Astronomers have found that our galaxy, the Milky Way, may be a tiny part of an even larger local structure than we thought. The research, if confirmed by further observations and studies, may be evidence that we haven't quite nailed down our model of the evolution of the universe.

As we study the universe more, we have found ourselves to be part of much larger structures, formed by gravitational interactions. We orbit the Sun, the Sun is part of the Milky Way, and the Milky Way is part of the Local Group, which includes several small galaxies as well as Andromeda, of "it may collide with us" fame.

But it doesn't stop there. The Local Group is on the outer edge of the Virgo Supercluster, which is itself part of a giant basin known as Laniakea. According to the new study, Laniakea too resides within a larger "basin of attraction" (BoA) potentially 10 times its volume.

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[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago (6 children)

Pretty sure our entire universe is just a cell of a larger something. Or were in a simulation. Either way.

[–] Mr_Dr_Oink@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago

"Everything is just a small version of something big!"

Finn

[–] GuyDudeman@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Exactly. Infinitely large, infinitely small.

[–] bestboyfriendintheworld@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago

As above so below.

[–] Mbourgon@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

It's a great big universe
And we're all really puny
We're just tiny little specks
About the size of Mickey Rooney
It's big and black and inky
And we are small and dinky
It's a big universe, and we're not!

[–] paddirn@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

It’s a giant brain.

[–] aStonedSanta@lemm.ee 1 points 1 month ago

I’ve thought this for ages myself also. Loved it when Men In Black kinda memed it also lol

[–] LwL@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

A while ago I had a mini existential crisis about how things existing at all just makes no sense, and eventually concluded that things existing at all means that "nothing" is in some way unnatural and has a chance to become matter, which would then imply infinite universes as there would have to be infinite "nothing", since that's what would be outside our universe.

So yea, I'm thinking it's probably large somethings for forever, always getting larger.

[–] toynbee@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

There's always a bigger ... Structure.