Prof. Muni Mahendra Kumar
Einstein’s model of the Universe is not the only one suggested by the Scientists. Like Einstein, other scientists have also presented other models of the universe, all of which are mainly hypothetical. “From the present astronomical knowledge one cannot definitely distinguish between several possible models,”[1] observes Heisenberg. An imaginary model was suggested by Dutch mathematician William De Sitter, in which he conceived the time- dimension to be curved like the space dimension.[2] His model includes a possibility of the universe which is completely devoid of matter.[3] This model is known as “De Sitter’s World”.
In Einstein’s world, as we have already seen, the space (the universe) is finite. Contrary to this, in the theory of Universe put forward by Dr. Fred Hoyle, the space is asserted to be infinite[4].
The Soviet scientists have also propounded the theory of infinite universe, as we are told by V. Majentschev, the well-known Soviet author. He writes. “As soon as we conceive that there is somewhere a boundary of the universal space, the question arises ‘what is beyond it’?”
“There can be no boundary of the universe in the space. We do not know at present what is the structure of the planets in the cosmological clusters of islands; whether they are the innumerable island galaxies or the universe consists of the huge metagalactics- the cosmological clusters of islands, in all cases the universe around us is infinite.”[5]
Still the dilemma whether the Universe is finite or infinite, is not completely resolved. “Since the curvature of the space may be negative or positive, the universe may be infinite or finite. Mathematical solutions of fundamental cosmological equation indicate that such a universe is open and infinite, instead of closed and finite; while Hubble’s calculations of brightness of galaxies, indicate that the universe is a closed system-a small universe only a few billion light years in radius”, concludes Dr. George Gamow.[6]
