The universe can be a closed sphere

Based on the "cosmic wave background" phenomenon, scientists determined that the universe may have the shape of a closed sphere.

Most people think of space as a plane. You go in one direction and the point you stop is far away from your starting point. However, according to Digital Trends, a new study shows that the reality of the universe can be spherical , that is, if you go far enough in the same direction, you will return to your starting point.

Based on Einstein's theory of relativity, space can bend into different shapes. Therefore, scientists believe that the universe must be open, flat or closed.

Picture 1 of The universe can be a closed sphere
An image of the sky is created from data obtained from the Planck space observatory.(Photo: Digitaltrends).

The flat universe is the most understandable shape. That's how we experience space in our daily lives, when the beam of light will be extended endlessly. An open universe will be shaped like a saddle, with light bent in that shape. And the closed universe will have spherical space, with beams of light constantly moving around and returning to the starting point.

To determine the shape of the universe, scientists based on the phenomenon of "cosmic background radiation" (CMB). This is the electromagnetic radiation left over from the Big Bang. It fills the space and can be detected by specialized radio telescopes.

The researchers measured the fluctuations of the CMB using data from the European Space Agency's Planck observatory (ESA). These fluctuations are related to the amount of dark matter and dark energy in the universe.

Picture 2 of The universe can be a closed sphere
The shape of the universe follows the theories: Open, flat and closed.(Photo: Digitaltrends).

Although dark matter or dark energy cannot be detected, we can know their existence. Through CMB, researchers have found clues about the shape of the universe.

The most obvious explanation for these findings is that the universe is closed , not as flat as previous theories. This is a dramatic discovery that could turn into a cosmological crisis. However, this finding is not convincing enough.

For example, the universe is constantly expanding and scientists cannot determine if the process is happening quickly or slowly, making it more difficult to predict the curvature of the universe. Besides, there are many other analyzes of the Planck data that support the theory of the flat universe.

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