• Question: What shape is the universe?

    Asked by grago to Susana on 26 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Susana Teixeira

      Susana Teixeira answered on 26 Jun 2013:

      I must confess this is one of the cases where what Science says and my instinct tells me does not match. It is like those films that you do not want to be scared by, but cannot help watching…. I am not an expert at all, but I find this is one of the big scientific questions of all times. Literally!

      I am not able to describe the shape of the universe, to begin with because I do not know the correct answer and even if I did, it involves too many dimensions for me to paint a picture with words. Apparently mathematics can use their formulae to describe it. I found a good introduction here: http://www.mhhe.com/physsci/astronomy/uspeak/feb_02_uspeak.mhtml

      There is also a cool video here:

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