--- title: "The Universe May Be Shaped Like a Hall of Mirrors, Scientists Say" description: "COMPACT Craving For years now, scientists have argued about how the Universe is shaped — and according to a new study, the more complex ones are more likely to be right. Published in the Physical Review Letters journal, the inaugural paper from the COMPACT Collaboration, a new consortium of cosmologists, maintains that the \"topology\" of the […]" date: "2024-05-13" modified: "2024-05-13" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/universe-hall-of-mirrors" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "cosmic microwave background" - "donut" - "the digest" - "the universe" --- # The Universe May Be Shaped Like a Hall of Mirrors, Scientists Say ![Scientists have long argued about how the Universe is shaped — and according to a new study, the more complex explanations are more correct.]() *Abstract people silhouettes against glass, 3D generated image. \Image: Getty Images\* ## Spaced Out For [decades now](), scientists [have argued]() about how the universe is shaped, in the sense of complex parameters that govern the rules of space and time. Is it a simple open expanse, like a bigger version of the spaces we're used to? Does it wrap around on itself like a donut? Or something even stranger? Now, new research published [in the journal *Physical Review Letters*](), in the inaugural paper from a new consortium of cosmologists known as the COMPACT Collaboration, found that the "topology" of the universe — the shape of its geometry, basically — is likely anything but simple. The researchers looked at the universe's [cosmic microwave background](), which is basically the inherent "glow" of space, dating back to ancient radiation at the dawn of time. While they didn't nail down any one definite topology for the universe, they did find that data on the universe's background radiation doesn't rule out some seriously exotic shapes — and in fact, we might just live in something akin to an infinite hall of mirrors. ## Twist and Shout Take the main focus of the paper, a shape known as a "3-torus." As the [American Physical Society explained]() in a summary of the paper, that would be like if there was a cube on which each set of opposing sides were connected — meaning that no matter how large the universe *appears*, if you peer deep enough into its depths, you'll see the back of your head. The APA described the effect as a "hall of mirrors," adding that "lines of \[sight\] within a 3-torus form closed loops that return to the viewer, so everything appears to repeat infinitely." Obviously, this is all just dealing with what's possible, not what actually is — which is why COMPACT is looking to see if they can find a "detectable topological fingerprint" in the cosmic background radiation that might give a more definite answer. In an interview with the APS, Columbia cosmologist Oliver Philcox, who wasn't involved in the new paper, seemed to agree that any informed guess is worth considering. "There’s a lot of possible ways the universe could be topologically connected," Philcox said, "and it’s hard to rule them out." **More on cosmological puzzles:** [*Physicists Say They May Have Found a Powerful Glitch in the Universe*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()