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[Nikov]

Dammit, I just figured out the whole "expanding sphere" and "curved space-time" notions of the universe, and now you're saying its a BUBBLE? Screw this crap. Anything beyond our spiral arm I'm going to refer to as "the heavens" because we're just an anthill on a mountain anyway.

[smjjames]

Dammit, I just figured out the whole "expanding sphere" and "curved space-time" notions of the universe, and now you're saying its a BUBBLE? Screw this crap. Anything beyond our spiral arm I'm going to refer to as "the heavens" because we're just an anthill on a mountain anyway.

Theres also ideas that it is saddle shaped, among others. Part (or a good deal) of the problem is that the universe is just so VAST and we can only see a finite distance. However, our telescopes are seeing ever closer to the 'beginning' of the big bang, so... I don't know. I'm not a physicist.

[Virex]

 I just wanted to add (remind) that if one wishes to be less wrong, one probably shouldn't think about these things in the Cartesian system of three spatial dimensions and a fourth time dimension. The universe really doesn't care about what we think, or our systems of measurement, and thus will not conform to them.

The universe doesn't care about us, but we care about the universe. That's why we have made tools to describe it, Cartesian system being one of them suited for a simplified situation.

[Muz]

I heard gamma rays were bad. A gamma ray fog must be rather dangerous.

Somewhere there is a race of aliens who's genitalia looks exactly like those bubbles.

We don't know it yet, but we just got trolled.

One day, God was masturbating to some other human virgin. He accidentally sat on the universe without pants on and the aura from his balls alone created a massive cloud.

[Heron TSG]

The universe doesn't care about us

[Nivim]

The universe doesn't care about us, but we care about the universe. That's why we have made tools to describe it, Cartesian system being one of them suited for a simplified situation.

  Thus making it useful for many engineering purposes; where it must be simplified in the interests of expediency. However, for a foundation in the concepts involved or theoretical discussion like we have here (where there is no complex math is involved), simplified simply means flawed. If you wish to offer a treatise on the math surround the theories on these subjects using the Cartesian system of measurement, then I do not mean to stop you.

The universe doesn't care about us

Well, the universe hasn't gotten a chance to care about us, even if it has the mechanisms to do so. In time, Barbarossa, in time.

[Virex]

I heard gamma rays were bad. A gamma ray fog must be rather dangerous.

Depends on the intensity. You're getting 2.4 millisievert per year, mostly in the form of gamma rays and nobody notices. A cloud as the one described here is probably of a low density, so the background dose inside the cloud would probably not be much higher then let's say 10 millisievert per year (for the record, getting around 1 sievert instantaniously might induce vomiting, a slight nausea, a light loss of white blood cells and some fatigue), probably far less. I'd worry more about charged particles flying around in the could myself.

[MrWiggles]

Homogenity of the universe is visible on a large(i.e.very large - larger than superclusters) scale.

Have we ever actually seen a cluster of superclusters, or is this a theory?

Scientific Theory does not mean GUESS!

[Heron TSG]

It could be a theory based on observations made by those with access to deep-space telescopes.

[MrWiggles]

It could be a theory based on observations made by those with access to deep-space telescopes.

Theories always have observations.

[smigenboger]

Did we ever find out where those gravitons (or whatever I'm thinking of) that appear to pop in and out of existence go? I believe I saw a Nova on it, and that was one of the reasons they made particle colliders.

[cowofdoom78963]

how exactly does something this big go unnoticed

Becuase it's invisible. You could not see a big invisible elephant even though it is big. Duh.

[The Doctor]

Yeah, but since it's an elephant, it's going to be trampling around, making a big ruckus.


We were looking for a visible elephant (well not really looking per-se, but whatever), we didn't think to listen for it.

[SHAD0Wdump]

Why havn't they found my avatar yet?

[Sowelu]

I need to come to the lower forums more often, I missed an astronomy thread!

Homogenity of the universe is visible on a large(i.e.very large - larger than superclusters) scale.

Have we ever actually seen a cluster of superclusters, or is this a theory?

Theory it certainly is, as is e.g. Big Bang and all the rest of scientific knowledge.
This theory, however, fits well with the observational data, that is: the background microwave radiation is nearly uniform in all directions, with the exception of previously mentioned fluctuations - areas where matter begun to gather, later to form large structures like superclusters.
Anyhow, homogenity means not that you can't, in principle, find any empty spaces between whatever structures you're considering at the moment - it's just that on average, the distribution of "emptiness" and "matter" is similar everywhere. So you can find filaments of superclusters stretching in all directions with equal probability.
This would not be true if e.g. the Big Bang was a true explosion of matter into preexisting space - this would create a shell of matter, with emptiness spreading inwards and outwards of (i.e.normal to) the shell.

There's a specific name for the homogenity of the universe at the largest scale:  The "end of greatness".  Which in my opinion would make an awesome band name.