JasMc1973 Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannannan Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Text Sheldon he knows all the answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 (edited) Or as Edward O Wilson has it “Earth relates to the universe as the second segment of the left antenna of an aphid sitting on a flower petal in a garden in Teaneck, N.J., for a few hours this afternoon.” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/10/books/edward-o-wilsons-the-meaning-of-human-existence.html?_r=0 (a review curiously partly rehashed, x weeks later, in Scotland on Sunday today) Edited November 23, 2014 by exile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShedTA Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 We didn't invent time. Yes we did. Or at least the concept of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty CTA Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Shut up. No, the surface of the earth doesn't end. The surface on any sphere is a two dimensional surface with no edge. The surface of the earth is measurable. It isn't infinite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariokempes56 Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 The surface of the earth is measurable. It isn't infinite. Area ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabmania Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 this is nice http://www.meteorwatch.org/iss-live-video-earth/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty CTA Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 The surface area, circumference, and diameter of the planet are all measurable. If we were to (say) measure the circumference of the equator, we would designate a point which would be the start, and when we reached that same point (after going around the equator once) that same point would be the end. (There's no need to muddy the waters with 'edges'.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 The surface of the earth is measurable. It isn't infinite. He didn't say it was infinite. You are confusing two different concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffer Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 The surface of the earth is measurable. It isn't infinite. That's exactly right. It's a finite two dimensonal surface with no boundaries (edges). It doesn't have an end but it is still finite. It follows through a whack of maths that your u can have a finite universe which doesn't have a boundary (and in four dimensional maths yo don't need an additional dimension to bend in, like you need with a two dimensional surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffer Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 The surface area, circumference, and diameter of the planet are all measurable. If we were to (say) measure the circumference of the equator, we would designate a point which would be the start, and when we reached that same point (after going around the equator once) that same point would be the end. (There's no need to muddy the waters with 'edges'.) There is, and its a very important concept. The surface of the earth or any sphere is two dimensional. You can specify any point on it, uniquely, with two coordinates. The same applies to a three or four dimensional space - there's no need for it to have a boundary for it to be finite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freeedom Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 We don't know whether a boundary for the Universe exists and we may never know. The observable universe is 27 billion light years in diameter if i remember correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffer Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 We don't know whether a boundary for the Universe exists and we may never know. The observable universe is 27 billion light years in diameter if i remember correctly. The point I'm making is there doesn't need to be one. And not having one doesn't make the universe infinite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freeedom Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 The point I'm making is there doesn't need to be one. And not having one doesn't make the universe infinite. I was addressing the original post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 We don't know whether a boundary for the Universe exists and we may never know. The observable universe is 27 billion light years in diameter if i remember correctly. Does the universe have a diameter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freeedom Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Does the universe have a diameter? I don't think anyone knows the answer to that question Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I don't think anyone knows the answer to that question Maybe somebody in another universe does? "The important thing is not to stop asking questions. Curiosity has it's own reason for existing." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freeedom Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Maybe somebody in another universe does? "The important thing is not to stop asking questions. Curiosity has it's own reason for existing." Maybe something in this universe knows the answer but we don't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in London Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 We've also changed it, it used to be a percentage of a solar day now it's "the duration of 9192631770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium 133 atom." I've been banging on about that for yonks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in London Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 As fascinating as the sky is, it's a massive slap in my insignificant face. Love is the key. *plays a flute* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty CTA Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 He didn't say it was infinite. You are confusing two different concepts. I'm not confusing anything. Here's the original post... See thon universe felly. How can it go on forever and ever? It just cannae eh? Can it? But then if it does have an end, what's on the other side.........?? Donald then introduced the earth not having an edge in his first post (which was post #4). Biffer (if I understand him correctly) is maintaining that because the earth is finite, then the universe could be too. So is the outer part of the universe solid as well? (Or do we measure space?) And if the universe is expanding, then what is it expanding into? In conclusion... We can measure the earth, and we can't measure the universe. Maybe something in this universe knows the answer but we don't The Creator, God, would know. Job 38:5 Isaiah 40:12 Psalm 102:25 Isaiah 48:13 Amos 4:13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Donald then introduced the earth not having an edge in his first post (which was post #4). Biffer (if I understand him correctly) is maintaining that because the earth is finite, then the universe could be too. I sure Biffer can speak for himself but I'm pretty sure that's not what he was saying. He is just using the Earth as an example of something that doesn't have an end (edge) but isn't infinite. He could have used an rubber band or a doughnut as an example if he wanted to. There are other reasons for thinking that the universe might not have a boundary or that it may not be infinite. But these are theories based on our understanding of the current data and complex mathematics. These theories can, and do, change over time based on new information and new ways of thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the rinky dink Posted November 24, 2014 Author Share Posted November 24, 2014 The rinky dink? That's a blast from the past. from the solar and impossible to understand past mate! can't get my head round it at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffer Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I sure Biffer can speak for himself but I'm pretty sure that's not what he was saying. He is just using the Earth as an example of something that doesn't have an end (edge) but isn't infinite. He could have used an rubber band or a doughnut as an example if he wanted to. There are other reasons for thinking that the universe might not have a boundary or that it may not be infinite. But these are theories based on our understanding of the current data and complex mathematics. These theories can, and do, change over time based on new information and new ways of thinking. That's right. I'm not saying it's definitely finite, I'm saying that it doesn't need an edge for it to be finite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glasgow jock Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Does anyone think anything will be found on Mars, anything at all ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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