The size of the universe - a question.

[Brian Peacock]

Pah. I don't claim I know how to certify what science has to say about the topology of the Universe, but I accept that those with expertise and training do.

[JimC]

The anti-science and/or pro-religion brigade often make a big deal about the uncertainties and disputes at the edges of scientific fields, whether they be evolution or cosmology. In doing so, they ignore 2 key things, IMO:

1. Behind the "edge", where disputing possibilities are up for grabs, there are massive areas that are clear, uncontroversial and accepted by all scientists in the field. For example, the age of the Earth, the brute fact of an evolving tree of life, the major role of natural selection for example. In the case of cosmology, a Universe expanding from a much smaller earlier state, and a perfectly detailed explanation for the birth, life and death of stars.

2. Just as important is that the uncertainties and disputes are in fact that they are in fact a sign of health; science doesn't hide behind dogma, its essence is questioning hypotheses, and erecting new ones which get tested in the harsh light of observational evidence.

[rainbow]

The usual theory of inflation breaks down in eternal inflation. We derive a dual description of eternal inflation in terms of a deformed Euclidean CFT located at the threshold of eternal inflation. The partition function gives the amplitude of different geometries of the threshold surface in the no-boundary state. Its local and global behavior in dual toy models shows that the amplitude is low for surfaces which are not nearly conformal to the round three-sphere and essentially zero for surfaces with negative curvature. Based on this we conjecture that the exit from eternal inflation does not produce an infinite fractal-like multiverse, but is finite and reasonably smooth.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.10 ... 2018%29147

[pErvinalia]

[Rum]

It is long - and it is wider topic than just the shape of the cosmos. It does offer some thoughts on it - and the 'before/after the big bang' issue.

[Scot Dutchy]

How do the theists handle this one. Their simple heaven and earth is blown away:

We could live inside a multiverse that is full of alien life, new study suggests

We might not be as lucky as we think

There might be plenty of aliens – living in other universes, according to a new study.

Whether we live in a universe that is just one of many, inside a multiverse, is a question that has long troubled astronomers. And, after asking that, another question that is even more perplexing follows: would those other universes contain life of their own?

Now new research has shown that if that multiverse exists it could be filled with many examples of different alien life.

[pErvinalia]

Our current universe could be (and almost certainly is) filled with many examples of different alien life. No need to invent additional universes to invoke the likelihood of alien life.

[Scot Dutchy]

Who is inventing? It is a study. Buggers the god lovers though.

[pErvinalia]

What I'm saying is that it's not necessary for there to be a multiverse for there to be a shitload of alien life. And it is inventing as there's absolutely no evidence of any other universes.

[Scot Dutchy]

What I'm saying is that it's not necessary for there to be a multiverse for there to be a shitload of alien life. And it is inventing as there's absolutely no evidence of any other universes.

How is it inventing? Oh once again you have decided what is real and correct. What are you doing here? How do you know , the worlds mastermind of cosmology, that there is no evidence? Did you cut yourself while shaving and thought that's right there is no evidence for a multiverse. Extremely scientific. Have you never learnt anything in life?

[pErvinalia]

If you think there is evidence of a multiverse then present it.

[Scot Dutchy]

I posted the report. I did not say it is evidence just a study but where is your evidence to say it is not? Or are you going to insult again or just run away? Which are your normal tactics.

Did you actually read the report? Nobody is claiming it is written in stone but your hand wave is typical. You have decided therefore it is wrong.

[pErvinalia]

You seem to have no self awareness. You usually ad hom people first (like u did above). Tell me how I'm supposed to present evidence of something not existing. I'm constantly amazed how people with almost no critical thinking skills wind up on rationalist sites. Did you stumble in here by accident?

[Scot Dutchy]

You seem to have no self awareness. You usually ad hom people first (like u did above). Tell me how I'm supposed to present evidence of something not existing. I'm constantly amazed how people with almost no critical thinking skills wind up on rationalist sites. Did you stumble in here by accident?

See step one: insults. You have critical thinking Since when? Please please stop it. You are really making a fool of yourself. How do you know there is no evidence? Which wondrous oracle have you consulted? Making absolute decisions requires absolute evidence. Do you have it? Of course not.

[pErvinalia]

You don't seem to understand the basics of rationalism.

I've never seen any evidence of a multiverse. Have you? I'm going to answer for: no. Which makes me wonder what in the living fuck are you going on about.