My friend and I were having a discussion on the universe. We both agreed that it was expanding, but into what. Would it be possible for the universe to be expanding into time?

the universe can be thought of as physical. Time however cannot. You cant really make a physical interpretation of time, like you can with the universe. So, I would think no, but Im not an expert

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I interpret the expansion of the universe as matter expanding away from itself, it is not necessarily expanding into anything, since there is nothing (thats nothing, difficult concept) for it to expand into. The universe is everything (that we can observe, that can be measured and tested, so everything from a scientific viewpoint) it cannot be expanding into anything, since anything that it would be expanding into would have to be a part of it in the first place.

 

Now off to read this exact same post somewhere in sayos link.

Perhaps if you thought of the universe was an infinite void and that it is only this part of it that is expanding, then it might make more sense to you..... however this is incorrect, but it kind of gives you peace of mind though..... nothing, what a ghastly concept, infinity is so much more peaceful.

LedZeppelin you have to stop thinking in only three dimensions, believe ten impossible things before breakfast, and comfortably hold two conflicting points of view in your head at the same time. If you can do all that you may just begin to grasp it. Alternatively you can become really good at esoteric math and pretend you actually do understand it.

Is it fair to say that the universe is not expanding, that only the properties that reside there are? Or is the known universe described as the furthest point in which energy exist?