I have a question.

[tymygy]

I've looked and haven't been able to find an answer to this. But, is there empty space outside the farthest galaxies in the universe? If so how much of it?

[Tank]

This is the edge of space question isn't it? Hubble discovered the universal red shift (its all moving away from us;fast!). There is the microwave radiation (residue of the hot start) and expansion (the reason the sky is dark at night, even when everywhere you look you see a star or galaxy). So if one posits a start and expansion there is nothing outside the universe as the universe encompasses all reality, the universe is expanding but not into something as it comprises all of something in the first place.

Also you have to consider that when you look further away you look further back in time. The earliest galaxies will be found a long way away and long dead by now but there would be a gap between them and the 'edge' of reality but the difference would remain proportionately identical over time.

[PoopShoot]

So if one posits a start and expansion there is nothing outside the universe as the universe encompasses all reality, the universe is expanding but not into something as it comprises all of something in the first place.

Negative.  There is nothing that says there can't be something outside of our universe.  What that something is is unknown, but there is no way to tell.

[Tank]

So if one posits a start and expansion there is nothing outside the universe as the universe encompasses all reality, the universe is expanding but not into something as it comprises all of something in the first place.

Negative.  There is nothing that says there can't be something outside of our universe.  What that something is is unknown, but there is no way to tell.

[tymygy]

So if one posits a start and expansion there is nothing outside the universe as the universe encompasses all reality, the universe is expanding but not into something as it comprises all of something in the first place.

Negative.  There is nothing that says there can't be something outside of our universe.  What that something is is unknown, but there is no way to tell.

I agree with PS, There could be universes popping in and out of existence like bubbles. All with different laws, and some not able to sustain itself and some like our universe which can.

Are you not open to the idea of outside universes Tank?

Okay, let me go more in depth to my question, I'm sorry I didn't go in enough detail. Is there any "nothing" outside our farthest galaxies? If you watch Lawerence Krauss' "A universe from nothing" he explains nothing very well, and how nothing, really isn't nothing. So, if there is, how much or how far of nothing is there? (Nothing as in dark energy and dark matter)

[PoopShoot]

So if one posits a start and expansion there is nothing outside the universe as the universe encompasses all reality, the universe is expanding but not into something as it comprises all of something in the first place.

Negative.  There is nothing that says there can't be something outside of our universe.  What that something is is unknown, but there is no way to tell.

"Universe" is a term that does imply containment of all existence, but to make the argument you are (by virtue of your underlining), you must assume that we can see that there is nothing beyond space.  It is possible that there are other universes, or that we are in a layered universe wherein we can only see our own layer, or something similar to that.  It is possible that the term "universe" is technically incorrect.

[Will]

Outside of everything there is nothing.

[PoopShoot]

Outside of everything there is nothing.

Of course, but what is outside of the visible universe?

[tymygy]

Outside of everything there is nothing.

How do we discern "everything"? And how do we discern "nothing"?

[The Magic Pudding]

When I check back here in a few hours, I expect you guys to have this thing sorted.

[tymygy]

When I check back here in a few hours, I expect you guys to have this thing sorted.

Better cross your fingers.

[PoopShoot]

When I check back here in a few hours, I expect you guys to have this thing sorted.

Better cross your fingers.

and hold your breath.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I had a really cool discussion with my son about this today, discussing the foam idea, and also the idea of nested universes.  He really tickles me when he thinks about this sort of stuff.

[tymygy]

I had a really cool discussion with my son about this today, discussing the foam idea, and also the idea of nested universes.  He really tickles me when he thinks about this sort of stuff.

It's truly a fascinating concept isn't it?

It makes me feel so insignificant, and that everything I do is so small and meaningless compared to the big picture, is quite humbling.  

[Tanker]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but aren't the Universe and the Observable Universe two seperate things in terms of being able to test and observe that is? As in we can't actually observe all the universe because it's constantly expanding and we are limited to light speed observations of what was but not what is.