THE NEVER–ENDING STORY OF THE INFINITE COSMOS

Abstract

When philosophers, poets or astronomers have tried to comprehend the vastness of the universe, from early

times to the present days, the possibility of an infinite universe has appeared as an appealing speculation.

Although, we do not yet have a compelling answer to the question: “is the universe infinite?” our present

cosmological knowledge provides us with some clues to delineate which is the most likely answer. This

contribution aims to address this question from the point of view of the history of thought, from the ancient

philosophers to the present astronomers, taking into account the interweaving relationship between

scientific knowledge and culture. Its connection with the solutions to the so–called Olbers' paradox will be

analysed in detail, including those appearing in literary works, like the prose poem Eureka (1848) by Edgar

Alan Poe.