| − | Mainstream scientific thought believes that the universe erupted into being from a singularity approximately 14 billion years ago, and [[Big Bang Theory|has been expanding]] ever since. A recent calculation placed the visible universe at about 156 billion [[light year]]s across creating a dilemna of faster than light speed movement, but it is speculated that the expansion of space itself can exceed the [[speed of light]] even if the objects within it moving on their own can not.<ref>Universe Measured: We're 156 Billion Light-years Wide! <i>Space.com</i> [http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mystery_monday_040524.html]</ref>. As an analogy, imagine ants (galaxies), sitting on an elastic rubber cord. that can't walk faster than 20cm/s. So normally two ants moving away from each other could not exceed a speed of 40cm/s relative towards each other (speed of light). However, if the cord itself is pulled while the ants are moving, this speed can be (expansion of space) greater. | + | Mainstream scientific thought believes that the universe erupted into being from a singularity approximately 14 billion years ago, and [[Big Bang Theory|has been expanding]] ever since. A recent calculation placed the visible universe at about 156 billion [[light year]]s across creating a dilemma of faster than light speed movement, but it is speculated that the expansion of space itself can exceed the [[speed of light]] even if the objects within it moving on their own can not.<ref>Universe Measured: We're 156 Billion Light-years Wide! <i>Space.com</i> [http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mystery_monday_040524.html]</ref>. As an analogy, imagine ants (galaxies), sitting on an elastic rubber cord. that can't walk faster than 20cm/s. So normally two ants moving away from each other could not exceed a speed of 40cm/s relative towards each other (speed of light). However, if the cord itself is pulled while the ants are moving, this speed can be (expansion of space) greater. |
| | For any location in space, it appears that that location is at the center of the expansion of the universe. | | For any location in space, it appears that that location is at the center of the expansion of the universe. |