Why is the universe so big?

Originally posted by Carreau
Why is the universe so big?

I'm going to blame it on "Milky Way" I crack me up.

I wish our galaxy had a cooler name Somebody really dropped the ball on that one.

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha

Why is the universe so big? Current, yet unproven theories suggest the universe size is due to dark energy and its repelling forces, or something like that. Ever expanding, blah, blah, blah. We only ask this question because we are frustrated with our inability to traverse the whole damned thing. Bunch of whiny kids we are. Are we there yet?

I believe technological advancements and societal morality are more closely related than some people may realize. If we get the cart before the horse, we will implode. Once we can learn to progress at a mutual pace for both, our efficiency will kick into overdrive and we may be able to zip in, out, and around anything. Our environment scares us because we don't control it, yet we act as if we can control ourselves. We are far too immature to become "masters" of anything. Sure we have some atomic understanding, but the first thing we did with it was harness it to blow something up.

The universe could be designed to encourage advancement and achievement to an infinite degree. That is the best answer I can come up with that is hopeful. For the pessimists out there, it is so big due to some design to make us give up chasing it and appreciate what we have. Any theory is cool with me no matter how far-fetched or disturbing, because even if we could comprehend the answer, we are not prepared to face the question.

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


Ok very good point, I would just say to our technological experiences we can measure it which may or may not hold up in another location in the universe. Non stop fascinating thoughts and arguments can be made about the universe and the physical nature of how it works.

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


All our tests on gravity are designed by what we know about gravity. If you are looking to reinforce a belief you are going to structure your tests to test for what you think is true. Sure it is going to pass all the tests, use a test that doesn't apply to gravity to find the find the truth.

Why is the metal Aluminum lighter than the metal Iron when they take up the same space? Both metals have their own attraction to the earth independent of the earth's gravity. We assign specific weights to metals and substances based on what we already know about these substances. That is where we have failed, once we think we know something we place the knowledge in a book and teach it as fact then don't investigate it any farther. All testing is designed using our present knowledge as a reference. Then if you try to challenge concensus of the time they use their evidence, created from set parameters, to discredit your research or thoughts.

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha

Right? What do we do when we find out another intelligent civilization has been calling it something else for a much longer time? Who has naming rights? Yeah, that is not the "Milky Way". I bet we try to force them to speak English as well. Why? Because we are ignorant and stubborn. Too funny and sadly true. You have to call it this so we know what you are talking about. Jeez.

Maybe it's not.
I heard somewhere that all points in space and time are connected. Maybe this "hugeness" is just an illusion brought on by our lack of understanding.
It could also be that it's not huge at all to whatever created it, assuming it was created. Is size, being a physical aspect, relevant to spirits?

reply to post by Boscov


I just think we coulda picked a cooler name

Andromeda sounds pretty sweet. We're just "Milky Way Galaxy"

All the other galaxies have cool names en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha
en.citizendium.org...


"There are many creation myths around the world which explain the origin of the Milky Way and give it its name. The English phrase is a translation from Greek Γαλαξίας, Galaxias, which is derived from the word for milk (γάλα, gala). This is also the origin of the word galaxy. In Greek myth, the Milky Way was caused by milk spilt by Hera when suckled by Heracles.

The term Milky Way first appeared in English literature in a poem by Chaucer.

"See yonder, lo, the Galaxyë
Which men clepeth the Milky Wey,
For hit is whyt."
— Geoffrey Chaucer, Geoffrey Chaucer The House of Fame, c. 1380.[32]

In a large area from Central Asia to Africa, the name for the Milky Way is related to the word for straw. It has been claimed that this was spread by Arabs who in turn borrowed the word from Armenian.[33] In several Uralic and Turkic languages and in the Baltic languages the Milky Way is called the "Birds' Path". The Chinese name "Silver River" (銀河) is used throughout East Asia, including Korea. In Japanese, "Silver River" (銀河) means galaxies in general and the Milky Way is called the "Silver River System" (銀河系) or the "River of Heaven" (天の川). In Swedish, it is called Vintergatan, or "Winter Street", because the stars in the belt were used to predict time of the approaching winter."

Why don´t we meet our space brothers and sisters?
What if they are too big for us to see?
What if they are too small for us to see?
What if they are so advanced that they don´t give a hoot about us, much less try to contact us?
Surely we cannot expect alien life to to be similar to us and in a way we can perceive them with our senses.

A simple answer that one can ponder on for a while is

Because the multiverse is so small.


What to ponder on,

How is two less than one when it comes after one?


Could the uni-verse be starting point or creating point of a multi-verse.


Conscious beings that reside in this Uni verse create realities in the multi verse by simply envisioning them?

Where I am going with this, not sure. Maybe I have idea that will fit.

If there is an edge to our universe and we are able to physically reach and attempt to pass the edge and explore further.

Whats further than the universe if it is finite by our way labeling reality would be in my opinion a multiverse if looked at in a physical sense, a place to actually go past the boundaries of our own universe.

If conscious beings from this universe create the multiverse by thought, would we be physically entering our thoughts when we cross the boundaries of our own universe.

Sorry to those reading my mad thoughts that when trying to articulate in a sane manner this is probably the best I can up with.

Maybe some will understand.

reply to post by Boscov


I guess in these cultural, historical, and mythological contexts, "Milky Way" actually makes a lot of sense Very insightful. Thanks for finding such great information.

Originally posted by NarcolepticBuddha
Simple question. Why is it so big?

Simple answer. Because we are so small.

reply to post by Boscov

What do we do when we find out another intelligent civilization has been calling it something else for a much longer time?

Go with it....it has to be better than "The Milky Way"....

Because we are bunch of spoiled brats who are not allowed in the beautiful garden until we learn to take care of and clean up this tiny little rock we were given.

When we grow up and stop being petty, greedy, self-centered, ego-maniacs we will get the Keys to the kingdom until then we are stuck here staring at our feet.

Not trying to sound rude with this comment but, "because it can".

Simply because it can.

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


From my point of view if you think logically about it the reason we haven't meet other lifeforms is because we are the quarantined wildlife that you do not say hi to if you are a higher life form. To barbaric.

If I was on the outside and wanted this place to evolve without outside influence the first thing I would create was a dampening field so that information that fly around in space are not sent into this planet and choose what information should be sent to the planet like in The Truman Show.

Just because it is silent does not mean that there is no one watching.

And we are not even discussing higher level dimensional beings. If we are in a 4 dimensional space where the 4th dimension is W=0 and X Y Z is the 3 dimensional space then a 4th dimension being with 4 dimensional senses can stand in W=1m and see what we do in W=0 X Y Z without us noticing it in W=1 X Y Z.

Human senses are the biggest limitation we have to know "what is".

Originally posted by abeverage
Because we are bunch of spoiled brats who are not allowed in the beautiful garden until we learn to take care of and clean up this tiny little rock we were given.

When we grow up and stop being petty, greedy, self-centered, ego-maniacs we will get the Keys to the kingdom until then we are stuck here staring at our feet.

edit on 17-6-2013 by abeverage because: (no reason given)

Yes I agree. Humanity as a whole are not to bright. Small minded greedy people who want everything and control everything and cannot let it be an equal society are hindering research and social development and causing mental sickness that leads to violence.

And the funny thing is a normal person who is working a normal job in western world have a standard of living that a king would have loved 200 years ago.

There will come a day when humanity finally say it is time for a real change and no more excuses for imperfect systems like the pyramid scheme that money is or representative democracy that only created corruption because it puts power in manipulators hands.

Then we get the golden age and the help we deserve either by external species or by buddha like souls who come back in numbers never seen on this planet that I know of that can use synchronicity/psychic abilities to find the truth of what is.

Originally posted by LittleByLittle
Then we get the golden age and the help we deserve either by external species or by buddha like souls who come back in numbers never seen on this planet that I know of that can use synchronicity/psychic abilities to find the truth of what is.

I do hope we are not rescued and instead find it within ourselves to take the leap...much like our ancestors did when they said...

Why is the World So Big....

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


It's not that big. If you think about it. If you were the size of the galaxy, would a star be big?

Meaning both size and scale are relative the observer or to whatever it is being compared to.

It very well could be that the universe is just the size of a grain of sand compared to whats really out there!

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha

Although unpredictably wondrous, the universe seems to be a pretty logical place.

This is also from our limited human perspective. If the room you are currently in suddenly exploded into a fiery ball of flying material, would that environment seem logical and orderly to you? Now imagine if you were an ultra microscopic subatomic particle that came into consciousness 14 billionths of a second into that explosion. All you would be able to see through a telescope is the closest swirling debris flying away from you. It would only seem logical and orderly.