Mama Diaries

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

The Nature of the Universe

There was some deep thinking going on at my pad yesterday.

"Mama," my nine-year-old son said.  "If the universe is flat, what would happen if you got to the end?"

"Well," I answered.  "If the universe is flat, then you'd fall off into a giant void."

"That doesn't make sense.  What if you lived on a planet that was right on the edge of the universe?  You'd be worried about falling into the giant void all the time!"  I thought that was pretty good reasoning coming from a kid his age.

"You're absolutely right, Bubba.  It's like in the days of Christopher Columbus when everyone thought the world was flat.  But it's not flat, is it?"

He shook his head.  "Then how does the universe look?"

"I think it's a big bubble," I said.  "You'll never get to the end.  If you could, you'd probably just go around and around and around."

He wrinkled up his eyebrows.  "But then what's outside the bubble?"

"Dark matter."

"Huh?"

"Yeah.  I don't get it either.  But if you study physics, you might figure it out.  And if you do, enlighten me!"

So what do you think?  Is the universe flat, or is it round?  And if it's flat, what happens if you get to the end?  And if it's round, what's outside of it?  

24 comments:

  1. it consists of parallel dimensions and you can never find the end since you always get into another dimension.....

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    1. An infinite number of dimensions? That's mind boggling! It's like an infinitely large onion. Oy!

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  2. One intelligent and inquisitive son there Sherry.
    Yvonne.

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  3. I don't believe God said there was an ending...

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    1. Your comment goes with what Dezmond said. It's hard to comprehend!

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  4. I like the way this fellow thinks!!!

    ~shoes~

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  5. Round and round it goes, just like the earth, then outside of that ummm another round and round

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  6. The universe is bigger than my mind!

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  7. What a wonderfully smart and curious boy. Nothing is flat out there and I have no idea if there's an end.

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    1. I agree. And yes, I have a hard time subscribing to the "Universe is Flat" theory.

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  8. Ya know, I'm an adult and I know all about gravity and still I don't understand how we don't all spin away into a voice. This stuff would confuse kids too! That bubble theory sounds like a good idea to me.

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    1. Let's see what the brilliant thinkers think about the bubble theory!

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  9. Anything science-related causes my brain to break, so I have no idea. XD

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    1. Ha! You just stick to the comics. You're awesome at those!

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  10. Replies
    1. Yes. Dark Matter. Now the question is, what exactly is dark matter?

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  11. Wait...coffee has to hit my system before I can even think these thoughts.

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    1. Haha! When you get a good caffeine buzz, and your brain starts to work, let me know what you think. ;)

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  12. I think I'd rather go round and round something rather than worrying about falling off a flat surface.

    Your son comes up with some thought provoking questions/discussions, doesn't he?

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  13. Maybe Bubba will become a scientist so he can solve the problem.

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