# Question about a curved universe

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-curved-universe/391039>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 6, 2007, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-curved-universe/391039 "2007-02-06T03:37:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Evil\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@Evil\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Joe)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-curved-universe/391039/21 "2007-02-07T02:44:23Z")

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[QUOTE=Enola Straight]  
Ah, but if the universe as a whole is expanding, wouldn’t the space between and within individual atoms proportionally expand at the same rate?

Various points brought up here:

> **[Expanding Space](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=393652)**
>
> According to theoretical physicists, due to the Big Bang, the universe is expanding. Stuff isn’t just expanding into available empty space: space itself is expanding. Galaxies are rushing away from each other at a rate proportional to the Hubble...

and here:

> **[The Hubble Constant and Subatomic Particles - StarDestroyer.Net BBS](http://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic.php?t=99675&highlight=)**

[/QUOTE]

Is it the space between that expands or the atoms themselves? I’m confused as to what is going on with space “growing” vs fabric of space “stretching” ( i.e. affected by gravity ).

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