A scientist has penned an essay sharing his beliefs when it comes to the existence of heaven, using scientist Edwin Hubble's work to explain his point of view.
As humanity has involved, an increasing number of people have strayed away from following the strict rules set by traditional religions, which can include the belief in an afterlife.
It remains a highly debated topic though, with some even claiming that they have seen what really happens after we die, but the reality is that we can't be 100 percent sure until we experience the fateful day ourselves.
Those who work in funeral services also wouldn't be able to give you a concrete answer, despite many having beliefs of their own but to some, believing there's something after death is more comforting than anything else.
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The depiction of heaven in films and the media often looks like a fluffy white clouded space guarded by winged angels, though you probably won't be shocked to hear that this scientist doesn't believe this to be true.
However, Dr Michael Guillen, a former Harvard lecturer who holds PhDs in physics, mathematics and astronomy, claims to know how to find heaven, as he explained in a piece for Fox News.
The expert explained that the current universe is continually expanding, an accepted theory in physics, adding that objects are moving away from us at speeds quicker than before.
You may remember that astronomer Edwin Hubble made this discovery back in the 1920s, with his work becoming so crucial that NASA named space telescope after him.
Dr Guillen said: “Hubble also discovered there’s a definite pattern to how galaxies are rushing away from each other, namely: The farther 'up' in space a galaxy is located — the farther away it is from Earth — the faster it’s moving away from Earth and everything else.”
Citing Hubble's research, the scientist said: "Theoretically, a galaxy that's 273 billion trillion (273,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) miles away from Earth would move at 186,000 miles per second, which is the speed of light.
“That distance, way 'up' there in space, is called the Cosmic Horizon. That means you and I can never reach the Cosmic Horizon — not even aboard the most souped-up, nuclear-powered rocket imaginable — because, as Einstein explained in his theory of special relativity only light and certain other non-material phenomena can travel at the speed of light.”
It is in this Cosmic Horizon where the Harvard specialist is convinced heaven could be, claiming it fits all the descriptions of 'heaven' in the Bible.
He noted that the Bible consistently states that Christians look 'up' at God in heaven, though it also states that the lowest level of heaven is Earth's atmosphere, the mid-level heaven is outer space, and the highest-level is where 'God dwells'.
Dr Guillen theorised: “According to modern cosmology, an entire universe exists beyond the Cosmic Horizon. But it’s permanently hidden from us because we can never reach, let alone cross over, the Cosmic Horizon,
“Our best astronomical observations — and Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity — indicate that time stops at the Cosmic Horizon.”
He said that space does exist here though, claiming that this hidden universe is habitable, 'albeit only by light and light-like entities'.
"According to modern cosmology, the Cosmic Horizon is lined with the very oldest celestial objects in the observable universe," he pointed out.
"That means whatever exists beyond the Cosmic Horizon predates these oldest objects… predates the so-called big bang… predates the beginning of the observable universe."
How accurate are these claims? There's genuinely no way of knowing.
Joshua Nair