A Universe Smaller than the Observable | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The observable universe is just a tiny fraction of the entire universe, and there is a possibility that the actual universe is smaller than what we can observe.

Key Insights

• ❓ The observable universe is a tiny fraction of the entire universe.
• 🌥️ The theory of cosmic inflation suggests that the actual universe is much larger than what we can observe.
• 🫤 The expansion of space affects our perception of distant objects, making them appear as they were billions of years ago.
• 🤗 The possibility of the actual universe being smaller than the observable universe opens up intriguing questions about the nature of our existence and the true extent of the cosmos.
• ❓ The concept of a four-dimensional universe represented by the surface of a four-dimensional sphere challenges traditional notions of spatial boundaries.
• 🛩️ If the actual universe is smaller than the observable universe, there may be unknown regions and phenomena beyond what we currently perceive.
• ❓ Researchers are exploring patterns and models to understand if the actual universe is a subset of the observable universe.

Transcript

Every video until now, we've been working from the assumption that the observable universe is smaller than the entire universe. And if you go by the cosmic inflation theory-- and it was founded by Alan Guth. And I have almost personal connection to Alan Guth. When I was at MIT, I always used to go to this Chinese food truck. And I always used to sh... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the theory of cosmic inflation?

The theory of cosmic inflation proposes that in the early moments after the Big Bang, there was a rapid expansion of space, leading to the vast size of the observable universe.

Q: Is it possible that the actual universe is smaller than the observable universe?

Yes, it is possible. The theory of cosmic inflation suggests that the observable universe is just a fraction of the entire universe, but we cannot rule out the idea that the actual universe is smaller than what we can observe.

Q: How does the expansion of space affect our view of the universe?

The expansion of space means that light from distant objects takes a long time to reach us. Therefore, what we observe is not the current state of those objects, but how they looked billions of years ago.

Q: Can we see ourselves in the universe?

No, we cannot see ourselves because the light emitted from our region of space on a previous pass would have taken billions of years to reach us and would look completely different from the current state.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The observable universe is believed to be smaller than the entire universe.

• The theory of cosmic inflation suggests that the observable universe is just a fraction of the actual universe.

• It is possible that the actual universe is smaller than what we can observe.