>Actually, both is equivalent (at least in the simpler cosmological
>models; I'm not sure this holds for more complex models). An open
>universe is spatially infinite and will expand infinitely, a closed
>universe is finite and will contract to a point after a certain time.
I'm not too sure about a closed universe being finite - or to be more
specific existing in a finite space. From my understanding, a way
around the problem of there being boundaries to the closed universe is
to say that "in a closed universe, space is infinite, but the matter
within it only expands to a finite point".
It makes a great deal of difference to cosmological models in my
experience of them, but only on the grand scale of things, not re. local
events.
Not that this is the point of this thread :)
Robert Bricheno
bricher@msmsd2.hoechst.com