Number of Galaxies in the Universe Compared to Atoms in 1 cubic centimeter of Air
Present scientific mainstream belief is that there are at least 2 trillion galaxies in the universe. That is 2.0 x 1012.
That may seem like a lot, but the truth is it is a ludicrously small number.
Assuming standard temperature and pressure, there are approximately 5.0 x 1019 atoms in a cubic centimeter of air.
In one milliliter of volume there are 107 times more atoms than we claim there are galaxies in the entire universe. If our galaxies were alike to atoms (which they are), our entire observable universe could be contained in less than one milliliter of volume when compared to a larger section of the universe that we cannot directly observe with telescopes that would have a volume equivalent to all that we can see in comparison to our less than a "milliliter" observed universe.
This does not end. When that volume is compared to even more of the universe, it would be containable in less than one milliliter of volume relative to another portion having an equally larger volume.
In fact, this never ends. That is because the universe is Infinite. This is extremely obvious when simply comparing the number of galaxies claimed in the finite universe size of the Big Bang and other such models to the number of atoms in a very small volume. Clearly, we are jumping to conclusions to claim that there is an end or a beginning.
For more information, check out my other posts or CascadingUniverse.Org
Mind. Blown.
I mean, I guess I suspected this, but when you give it actual numbers, it suddenly becomes more real. The idea of universes within universes without end is incredibly exciting and terrifying at the same time. :-)