Down here on Earth, everything seems simple enough. We live day-by-day, and have fun. But Earth and the greater universe certainly is not simple. In fact, the universe is so complicated and complex that we have absolutely no clue about some mechanics of the way it works. In this article, let’s take a journey to explore some of these unanswered questions. Questions that may never, ever be answered.

First, the infinite vs finite question: both answers bring about confusing and perplexing realities. If we claim for a minute that the universe truly is infinite and there is no end, then a crazy fact comes up – there has to be infinite copies of you within the universe. Think about it – there are only so many ways that matter can be arranged. So if you happen to go on a space voyage sometime, try not to be freaked out if you see yourself. Plus, obviously, what does infinity even imply? No human can picture that.

If the universe is finite, then a new question pops up – what is outside the universe. Adding to that, where did the universe come from? Nothingness? Empty space? Are we inside a black hole, which is within another black hole-universe and so on? It gets very complex, and we have no way of knowing at the moment. But if there is truly nothingness, and we say for a second that nothingness can’t exist, then the universe has to be infinite, right? …Or maybe there is a multiverse, with multiple copies of our universe and you and different versions of the events happening right now.

I want to take a turn right now and briefly talk about consciousness. We all have the experience of being us, but how did that come about? Where did that come from? Why did life just happen to exist all of a sudden? If life never occurred, and there were no observers of the universe through the lens of consciousness, would it exist?

Now – what caused the initial explosion of the universe? Also known as the “Big Bang,” we don’t know what made this birth happen. But, in some theories, it’s possible that the singularity of a black hole – the place with infinite density and infinite gravity – could be the place of the birth of a new, “smaller,” universe – coincidentally, both the center of a black hole and the thing known as the point that began the universe are called “singularities.”

Finally, possibly the most eye-opening question there is to solve (or not) is why exactly does everything exist? Why did the universe happen instead of not? Is there some kind of reason, or is it just out of randomness? Without the universe, what would there be? Nothing? Just nothing at all?

So, those are just some questions to contemplate and ponder over while you have nothing better to do. Just be careful, because some or all of them might give you an existential crisis. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t figure out the answers!