From: mk_thisisit
The universe is observed to be expanding, and this expansion is accelerating [00:21:05]. In popular scientific discourse, this accelerating expansion is referred to as dark energy [00:21:11]. In physics, this dark energy is termed the cosmic constant [00:21:18].
Characteristics of the Cosmological Constant
The effect of the cosmic constant is primarily observed at the edges of the universe [00:21:26]. The diameter of the universe is approximately 100 billion light-years [00:21:32]. At such vast distances, it is possible to precisely measure the acceleration of the universe’s expansion [00:21:40], which is attributed to dark energy or the cosmological constant [00:21:51]. This constant is known to be very small [00:21:56].
Theoretical Connections
There is another very small constant in physics, the Planck constant, which describes how quantum effects become dominant over classical ones at the scale of a hydrogen atom (10-10 meters) [00:22:01]. An idea has been put forth that the existence of the cosmological constant at the universe’s edges should modify the Swinger equation at the level of the hydrogen atom [00:00:31], [00:22:28]. This is considered a “pretty crazy idea” because it suggests that phenomena at the universe’s edge could influence elementary particles [00:22:41]. However, from a mathematical perspective, the Scher equation does incorporate gravitational effects [00:22:54]. A hypothesis and calculation within twistor theory support this idea [00:23:00].
Boundaries of the Universe
From a scientific standpoint, asking “what is beyond the edges of the universe” does not make sense [00:23:22]. What is defined as the universe is space-time itself, meaning space and time only exist within its boundaries [00:00:26], [00:23:31]. Therefore, questions about “what was before the Big Bang” or “what is beyond the universe” are considered fascinating but not scientific [00:23:43].