I think the universe is like a fractal. It is infinite, no end whatsoever, and is constantly growing, and changing. The universe is so big, that is infinite. Say you were able to see our earth, well say you could a press a button to zoom out. So you zoom out of the earth, and you can see our solar system, zoom out and see more systems, zoom out and see billions of systems and the milky way, zoom out and see more galaxys. and just keep zooming out forever. No matter how much you zoom out there is never an end. Theoretically, if the universe was fractal, then there would be a starting point, a center of the universe where it all started. but I don't know anything about that. Of course, if the universe is infinite, There would be an infinite number of other planets with life forms and even intelligent life forms. They would be a huge number of lightyears away though. If the universe was infinite, there could even be an exact replica of our world. Now the odds of that happening, obviously are extremely low, but if the universe is infinite, and time is infinite, these odds are bound to happen eventually. Same thing about how life was created on earth. People say it would be impossible for the atoms to connect just right to form life. Well, all there is is time, so eventually, it would happen. If you took a glass ball, and smashed it into many pieces, put these pieces into a closed box and you shook this box, the chances of all the broken pieces coming back to their exact same spot to form the ball the chances of this is so low, that you would think it is impossible. For a human, it is. but if you were to shake this box for an infinite amount of time, eventually, it would work.
I suggest you watch Stephan Hawking: Into the Universe Awesome show "Without imperfections, you or i would not exist"
Same with Zooming in, you can zoom in infinitely, zoom in to the atomic level, and past that I don't think theres a starting point, its just infinite on both sides zooming in and out
And why is it that you think the universe is infinite? While the universe is ever expanding, constantly creating more space/time as it goes, if you were on the outer rim of the universe's expanding horizon, and if you traveled faster than the universe was expanding, what happens when you surpass what the universe has expanded too? what happens when you reach a point where space/time has not come into existence yet?
I think the universe is only as big as we can perceive, the further we zoom out, the more it adds on to itself I don't think it is possible to go outside the universe in 3D because it grows just as fast as we move to the edge.
I think its cool to think that the universe is kind of a poor reflection of the Creator!! Infinite!! I was just thinking about how man has made a plane that can go the speed of sound, and they worship the science that they created!! Its so ironic how much more powerful and obedient planets are yet they possess no soul, no rebellion, they're just objects doing what they were told to do, yet they are so humongous and powerful!! I watched this video on the biggest planets, (youtube) and it was like the sun is the size of a pixel compared to this other planet, etc, etc, and I just couldn't help thinking what is man that thinks they can understand everything!! We can't even understand infinity, except in theory, and that's the most simple reflection of God! Also, there's this website with a buncha sweet fractals you can download, i made it as my screensaver to stare at sometimes...
I think what Fei said is right. You do raise a good point but, if the universe was infinite, and it was infinitely growing, and time is infinite, then it would already be there. I can't really explain right now as my brain functions better in the morning. If you were able to do that, travel faster then time itself, wouldn't you be traveling through time? So sure, if humans or some kind of life form created technology that allowed them to travel faster then light without killing themselves then sure, maybe you can. I know it is not a very good answer, but ill think about it and maybe get some better thoughts going later. edit: (slightly better answer) I think the universe isn't exactly growing bigger literately, I mean it is growing as in as it always has been creating planets like earth with intelligent life. If the universe is infinite, then it would not be getting bigger, but just go on forever. So if you travelled insane speeds million times the speed of light you would be passing galaxy after galaxy but you would never reach the end of the universe. You would just be getting farther and farther away. Like zooming out, you would just keep zooming out.
Part of the problem with the concept of the universe being infinite is that by definition is HAS to grow in oder to be infinite. A way to put it into perspective is numbers. you can always add another integer to a number and it will create a new number. There are no limitations to the amount of numbers you can create(except human lifespan limitations). There is no set value for inifinity, so in order for a universe to be infinite, it must constantly be growing. Another problem is the observeable appearance of everything else around us expanding. If everything is expanding, then if you reversed time everything would contract, and on a long enough time scale everything would have started in a single point. If everything that ever was, existed inside this single point, then it can be argued that outside of this single point there was only "non-existence" Infinity extends in both directions. If there was a beginning then the universe has not ALWAYS been in existence, so then it seems to me that its possible that there is an ending. I believe that the universe is infinite, but only because it is ever expanding, and while there may be a figure to describe the current size of the universe, it will be ever changing as it expands. I don't think that its unresonable to call the universe finite, when desribing it at any given measurement of time, but if time is infinite, then it is possible for the rest of the universe to follow suit.
I had this same realization after I smoked salvia while tripping on acid and shrooms. I saw everything as a fractal pattern, that was an offshoot of of a greater fractal (with slight deviations) that is patterned after the universe. I also feel that this universe is just another branch of a greater fractal pattern that encompasses all of existance. I feel like I came close to seeing god on that trip. if this is true, than it would be possible to form a math equasion that encompasses all of existance, even beyond this universe
Yeah I realized it on a mushroom trip I started staring at some moss on a tree and realized all of the leaves were fractal and then I started thinking really deep and I came up with a fractal universe then I looked it up on Google and it is an actual theory. Blows my mind.