Chapter 134: Eternal Ripples

Just then, on the big screen, Jiang Zhe smiled and began to speak.

"Alright."

"In other words, our universe is highly likely to be spherical, and a great deal of evidence suggests that it is."

"At the same time, it proves another truth: no matter how advanced our technology becomes in the future, and no matter how crazily we warp or jump within the universe, we will never be able to leave this spherical universe."

"If we lived on the outer surface of this spherical universe, then we could leave this universe and see what lies beyond it."

"And me?"

"I believe that the universe is a combination of a sphere and a flat shape."

"I will provide an analysis later."

As soon as these words were spoken, a multitude of physicists frowned.

A composite universe model?

Although Jiang Zhe did not continue to explain, he had already left the experts deep in thought.

How could a flat shape and a sphere be combined into a shape that conforms to the laws of nature? This left the experts completely baffled.

Facing the camera, he shook his head with emotion, "As for why I think so, please listen carefully!"

"We have previously discussed the Universe Cyclic Theory."

"The universe originates from the Quantum Vacuum, followed by a nearly infinitely large singularity. After the singularity explodes, it forms the Observable Universe and the unobservable universe."

This Universe Cyclic Theory was not unfamiliar to the audience or the experts.

In previous episodes, Jiang Zhe had spoken about it, so no one questioned it.

"Therefore, our universe has actually always been in a cycle."

"But, exactly how many times has it cycled?"

He frowned and shook his head repeatedly, "Even I cannot distinguish it, but there is a great deal of evidence within the universe indicating that the number of times it has cycled has already exceeded the limits of human imagination."

"Let's not talk too much about that. Now, let us return to the formation of the first universe and the appearance of the initial Big Bang Theory."

"Please return to the beginning of the universe's birth."

"Right now, it is pitch black around you all. All that exists are restless fundamental particles, frantically flickering, moving, and aggregating."

Hearing this, the audience subconsciously closed their eyes, simulating this scene in their minds.

At the same time, Jiang Zhe's voice on the screen continued to guide them in their imagination.

"Not long after, the singularity appeared."

"A huge and dense white-blue singularity appeared."

"Immediately after, suddenly, a silent 'Bang!' occurred."

"This was the first birth of the universe. These countless fundamental particles expanded in all directions for countless years, and only then did nebulae, brilliant galaxies, galaxy clusters, stars, planets, and countless comets emerge."

"As time passed frantically—about 1 trillion years of theoretical lifespan."

"The universe's lifespan came to an end."

"After all matter within the universe perished, it converged together again, forming a Primordial Black Hole similar to a singularity."

"This unimaginably large Primordial Black Hole would re-absorb all nearby matter."

"However, I have a question."

Facing the camera, he held up a finger, "May I ask everyone: can this Primordial Black Hole really absorb all the matter?"

"Even the Primordial Black Hole after the first universe perished, can it really absorb back those ripples that expanded at superluminal speeds at the very outer edge of the first Big Bang Theory?"

As soon as these words were spoken, a multitude of viewers suddenly opened their eyes, and the barrage erupted.

"What does that mean?"

"Can the Primordial Black Hole absorb the outermost ripples? What does this mean?"

"It's actually quite simple. It means the expansion speed of the first Big Bang Theory was far faster than the speed of light. This superluminal speed must have an outermost ripple, and this ripple is moving in all directions of the universe, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes, that's it."

"Teacher Jiang is asking: [Can the Primordial Black Hole absorb back those superluminal ripples located in all directions of the universe]?"

"This... is a bit difficult. How could I, a middle school student, know?"

"So what is the truth? Can this huge Primordial Black Hole absorb back those ripples?"

Just as some viewers were asking this, Jiang Zhe gave the answer directly: "No."

"The Primordial Black Hole cannot absorb those superluminal ripples in all directions of the universe."

"Perhaps everyone finds it difficult to understand."

"Everyone, continue to imagine!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the viewers and experts closed their eyes again, imagining while listening.

"Let me give a small example:"

"I throw a stone onto the surface of a river."

"The ripples splashed up by the stone spread in all directions. I give this river 10 seconds, and the ripples have spread nearly ten meters away."

"Everyone can clearly see—the moment the stone hits the water, the range of the ripples near the stone is very narrow."

"But as time passes, aren't these ripples getting wider and larger, until the ripples on the water surface disappear from our naked eyes?"

As his words fell, people nodded repeatedly.

It is indeed so.

Throwing a stone into the water.

At first, the ripples are narrow and fast; as time passes, the speed slows down, but the range of the ripples expands successively.

Suddenly!

People opened their eyes in unison.

This...

Isn't this talking about the Big Bang Theory?

The speed of the universe's explosion was extremely fast, exceeding the speed of light by an unimaginable number of times.

Even until this very moment, the universe is still expanding, but it can be clearly seen—the speed of expansion is far less than the expansion speed of the initial explosion of the universe.

At this moment, on the big screen.

Jiang Zhe pinched his headset, and after hearing the barrage reported by the director, he nodded with satisfaction:

"Yes, as you all guessed."

"I am using the stone and the water surface to tell everyone about the speed of the universe's expansion."

"The speed of the universe's expansion, theoretically speaking—will get slower and slower, but the range will get larger and larger!"

"For us humans, theoretically it is like this—the speed of the universe's expansion will get slower and slower, and the range will also get larger and larger."

"Until a time in the future when this expansion speed will definitely be lower than the speed of light. Once it is lower than the speed of light, we will be able to see the entire universe."

Speaking of this, he shook his head, "However, the actual situation is that, regardless of whether it is dark energy pushing it or something else pushing it, we humans still cannot see the full picture of the universe."

As this series of words fell, in the lecture hall, the experts looked extremely serious.

It is indeed so!

If we do not consider the situation of dark energy pushing it, the speed of the universe's expansion would theoretically be: slower and slower!

But in reality, it is not.

Without considering whether dark energy exists or whether it is pushing the universe forward...

There must be a force, a pushing force, that is constantly making the universe expand at an accelerating rate, and its speed will never be lower than the speed of light.

Just then, on the big screen, Jiang Zhe gave the answer:

"Alright, no need to regret, let's return to the topic."

"Please just refer to the Universe Cyclic Theory."

"Let us return first to the stone and the water surface."

"To our naked eyes, the ripples splashed up by the stone falling into the water will soon disappear."

"But on a microscopic level, the ripples splashed up by this stone will continue to spread in all directions for a very, very long time; exactly how long, is unimaginable."

This is like originally calm water molecules moving at a constant speed; the water molecules on the entire river's surface are all moving at a constant speed.

Until a stone hits the water.

It directly disrupts the water molecules of the entire river.

Although the naked eye cannot see the ripples anymore, that force will still affect the entire water surface for a very, very long time!