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I've variously heard the shape of the universe being described as multi-dimensional, like a helix or mobius strip, and super string theorem seems to say there are lots of universes all piled up next to each other in vibrating planes.

My question is, can the edges of our universe ever join up? Are they already all joined up? as in is our universe really in the shape of a giant donut (yum). or is this shear lunacy?

I guess I am assuming a model of the universe where the "edge" is not necessarily expanding constantly "out" into infinite amounts of empty vacuum, but rather one where the edges are the boundaries to that expansion (so that it seems from an observable position that the universe is expanding, when really its flexing inside these boundaries). As indicated in the comments no doubt an inaccurate description, but I was imagining it like a balloon.

Anonymous Type
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  • The universe need not have an edge. – MBN Mar 10 '11 at 21:50
  • 'where the "edge" is not necessarily expanding constantly "out" into infinite amounts of empty vacuum'... This is not a correct description of the metric expansion of space in general relativity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_expansion_of_space). The universe isn't expanding "into" anything, it's just expanding intrinsically, like the surface of a balloon that's inflating. This intrinsic expansion has nothing to do with the presence or absence of "edges". – Keenan Pepper Mar 10 '11 at 21:50
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    Seems to me that this question is closely related to the Shape of the Universe Stack question: http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/2916/shape-of-the-universe – Roy Simpson Mar 10 '11 at 22:45
  • It definitely is the same question – dbrane Mar 11 '11 at 01:08
  • ok, should i close the question or delete? because i don't think i can close it. – Anonymous Type Mar 11 '11 at 01:48

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The short answer is no! More about imagination how space of our universe looks (and how expanding) today and in past check here :WMAP

enter image description here

GJ.
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  • wow this is so cool, thanks heaps GJ I know im dumb at Physics and ask stupid sounding questions.. thanks for taking the time. – Anonymous Type Mar 11 '11 at 10:18
  • Its such pictures or the mentioning of möbius bands or balloons that "create" such questions. Even the raisins in a dough are not free of causing wrong deductions. – Georg Mar 11 '11 at 11:45
  • Actually Georg I always used to think of the universe as an ever expanding sphere originating from a some arbitary point, increasing forever (or until it runs out of energy). This picture was great cause it helped me to understand the universe isn't a classic sphere. – Anonymous Type Apr 01 '11 at 03:47