Why do we not know if the universe is endless?

The observable universe is centred on us. An alien in a galaxy far away would have its own observable universe. While there may be some overlap, they would inevitably see regions we can’t see. Therefore, it’s not possible to see if the universe is finite, because we can’t see it all.

Do we know that the universe is infinite?

No. We do not know whether the Universe is finite or not. To give you an example, imagine the geometry of the Universe in two dimensions as a plane. So you have two possibilities for a flat Universe: one infinite, like a plane, and one finite, like a torus, which is also flat.

Why is the universe not infinitely old?

The observable universe is still huge, but it has limits. That’s because we know the universe isn’t infinitely old — we know the Big Bang occurred some 13.8 billion years ago. That means that light has had “only” 13.8 billion years to travel.

Why do we think the universe is infinite?

If the universe is perfectly geometrically flat, then it can be infinite. If it’s curved, like Earth’s surface, then it has finite volume. Current observations and measurements of the curvature of the universe indicate that it is almost perfectly flat. You might think this means the universe is infinite.

Why do we say the universe is infinite?

Is the universe infinite or finite?

The universe may be infinite, but we can only see a finite section of it due to the finite speed of light.

How much of the universe can we see?

The universe may be infinite, but we can only see a finite section of it due to the finite speed of light. We can only see those parts from which light has had time to reach us since the beginning of the universe – which means we can (in theory) see a spherical universe with radius of about 47 billion light years.

Is there an infinite number of possibilities in the universe?

Our existence is inherently defined by boundaries and limitations, so an “endless” number of possibilities is inconceivable. However, if the universe is infinite, then there is a probability (however small) that the exact same arrangement of atoms and molecules exists elsewhere.

Is there a definitive answer to everything in the universe?

Scientists and academics like firm answers and measurable quantities, but when you’re talking about the largest conceivable scale (the entirety of the universe), such definitive answers are often elusive, or impossible to ever prove.