The concept of “space-time continuum” is one of the central ones in the modern perception of the physical picture of the world. This theory is based on the view of the modern world from the point of view of four main dimensions - three of them relate to spatial characteristics, and the fourth to temporal ones.
The space-time continuum, as the main model that describes the surrounding reality, claims to create the most comprehensive picture of the world. At the same time, theories are constantly appearing that cast certain aspects of this theory or the whole concept as a whole into doubt.
The foundation for the modern concept of space and time was laid more than a hundred years ago with the publication of A. Einstein's general theory of relativity . Based on her position, Einstein himself and his followers came to the conclusion that each of the three spatial characteristics, as well as the time continuum, are equivalent to each other, therefore, it depends only on the observer which one will be accepted as the starting frame of reference.
Movement, space and time are characteristics of the surrounding reality that are constantly changing. The main mechanism by which these elements interact with all physical bodies is gravity.
The primary concept characterizing the space-time continuum, according to Einstein's theory, is a certain “event”, which is nothing but a point with specific characteristics that has clear spatial and temporal coordinates.
All these points are not arranged randomly, but in exact accordance with the basic axioms underlying this theory. The most important axioms include the concept of ordering, topological axioms, the basic principle of which is the dimension principle, axioms of admissible coordinate systems, as well as all basic arithmetic axioms.
The space-time continuum is a non-stop, constantly changing shape variety. Moreover, it is voluminous in nature and may, depending on various external conditions, change its curvature.
A special place in this theory is given to the time continuum. Many scientists do not agree that he has the same rights and can be the same frame of reference as spatial characteristics - length, width, height. But the whole point is that one of the fundamental principles of the theory of relativity is to recognize the dependence of time on the speed of the observer, which is located at the starting point of reference. Thus, we get that the time continuum directly depends on spatial characteristics, as, however, the latter depend on time itself.
If for our planet four-dimensional space is quite familiar and understandable, then at the level of the Universe, many scientists have already identified much more levels. For example, one of the first versions of the famous “theory of superstrings” implied the inevitability of the existence of 27 dimensions. Today their number has dropped to ten, although the characteristics of the "extra" measurements themselves have become much more complicated.