In the beginning...

[Silent Munkey]

Lately I have been thinking a lot about 'the beginning' and 'the end'.

I don't think the universe had a beginning really and I don't believe it will ever end. I believe that the birth and death of human beings almost forces us to believe that everything has a beginning and that everything must come to an end.

I believe the universe is on a cycle. I know there are religions that believe the same thing but I am not all that keen on joining a religion.

I was just wondering what everyone else thought about there never being a beginning or an end to the universe.

[finder]

Lately I have been thinking a lot about 'the beginning' and 'the end'.

I don't think the universe had a beginning really and I don't believe it will ever end. I believe that the birth and death of human beings almost forces us to believe that everything has a beginning and that everything must come to an end.

I believe the universe is on a cycle. I know there are religions that believe the same thing but I am not all that keen on joining a religion.

I was just wondering what everyone else thought about there never being a beginning or an end to the universe.

The on going expansion of the universe appears to signify a beginning of some sort.

[Silent Munkey]

The on going expansion of the universe appears to signify a beginning of some sort.

True but that only signifies that it was once a lot closer together. With the big bang theory there is still something there before it all exploded outward. So that wasn't the beginning...just a starting point for a current situation. Like I mentioned before I believe the universe is on a constant cycle of contraction and expansion.

[Angry Citizen]

The on going expansion of the universe appears to signify a beginning of some sort.

Not necessarily. Just because something was once at one point does not mean it was not at some other time an entirely different thing.

[Angry Citizen]

True but that only signifies that it was once a lot closer together. With the big bang theory there is still something there before it all exploded outward. So that wasn't the beginning...just a starting point for a current situation. Like I mentioned before I believe the universe is on a constant cycle of contraction and expansion.

And on the flipside, no evidence exists of this. Believe as you want; it's faith.

[Peter]

The real challenge here is to define beginning and end.

[Robert]

Lately I have been thinking a lot about 'the beginning' and 'the end'.

I don't think the universe had a beginning really and I don't believe it will ever end. I believe that the birth and death of human beings almost forces us to believe that everything has a beginning and that everything must come to an end.

I believe the universe is on a cycle. I know there are religions that believe the same thing but I am not all that keen on joining a religion.

I was just wondering what everyone else thought about there never being a beginning or an end to the universe.

Hello,
I think it is likely that it will not end, but change form, considering everything in it is energy...something to ponder eh!

[Angry Citizen]

Well, the idea of universe death is linked to the idea that energy density (joules/m^3) asymptotically approaches zero as time becomes infinitely large. If the universe continues expanding at its current rate and acceleration, it'll just fade into nothingness.

[ruksak]

If we could witness a black hole reform into a star or some other solid state, that would lend some credence to your theory. Since the universe is expanding, could it get to a point where it collapses in on itself only to start the process over again?

Doubtful of that. I subscribe to the idea that the universe is a perishable event.

[Angry Citizen]

If we could witness a black hole reform into a star or some other solid state

Doesn't have to. Black holes emit something known as "Hawking radiation". They too cease to exist over trillions upon trillions of years.

[ruksak]

Doesn't have to. Black holes emit something known as "Hawking radiation". They too cease to exist over trillions upon trillions of years.

Isn't possible though that black holes could theoretically gain more mass than they lose?

[Angry Citizen]

At some point there will be no more mass to gain. Everything will be in the form of radiation or inside a black hole. It'll take an enormously long time, many many times the current age of our universe, but if things continue as we think they will, nothingness is imminent.