Whether it's more troubling to imagine that the Universe goes on forever in every direction, or that it has an edge, beyond which there is nothing, is hard to say. Astrophysics doesn't provide any guidance as to which flavour of existential crisis we should be having - while we can't say with any level of confidence whether the Universe goes on forever or not, we can say that our observable universe has an edge, in the sense that there's a distance beyond which, whatever may or may not exist, we absolutely cannot see it.
The existence of this cosmic horizon is part of the answer to an ancient conundrum about the darkness of the night sky, reportedly first posed by Johannes Kepler in 1610 but later attributed to fellow astronomer Heinrich Olbers in the 1800s.
Olbers' Paradox asks: if the Universe is infinite, and if there are stars (or galaxies) throughout it, why is the sky dark? Surely, if we look in any direction in the sky, that sightline will, eventually, land on a star. Common sense therefore tells us that everywhere we look, the sky should be as bright as the Sun, constantly aglow.
SOLVING THE PARADOX
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July 2022-Ausgabe von BBC Science Focus.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July 2022-Ausgabe von BBC Science Focus.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
5 SIMPLE WAYS TO RECLAIM YOUR ATTENTION
Primed for constant interruptions, your brain is now distracting itself, says science. It's time to break the cycle and retrain your focus
BED BUGS VS THE WORLD
When bloodthirsty bed bugs made headlines for infesting Paris Fashion Week in 2023, it shone a spotlight on a problem that's been making experts itch for decades: the arms race going on between bed bugs and humans. Now, with the 2024 Summer Olympics fast approaching, the stakes are higher than ever
MYSTERIOUS WAVES DETECTED IN JUPITER'S CORE
Scientists hope unusual fluctuations in the gas giant's magnetic field might reveal what's inside
NEW STUDY SUGGESTS SMOKING INCREASES HIDDEN BELLY FAT
A large-scale statistical study reveals yet another reason to quit the habit
NEW ERA FOR BLACK HOLE RESEARCH OPENED BY NOVEL 'QUANTUM TORNADO'
Lab-based vortex promises new insights into the nature of space-time and gravity
DIGITAL HEALTHCARE: ARE THE MOST IN NEED BEING EXCLUDED?
Tech is being used to make it easier for people to access healthcare services. But it's not working for everyone
WELCOME TO THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD OF QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
This beautiful language of cosmic vibrations is helping scientists further understand the origins of the Universe
MICROSCOPIC ROBOTS COULD SOON ENTER PATIENTS' LIVERS TO FIGHT CANCER
Researchers are closing in on a novel approach to treat tumours using tiny robots
SCIENTISTS DISCOVER A TINY STAR HIDDEN INSIDE A GIANT SUPERNOVA
The James Webb Space Telescope has helped scientists solve a mystery that's been puzzling them for decades
NEW FASTING-LIKE DIET COULD REVERSE YOUR BIOLOGICAL AGE
A new study suggests that cycles of a fasting-mimicking diet can reduce health risks and signs of immune system ageing