A 1D universe can expand infinitely in a 2D thing. More generally, an n-dimension universe can expand in an n+1 dimension thing.

Back to the CD example, please take a marker to your least favorite CD and start drawing a line starting from the center (or the edge) that traces around the CD without overlapping what you already draw. It is going to look like a coil = curl.

Now about expansion, how many coils you make will depend on how thick your marker is. A one-dimensional line has zero width. If your marker has zero width you can make infinite number of coils on that CD. In fact, that small CD can encompass an unlimited number of infinitely expanding 1D universes. By virtue of the extra dimension, that CD is BIGGER/GREATER than an infinite number of infinitely expanding 1D universes.

Interestingly, one of The God's names in the Quran is The Great/The Big.

• Thanks - yaniru - November 14, 2002 - 18:54 UTC