AIBU to question the popular belief that there are more stars in the sky than grains of sand on earth?

[Tryingtryingandtrying]

How can this possibly be true? Tbh I'd question if there were more stars than grains of sand on my local beach? I've read a bit around it and still is impossible for me to comprehend. Any other facts or theories that just don't make sense to you?

"Can't comprehend" is not the same as "doesn't make sense".

I find it hard to comprehend death. Existing is all I know, I can't imagine NOT being here.

The universe is infinite. The amount of sand on earth is finite. It's impossible to visualise though!

Just because it boggles the mind doesn't mean it isn't true.
The vastness of the universe is not easy to comprehend.

Now there’s something to pass the time on a rainy day.

What makes you think it’s not true OP? I’d probably say there’s probably that amount x100000000 if not more. We can’t fathom it because our minds are so small.

Yes I can get over the fact that the stars you see in the sky now probably are not there anymore due to the time it takes the light from them to hit the earth but that's what my Physics teacher told me!

Given the universe is infinite (which is a concept our tiny minds struggle to comprehend) but the number of grains of sand on the earth is finite, then I’m inclined to believe so.

Dinosaurs.

Sorry- should have read the whole thread before replying with something that has already been said a number of times already! Lol!

I can't understand space at all but it doesn't mean it's not true

It's a finite thing versus an infinite thing.

But it's hard to really think about infinity so I tend to try to avoid that line of thought just in case it makes me go mad.

Oh and it's also a quote from the Bible isn't it?

Is it infinite though? Is that proven?

Woolieliberal.. Presumably sand is always being made by crushing and wearing shells, stones and shingle? Although I suppose it is finite at a given time... But then if universe is always expanding it must also be finite at a given time.

Wellthatsunusual - I didn't know it was a quote from the bible

The Earth is a tiny, tiny planet in a tiny solar system, on a small arm of a small galaxy which is one of millions of other galaxies. All those suns, planets, moons etc will appear as a 'star'. Mind boggling, but I believe there are more stars than grains of sand.

I think it’s mostly understood as not being infinite.

It's not infinite!

@Tryingtryingandtrying

Wellthatsunusual - I didn't know it was a quote from the bible

I've just checked and I think the Bible doesn't say there are more stars but it compares the stars to the sand in terms of numbers. In the sense that both are too numerous to count.

There are between 100-200 billion galaxies in the universe, and our galaxy has around 100 billion stars. No idea how many grains of sand there are though.

I would say we don't know.

Oh I'm absolutely obsessed with quantum theory. Have you looked into the Double Slit Experiment and the ramifications thereof? 🤯

Essentially, nothing-and all possible manifestations of everything exist until observed, when the electron wave function collapses and determines reality. Therefore, nothing actually exists until observed. 😳

The fact that boggles my mind is that some infinities are bigger than others!

I get it now, but it blew my mind when I first learnt about it.

And- nothing can travel faster than the speed of light because as an object with mass speeds up it becomes heavier, unlike a photon, and the energy expended to make it reach the speed of light would have to be infinite.

Ohh the double slit experiment is so interesting too.

@RenegadeMrs

The fact that boggles my mind is that some infinities are bigger than others!

I get it now, but it blew my mind when I first learnt about it.

I honestly can't even bear to think about it. I'm an intelligent enough,fairly well read person. But I think it would honest mess with my head.