On 12 Mar 2003 at 14:09, mcintosh@servidor.unam.mx wrote:

Mensaje citado por: Shel Kaphan <sjk@kaphan.org>:

...

Just FYI, a math-fun member is mentioned in an article in yesterday's NY Times, Science Times section:

Universe as Doughnut: New Data, New Debate http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/11/science/space/11COSM.html

this seems to be a link to a proprietary service. could you tell us what it's about? thanks!

It is one of those free-with-a-simple-registration services... most of the online newspapers are getting to be that way these days... in any event, it is, well, about "Universe as Doughnut"...:o) There is apparently some data that indicates that the universe might actually wrap around, at the least into a cylinder [and they mentioned that a light beam sent off in the direction of Virgo might well reappear coming back from the 'other direction']. I don't recall if they said that there's data that suggests full Spacewar-topology. The data comes from the Wilkinson Microwave probe which apparenly confirms some data that had been previously recorded by KOBE:

In principle, in an infinite universe, the waves in the cosmic fireball should appear randomly around the sky at all sizes. But, according to the new map, there seems to be a limit to the size of the waves, with none extending more than 60 degrees across the sky. [...]

The fact that there appears to be an angular cutoff hints at a special distance scale in the universe," Dr. Hinshaw said.

Another analysis of the new map suggests that there is a special direction, as well as a special scale in the universe....

/Bernie\