[Cosmo-media] Re: the shape of the universe

[Boud Roukema]

On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 t.rozek at fz-juelich.de wrote:

> Dear Sir,
>
> I'm a physicist and scientific writer. Within the new project of Axel Springer publishing house (editor of Newsweek in Poland and Die Welt in Germany) in Poland I would like to invite you to the discussion about the shape of the universe.
>
> As I know scientific group you are the leader, in 2004 went public with the information that in the microwave background radiation picture there are some indications, that our universe has a shape of dodecahedron.
>
> Questions I'm asking you are the same like these I have sent to other expert in this field. I will not hide, that his opinion about the shape of the universe is different than your.
>
> I will be pleased to get from you compact answers to questions which are listed below. Please keep in mind that new Axel Springer daily will be addressed to nonspecialists in physics or astronomy.
>
> Let me thank you in advance for time you will spend to answer my questions. I'm looking forward to your respond.
>
> With the best regards
> Tomasz Rozek


Dear Tomasz

Answers to your questions are publicly available in research papers and
in pedagogical (encyclopedia level) material as below.

boud



>  1. Analysis of the microwave background radiation are the only way
> - I guess - to collect information about the shape of the
> universe. Isn't it risky to draw conclusions resulting from only one
> experiment ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method#Evaluations_and_iterations

> 2. Why this is commonly believed, that data from WMAP probe, brought
> down the concept of flat and infinite universe ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda-CDM_model

> 3. There are many ideas concerning the shape of the universe. Maybe
> it is like a sphere, cylinder, funnel, but it can also be like bell,
> horn or dodecahedron. Why do you claim that space is
> dodecahedron-like ?

http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ksztalt_Wszechswiata

> 4. What are the errors or defects of the idea of horn-like space ?

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0403597

> 5. Could you in the very easy way explain the expression, that space
> has a shape ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shape_of_the_Universe

> 6. Do efforts to establish a shape of the universe have any
> practical meaning or you are doing that just to know ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_science

> 7. Did universe have a beginning, and ones will have the end ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimate_fate_of_the_universe