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It's only a paradox if you think the universe is infinite in size and age, and the stars are evenly distributed and have been shining the whole time. Basically
by drcube 14y ago
It's only a paradox if you think the universe is infinite in size and age, and the stars are evenly distributed and have been shining the whole time.
Basically, the fact that the sky is dark tells us that at least one of the above assumptions is wrong.
- Someone 14y agoNot even that. One can postulate that there are things that shield out starlight. Let's call it "ether" or "dark matter". Alternatively, most of the stars really far away could be covered in a Dyson sphere.
- drcube 14y agoThat doesn't matter. Eventually the dust will radiate too.
- Someone 14y agoYeah, you are right. It could be in frequencies we cannot observe with the naked eye, but eventually, we would have to tweak some other postulates, too. Let's start over and postulate a gigantic turtle that carries the world…
- lutusp 14y ago> Alternatively, most of the stars really far away could be covered in a Dyson sphere. The principle of energy conservation dictates that all the energy inside the sphere gets out, in one form or another. So the existence of Dyson spheres, dust clouds, dark matter etc. only delays the appearance of the energy in the universe at large.
- drcube 14y agoI should correct myself that historically, the paradox didn't hinge on the universe being infinitely old, but on the speed of light being infinitely fast.