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The shape of the universe is something that we can only speculate on. That's because our field of view in contrast to the entire universe is so small that we just don't know what the larger picture entails.

It would be like speculating the shape of the Earth based on what we see in our day to day life. The reality can only be determined if we have a bigger picture. Unfortunately, for the universe, we just don't have it.

Also, if the universe is infinite, the matter of its shape becomes a moot point. However, if its size is not infinite, there must be an overall shape. And scientists have tried to determine this in a number of ways.

Their most recent method has suggested that the universe might be flat. This goes against what many scientists had thought. Commonly, people like to think that the universe is spherical (like a bubble).

# A Flat Universe
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To arrive at their conclusion, scientists at the University of Portsmouth measured the impact of dark energy on the universe. Dark energy is the mysterious form of energy that we know absolutely nothing about.

However, scientists do believe that it is dark energy that is causing the universe's accelerated expansion. So, to determine the shape of the universe, it is vital to understand how and at what rate dark energy is expanding the universe.

With their precise measurements, that are better than anything that has come before, the team found that the universe might be spatially flat. If they are right, they will have solved one of the hottest debates in astronomy.

One thing to note is that a flat universe wouldn't necessarily mean a universe that resembles a piece of paper. Due to the expansion, a flat universe can achieve a donut-like shape that is also considered "flat" in cosmological models.

It will be interesting to see what other scientists think about these findings. If the same results are produced over and over again, we might finally have an answer to what shape the universe has.