Scientific ideas & theories on the universe - Page 3

Kerbie · #31 07-08-2018, 06:21 PM

Brian Greene has also written some excellent books on physics and the universe... and they're quite readable. You don't have to be a astrophysicist to understand and enjoy them.

agfsteve · #32 07-08-2018, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srick

Back to the OP: what I find amazing about the universe's existence is the mathematical nature of it. In particular, the absolute need for all of these forces to be at just the right level and balance for our universe to exist.

Take that for what it's worth. Which came first: the chicken or egg?

That's an easy one: The egg; eggs have been around a lot longer than chickens.

Tico · #33 07-08-2018, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srick

Back to the OP: what I find amazing about the universe's existence is the mathematical nature of it. In particular, the absolute need for all of these forces to be at just the right level and balance for our universe to exist.

You could look at it another way.

Consider all the many universes that couldn't exist because all of these forces were at just the wrong level and balance for those universes to exist.

The way I see it ... things just are, and other things just aren't.

srick · #34 07-08-2018, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agfsteve

That's an easy one: The egg; eggs have been around a lot longer than chickens.

You are correct, Steve. Two proto-chickens combined their dna which produced the first chicken egg and then the first chicken - but we digress...

and now back to our regularly scheduled thread, "the origin of the universe."

RedJoker · #35 07-08-2018, 07:28 PM

The answer is 42, obviously.

guitar george · #36 07-08-2018, 07:53 PM

If you could keep going out in space would you eventually come to the end of the universe? If you did come to the end, what's on the other side of the end?

Borderdon · #37 07-08-2018, 07:56 PM

IMHO, questions like the OP posed are useful to ponder, even though the “answers” are beyond the reach of our intellect.
I think a connection to our shared humanity is made when we hold the question(s) rather than dismiss them as being
A useless exercise.

TBman · #38 07-08-2018, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedJoker

The answer is 42, obviously.

I was told there wasn't going to be any math.....

AmericanEagle · #39 07-08-2018, 08:35 PM

I find it impossible to believe that the incredibly massive universe was once condensed into a pinpoint of matter that exploded.

TomB'sox · #40 07-08-2018, 08:48 PM

I am quite sure that about 6 months ago a story was on the news that physics and mathematical equations were falling apart the closer that science got back to the big bang theory. That the laws of physics as we know it no longer exist and they could not prove the existence of The Big Bang Theory with present knowledge. I am sure I am lacking in details but that was the gist of the story

robj144 · #41 07-08-2018, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

I am quite sure that about 6 months ago a story was on the news that physics and mathematical equations were falling apart the closer that science got back to the big bang theory. That the laws of physics as we know it no longer exist and they could not prove the existence of The Big Bang Theory with present knowledge. I am sure I am lacking in details but that was the gist of the story

We know the basic premise of the Big Bang because the universe is still expanding. How it exactly started is still up for debate slightly, however.

Silurian · #42 07-08-2018, 11:27 PM

The Big Bang will always be problematic.

Physicists and mathematics don't like singularities.

Golffishny · #43 07-09-2018, 06:14 AM

Still all theories and opinions. It's funny how if a theory is repeated often enough it becomes a belief, even when it can't be definitely proven. Then other theories and opinions are berated as nonsense. Kind of like which model guitars are best? Have a fun day.

Silurian · #44 07-09-2018, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golffishny

Still all theories and opinions. It's funny how if a theory is repeated often enough it becomes a belief, even when it can't be definitely proven. Then other theories and opinions are berated as nonsense. Kind of like which model guitars are best? Have a fun day.

A good theory is usually backed up with corroborative evidence; experimentally, observational, etc.

Theories that may be dismissed as 'nonsense' usually lack such evidence or in many cases appear to contradict the available evidence.

Kerbie · #45 07-09-2018, 07:28 AM

Scientific theories are not simply opinions. They are thoroughly substantiated and documented explanations of our world.