Is there any point at which the distance becomes too large to the extreme where you basically get “deleted” from existence?

  • cecilkorik@lemmy.ca
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    23 hours ago

    We don’t absolutely know what the future holds for our own planet much less the universe, so it’s impossible to answer this with any conviction, but based on my current understanding or the general scientific consensus, and the fact that the universe is expanding and that expansion is accelerating, no, by placing them at the edge of the observable universe and the effects of relativity, their hypothetical signals will never reach Earth and almost certainly not the Earth that we know of that’s orbiting Sol and full of humans patiently observing the universe for signs of their lost ancestors.

    But we don’t know with any certainty that the universe’s expansion or acceleration is going to continue indefinitely, we don’t even fully understand why it is happening. So maybe their signals will eventually reach us. Maybe the universe will start contracting eventually and in a few trillion years they’ll swing right by Earth on their own, waving as they go by as we mutually go careening down towards the big crunch. Besides, if the universe is infinite, and is going to last an infinite amount of time, well “infinity” is a very long time and you can’t rule out the fact that another wormhole could open and bring them (or their signals) home at some point now that you’ve proven such a wormhole can exist. So when you put all the things we do know and the things we don’t know together, I’d give them about 50/50 chances, with a margin of error of plus or minus 50%.

    • Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world
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      23 hours ago

      I’d give them about 50/50 chances, with a margin of error of plus or minus 50%.

      I’d say there’s a 50/50 chance you’re right!