How old is the universe?

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O-Trap's avatar

O-Trap

Chief Shenanigans Officer

14,994 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:27 PM
I'm guessing somewhere between one second and 50 trillion years.

I heard an interesting theory from a guest speaker mathematician once that the universe was "just under 2 minutes old."

His theory was that while our memories and senses are essentially perceiving a longer amount of time than has actually taken place, the universe came into existence. It was in existence for a second. Then another half second. Then another quarter second. Then an eighth. Sixteenth. 32nd. 64th. 128th. 256th. 512th. 1024th. etc.

His idea worked on the same principle as a half parabola that keeps getting closer and close to its destination without ever touching it, and each time it gets closer, the line (timeline in our example) between the two points gets longer and longer.
Feb 8, 2013 2:27pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:29 PM
The concept of time is a complete mindfuck to me.
Feb 8, 2013 2:29pm
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:29 PM
Between 6,000 to 10,000 years obviously.
Feb 8, 2013 2:29pm
Automatik's avatar

Automatik

Senior Member

14,632 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:30 PM
sleeper;1385331 wrote:Between 6,000 to 10,000 years obviously.
Yup, whatever the bible says. I'm going with that.
Feb 8, 2013 2:30pm
Devils Advocate's avatar

Devils Advocate

Brudda o da bomber

4,539 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:34 PM
A little older than sleeper's diatribe.
Feb 8, 2013 2:34pm
Laley23's avatar

Laley23

GOAT

29,506 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:35 PM
justincredible;1385330 wrote:The concept of time is a complete mindfuck to me.
I concur.

I cant wrap my head around that type of thing (time, space, etc.). I love to think about it, but then I just get mindfucked.
Feb 8, 2013 2:35pm
O-Trap's avatar

O-Trap

Chief Shenanigans Officer

14,994 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:38 PM
justincredible;1385330 wrote:The concept of time is a complete mindfuck to me.

I always thought this was fun: If we were to look at this moment in time as a point on a line (not a ray or a line segment), and the line in either direction as infinity past and infinity future, we could never reach this point in time, or ANY actual point in time.

Or, numerically, it would be like starting at negative infinity and trying to count to zero. It cannot be done.

Infinity in the light of time is a motherfucker.
sleeper;1385331 wrote:Between 6,000 to 10,000 years obviously.

I don't think I know anyone who thinks it's under 20,000.

I personally think it's 13.X billion, but I like the study of the concept of time.
Feb 8, 2013 2:38pm
Heretic's avatar

Heretic

Son of the Sun

18,820 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:41 PM
Older than time itself.

Mind = blown.
Feb 8, 2013 2:41pm
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:42 PM
Heretic;1385346 wrote:Older than time itself.

Mind = blown.
Feb 8, 2013 2:42pm
LJ's avatar

LJ

Senior Member

16,351 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:45 PM
justincredible;1385330 wrote:The concept of time is a complete mindfuck to me.

This. The studies of perception of time in young people vs old people is a mind blower too. 1 minute is a longer portion of a 10 year old's life vs a 50 year old's life, therefore the 10 year old perceives that minute to last longer than the 50 year old.
Feb 8, 2013 2:45pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Feb 8, 2013 2:54 PM
Laley23;1385338 wrote:I concur.

I cant wrap my head around that type of thing (time, space, etc.). I love to think about it, but then I just get mindfucked.
LJ;1385354 wrote:This. The studies of perception of time in young people vs old people is a mind blower too. 1 minute is a longer portion of a 10 year old's life vs a 50 year old's life, therefore the 10 year old perceives that minute to last longer than the 50 year old.
Yep. Now get high and think about it. Double mindfuck.
Feb 8, 2013 2:54pm
OSH's avatar

OSH

Kosh B'Gosh

4,145 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:03 PM
Don't really care. We will never know anyway.
Feb 8, 2013 3:03pm
O-Trap's avatar

O-Trap

Chief Shenanigans Officer

14,994 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:03 PM
OSH;1385374 wrote:Don't really care. We will never know anyway.
Many think we already do.
Feb 8, 2013 3:03pm
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:21 PM
OSH;1385374 wrote:Don't really care. We will never know anyway.
Never is a long time.
Feb 8, 2013 3:21pm
O-Trap's avatar

O-Trap

Chief Shenanigans Officer

14,994 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:23 PM
sleeper;1385394 wrote:Never is a long time.
Well-played. :D
Feb 8, 2013 3:23pm
Heretic's avatar

Heretic

Son of the Sun

18,820 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:24 PM
justincredible;1385366 wrote:Yep. Now get high and think about it. Double mindfuck.
Believe me, I do. Every damn day.
Feb 8, 2013 3:24pm
Dr Winston O'Boogie's avatar

Dr Winston O'Boogie

Senior Member

1,799 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:29 PM
Commander of Awesome;1385381 wrote: Also this will blow your mind, scale of the universe.

http://htwins.net/scale2/
Very cool model.
Feb 8, 2013 3:29pm
OSH's avatar

OSH

Kosh B'Gosh

4,145 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:35 PM
O-Trap;1385375 wrote:Many think we already do.
And many are wrong.
sleeper;1385394 wrote:Never is a long time.
Link?
Feb 8, 2013 3:35pm
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:38 PM
OSH;1385411 wrote: Link?
&#8734; <- The only "link" you need.
Feb 8, 2013 3:38pm
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TedSheckler

Emporium Entrepreneur

3,974 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:42 PM
14
Feb 8, 2013 3:42pm
Dr Winston O'Boogie's avatar

Dr Winston O'Boogie

Senior Member

1,799 posts
Feb 8, 2013 3:44 PM
Eleventy Billion
Feb 8, 2013 3:44pm