Ahmad Risk wrote:
>
> On Sat, 5 Dec 1998 18:08:08 -0000, John Perkins wrote:
>
> >It worries me...
> >What is the universe expanding into?
>
> It is expanding into 'big shrink'.
I fear this begs the question, Ahmad. If the universe comprises all of
the space-time continuum and is expanding, it is insufficient to say it
is expanding into the 'big shrink'. But since other explanations I have
heard ("space-time is curved, therefore the universe expands upon
itself") are equally mystical, I should guess yours is as good as any.
> At some point in its relentless expansion, there will be enough mass >to crash the whole thing back to
> the original singularity.
The amount of mass/energy in the universe seems to have been constant
since the original "bang", the expansion being spatial, not mass-wise.
The argument has been whether there existed sufficient total mass
(including 'black matter') in the universe from the first to eventually
cause gravitational collapse or not. Last I read, the 'expand forever'
folks are currently in ascendance. ;-)
> Interestingly, there is a mysterious verse in the Qouran that says
> something like: "and we (Allah) shall fold it shut like a book and send it to whence it came"
>
Is this from a part of the Qouran shared with the Pentateuch of the Old
Testament? If so, I wonder if there exists an analogous phrase in the OT
and what the context is? Sounds like Genesis.
Phil
4 Bailey Hill Road
Natick, MA, 01760, USA
[log in to unmask]
(508) 650-9097 - voice
(508) 650-9152 - fax
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|