Is the universe in an eternal cycle?

Theokretus

Is the universe eternally expanding from a singularity and then gravitationally contracting into another (or the same one in a different shape)? It is claimed the universe as we know it should have already begun to contract yet the observable matter around us is still exelerating. Assuming our greatest mathematicians have not miss calculated the massive forces at work this could mean matter we observe is being pulled by the gravity of matter out view.
Alternatively we may have originated from one of many singularities in the universe, there is after all a singularity at the centre of every black hole. Do you think our universe is following a uniform cycle from a single point, was our big bag one of many in a universe with alot more going on than we can see or could our universe (its contents) be experiencing many big bangs while still keeping in a cycle of single much bigger bang at its ending and beggining?

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Zophie

This is impossible to answer and I'm not sure what discoveries the mathematicians would have to make about cosmology that we didn't already know.

Ying

Hi there.

Its possible that we're living in an oscilating universe sure, but that's just one of many possibilities. Its also possible the universe ends with a big crunch, if it happens to collapse in on itself, or if it doesn't collapse but keeps on expanding, it could possibly end in a big rip or the heat death. Who knows. Fun to think about, but impossible to prove empirically for obvious reasons.
As for singularities at the heart of black holes, yeah that's possible too. It might not be a singularity but a fuzzball or some sort of degenerate matter for all we know. Again, hard to prove empirically for, again, obvious reasons.

:smile:

T Clark

Is the universe eternally expanding from a singularity and then gravitationally contracting into another (or the same one in a different shape)? It is claimed the universe as we know it should have already begun to contract yet the observable matter around us is still exelerating. Assuming our greatest mathematicians have not miss calculated the massive forces at work this could mean matter we observe is being pulled by the gravity of matter out view. — Theokretus

It is my understanding that current knowledge and theory indicate that there is not enough matter in the universe to stop or reverse the observed expansion. Based on that, our universe will expand forever. That doesn't mean they won't change their minds later.

James Riley

That doesn't mean they won't change their minds later. — T Clark

:100: :up:

I always try to chase things to their extreme and have concluded that it, and more (and less) than we comprehend, is all correct, and not, at the same time, and not.

But I'm not the guy with the math chops to prove it. I just know it's true, and not. And if they keep crunching the numbers and going back to make sure all they stand on is sound, they'll figure it out some day, and not.

And that, my friend, is why no one likes to talk to me. It just doesn't make any sense. It's futile.

Vince

Not sure if this is relevant but I will mention it. Cosmologists have thought for a while that the shape of the universe was flat. A new study hints at a spherical shape instead.
https://www.universetoday.com/143956/new-research-suggests-that-the-universe-is-a-sphere-and-not-flat-after-all/

Vince

Does it mean that the universe can't expand indefinitely?

fishfry

This is Penrose's idea of conformal cyclic cosmology. It's a purely speculative idea that nobody takes too seriously, but many of Penrose's bad ideas are better than most people's good ones.

deletedmemberrw

Could be. You see cycles everywhere so maybe it applies to the Universe itself. I hope it doesn't, that would be boring to say the least.

180 Proof

↪fishfry

:up:

Philofile

↪Theokretus

Yes.

Is the universe in an eternal cycle?

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