In the present universe, gravity does warp the relatively small regions of space close to massive objects like the Sun, neutron stars or black holes.

The crystal planet comes from the universe that existed before the present universe was formed.

It is set in a futurized present alternate universe.

It sorts of sits there, immortal, in our present universe at least.

A key requirement is that inflation must continue long enough to produce the present observable universe from a single, small inflationary Hubble volume.

Possibly the Ly-cilph will be the only entities to survive the present universe's final reconfiguration.

Most of you know the prevailing theory of the beginnings of the present universe.

But that, he told himself, was impossible, for the planet had been enclosed before the present universe was born.

If the missing mass was composed of invisible exotic particles, this might explain the gravitational forces required to shape the present universe.

Halas' voice came from somewhere outside the present universe.