were to leave this universe it'd throw off the balance, a mass defect and the annihilation with the antimatter universe would be incomplete.

But really, we can't know.

 

[TenMilesWide]

There is nothing outside the universe, it's just expanding. Don't try to see sideways or peek beyond the veil, there are no 7th-dimensional machine elves back there trying to shape the 3D cross section of the universe into a 4D silhouette of a snake eating its own tail over time, and you certainly wouldn't be able to do anything about it if there were. Don't look.

 

[oldTireWater]

Your mom in theory, but that would require infinite time.

 

[N Space]

It expands into 'itself' much the same way the linear transformation (x,y,z) -> (2x,2y,2z) expands every shape in three-dimensional space to be twice the size yet the space itself, R^3, remains the same. Basically, ∞ + ∞ = ∞ so we observe objects in the universe to get further away from each other but the universe itself stays as infinitely big as it always was. If the universe were finite (current observations of its curvature suggest otherwise), then it could be said to be expanding into 'nothing' but it's kind of an absurd question since the universe is, by definition, everything there is.

 

[HyperboreanRightsActivist]

Your mom

 

[Not Really Here]

What are the most likely theories?!

It expands into 'itself' much the same way the linear transformation (x,y,z) -> (2x,2y,2z) expands every shape in three-dimensional space to be twice the size yet the space itself, R^3, remains the same. Basically, ∞ + ∞ = ∞ so we observe objects in the universe to get further away from each other but the universe itself stays as infinitely big as it always was. If the universe were finite (current observations of its curvature suggest otherwise), then it could be said to be expanding into 'nothing' but it's kind of an absurd question since the universe is, by definition, everything there is.

Shorter: The TARDIS just keeps getting bigger on the inside, yet remains a police box.

 

[PrimeRadiant]

I mean, what is truly out there beyond the edge of the universe?@ What are the most likely theories?!

There is no edge and you can never reach it.

The universe expands into itself. Its a difficult thing to wrap your head around though. Perhaps its expanding into higher dimensions we cant see, but from what can observe, its just expanding into itself.

 

[PonderosaPete]

What if instead of expanding the universe was Inflating?

 

[⚞⛇⚟]

Probably more universe

 

[draggs]

It's expanding into CWCville and that's why Goddess CPU-chan is going to force the Merge to stop our universe's imperialist expansionism

But really, this:

It expands into 'itself' much the same way the linear transformation (x,y,z) -> (2x,2y,2z) expands every shape in three-dimensional space to be twice the size yet the space itself, R^3, remains the same. Basically, ∞ + ∞ = ∞ so we observe objects in the universe to get further away from each other but the universe itself stays as infinitely big as it always was. If the universe were finite (current observations of its curvature suggest otherwise), then it could be said to be expanding into 'nothing' but it's kind of an absurd question since the universe is, by definition, everything there is.

 

[Cardinal Cardinal]

Eldritch monsters, which is somehow less frightening than infinity.

 

[teriyakiburns]

What if instead of expanding the universe was Inflating?

Calm down, Dobson.

 

[Divine Power]

Big black void

 

[Merried Senior Comic]

I hope it inflates to a giant inflatable pool toy that is shaped like a sexy dolphin.