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Is the Universe a Hall of Mirrors?

Posted by kdawson on from the cosmo-topologists dept.

PhysicsWeb is running an article by one of the researchers who has developed the theory that the universe may be finite, rather small, and soccer-ball shaped. The question is still open; it's one theory that fits cosmic microwave data from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). Apparently testing the theory by looking in the indicated way through the WMAP data would so far be computationally prohibitive. From the article: "The Poincaré dodecahedral space can be described as the interior of a 'sphere' made from 12 slightly curved pentagons. However, there is one big difference between this shape and a football [soccer ball] because when one goes out from a pentagonal face, one immediately comes back inside the ball from the opposite face after a 36 degree rotation. Such a multiply connected space can therefore generate multiple images of the same object, such as a planet or a photon. Other such well-proportioned, spherical spaces that fit the WMAP data are the tetrahedron and the octahedron."

15 of 395 comments (clear)

  1. This is silly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Everyone knows the universe is banana shaped.

    1. Re:This is silly by DynaSoar · · Score: 3, Funny

      >> Not a chance man. If it was, the elephants would have
      >> eaten it already.

      > No, that would be if it were peanut shaped.

      > Monkeys would eat a banana shaped universe. And there
      > just may not be enough monkeys far enough back in time
      > when the universe was small for them to eat it.

      Whether space-time is infinite, or finite but spheroidal (space-time circling back on itself), the effect is the same: any number of monkeys has the effect of an infinite number of monkeys. A banana shaped universe would be eaten by them, and not exist, but then they would not and so could not eat it. Paradox. Or so the traditional physical thinking would go. But you can't have the paradox occur until some time during the first go round. For the paradox to occur, as it must given the infinities, the first universe must exist. The infinite number of monkeys must even now be eating the universe. While doing so they are generating an enormous amount of waste in the form of metabolized entropy, which is information. I offer as evidence a Google search for "a" resulting in "about 6,560,000,000" hits, as well as the volume of /. article replies, including this one.

      The counter argument that something must be informative to be information is obviously flawed, as the evidence shows that non-informative /. replies generate informative ones.

      The counter argument that we are not monkeys, whether finite or infinite, is an argument regarding evolution, and is off topic here. It would be moderated out of existence, but the moderation would be generative information replacing it, supporting the first assertion against counter argument.

      On the other hand, elephants eat bananas too.

      On the gripping hand, turles eat neither bananas nor peanuts. This accomplishes in one sentence reference to two different science fiction entities, the geek value of which makes it appropriate to /. reply form. And coming from fiction, represents information generated from imaginary or false information, again supporting the first assertion.

      You may all now resume typing. We have a long way to go. I'll start.

      "What a piece of work is Man,..."

      --
      "I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid." -- Bishop 341-B
  2. Bable Fish translation ... by Che+Guevarra · · Score: 4, Funny

    Bable Fish translation: "You, the reader of this article, are not nearly as smart as you thought you were. Don't feel bad about not being able to grasp anything in this article other than the word "the". Go to bed and do not look up at the sky at night for a very long time."

    1. Re:Bable Fish translation ... by bedonnant · · Score: 4, Funny

      no, it's just you.

      --
      ~~~ Paf. Le chien.
  3. Everyone knows the TRUE shape of the universe... by Nova+Express · · Score: 4, Funny
    It's turtles, all the way down...

    --
    Lawrence Person (lawrencepersonh@gmailh.com (remove all "h"s to mail)

    http://www.lawrenceperson.com/

  4. More proof! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Q: Does not a soccer ball require a soccer ball-sack?
    A: Therefore, God exists.

  5. Re:Everyone knows the TRUE shape of the universe.. by TapeCutter · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nope, ball with 12 slightly curved pentagons => 30 edges + 12 faces => 30 + 12 = 42

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  6. Running with it by CaptainCarrot · · Score: 4, Funny

    soccer-ball shaped

    I think these cosmic topologists are going to have to kick this theory around for a while before they achieve their goals.

    --
    And the brethren went away edified.
  7. Einstein was right... by d3m0nCr4t · · Score: 5, Funny

    God doesn't play dice, he plays soccer...

  8. Not mirrors by bubbl07 · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's actually just a series of tubes, and it's definitely not a dump truck.

  9. The shape of the universe is by Reed+Solomon · · Score: 3, Funny

    The shape of the universe is... (rolls dice) dice shaped! It's all one big boring D&D game

  10. Re:You trip... by ikkonoishi · · Score: 4, Funny

    Like these?

  11. Re:if it is finite than what is holding it? by dangitman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Apparently when you go through one of the faces you enter from the opposite side.

    I knew it! The universe is shaped like a game of Pacman. I didn't waste the 80s on nonsense time-wasting after all.

    --
    ... and then they built the supercollider.
  12. Re:Finite things can grow by Dunbal · · Score: 5, Funny

    Isn't there a multi-big bang theory

          Ahh, you are referring to the Gang Bang theory?

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  13. Re:if it is finite than what is holding it? by Trom77 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Okay, this is off topic, but it must be said. Your "spacetime is a bunch of rubber U-shaped pant crotch things connected by a blobby series of tubes" metaphor really deserves its own page on the uncyclopedia, http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Main_Page. I'm far too lazy to do it myself, so consider this a challenge.