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Shape of Universe summary page for inclusion in others

Shape of the Universe

Is the Universe finite or infinite (video)? Scientific models of the Universe are intended to satisfy the Einstein equation, which, roughly speaking, states that curvature = density and that mass density curves space. The models allow many different sorts of spaces, which have the local property called a metric (a sort of rule for locally measuring distances, that determines curvature) and have global properties that define them, such as topology. Global topology can be measured by multiple imaging or by topological acceleration. Together curvature and topology can be described as shape. The metric of the standard Universe model has many parameters such as the Hubble parameter, the baryon density parameter, the baryonic and non-baryonic dark matter density parameter , and the dark energy parameter . This standard model is oversimplified: it assumes that for the chosen separation of spacetime into space and time coordinates, the Universe is the same everywhere (homogeneous) in space at a given time coordinate.

-- BoudRoukema - 05 Nov 2015