For centuries, humans have been trying to prove the existence of life forms outside of our own planet and solar system. Early on in our exploration of space, we learned that in order for any sort of life to exist, there must be a star system at its center.

In our own universe, there are certain laws of physics which have always remained constant. The consistency of these laws, like the speed of light and force of gravitational pull, has allowed us to flourish on planet Earth. Researchers are now looking into the possibility that other universes within the “multiverse” include laws of physics that are different from what we experience in our universe.

It has previously been suggested that, if the laws of physics were to differ significantly, the result would be a universe without life. Now, astrophysicists are taking a closer look at universes where nuclear forces vary in order to determine the possibility of life in these places.

“We don’t know if other universes exist, and if they do, we almost certainly can’t observe them,” explains study lead author Alex Howe, a theoretical astrophysicist at the University of Michigan. Regardless, “by doing this thought experiment, we are helping to answer a fundamental question — did our universe have to be the way it is, or why did it have to be? In doing so, we learn more about our own universe,” he says.

Howe’s thought experiment centered around whether or not the universes examined could possess liquid water on the surface of their planets. Another factor that Howe examined was something called the weak force, which is crucial for the lifecycle and strength of stars.

Through his experiment, Howe determined that, although stars in other universes differ in surface temperatures, luminosities, diameters, and lifetimes, there still may be potentially habitable planets, even when the weak force is drastically different from that of our sun.

“The most surprising thing for me was that in most possible universes, stars still work one way or another,” explains Howe. “In many possible universes, stars would even have more complex life cycles than in ours or could be more favorable to life… in my opinion, the most important implication is that there are many different ways a universe could work and still support life, not just the physics of our own.”

Wholesale retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club can make you feel like a kid in a candy shop, especially when you think about how much money you save by buying in bulk. However, the oversized warehouses these stores fill can also make for some truly hilarious moments.

Everything Costco sells might be bigger than usual, but sadly, this customer was still struggling to find the perfect sized straw to keep him from having to hold a cup while watching TV.

Some people choose their partner based on whether or not they have a car or a nice apartment, but others are just looking for someone with a Costco membership. This couple built their entire relationship around their love of Costco, so it only made sense for them to take their engagement photos at their favorite store. Of course, there was already a ring on her finger when her fiance pulled this fakeout photo, but it’s clear that their love is like an endless warehouse.

Costco and other stores like it are famous for their generous samples, but sometimes, it might seem like more of a ploy to use up expired stock. When you realize that you have 10 packages of a product that are all about to expire, it’s better to get someone out there shelling out the samples. Just make sure to give them a break so they don’t expire alongside the product they’re trying to help get rid of.

As kids, one of the most fun things about going to the grocery store was getting your parents to work extra hard and push both you and the food in your cart. These teens were looking for one last joy ride before they could drive themselves, but mostly because it’s hard to walk with a phone in your face. Their mom was hesitant to push her babies into growing up, so she let them all pile into one cart. Who needs the gym when you have Costco?

Anyone who’s ever tried to grow out their natural hair color after dying it knows about that awkward phase where you have hair that is two distinctly different colors. However, this woman actually favored the look, as she believed it made her look like someone who could afford massive boxes of hair dye from Costco instead of spending hundreds at the salon. In truth, she had an even cheaper fix: a big red phony pony, which also added much-needed volume as well as color.

Rice is certainly a diet staple for many people around the world, but at some point, it seems like enough is enough. Little did the surrounding customers realize that this man wasn’t trying to stock up on rice just in case the apocalypse hit, he just owned a restaurant and found this his supplier somehow forgot that every Chinese restaurant needs rice in order to keep their doors open. With that, he ran to his local Costco and bought their entire stock.

Not every dad joke has to come from a dad. When one father requested his kids keep it simple and just get him a cake from Costco for his birthday, they decided to take the request a little too literally. When they asked the Costco bakery themselves to create this cake, the team was more than baffled. Instead, they went to the boutique bakery in town to have them craft a perfectly accurate Costco-shaped cake.

Dogs might be man’s best friend, but according to this picture, they’re also probably the devil’s best friend too. Maybe he just didn’t like having his picture taken, knowing that it would end up being the least flattering angle ever, but this dog had no intention of cooperating. He’d seen what other people did to cooperative dogs. Sadly, someone thought this pitiful look was a good one to blow up into a truly Costco sized photograph.

When you and your girls just need a night out to let loose and eat whatever your hearts desire, then Costco or Sam’s Club is definitely the way to go. Everyone knows the junk food they sell at the food court is not only the kind of food that soothes your soul, but it’s also a meal that can certainly soothe your wallet. Next time, rather than spending all of your hard earned cash at an overpriced cocktail bar, just gather the girls and head to Costco.

Thanksgiving may be a holiday dedicated to eating, but no matter how big your family is, there’s no way that anyone needs 10 turkeys. Given the sheer size of each of those birds, we can’t even begin to guess how long it would take to finish off 10 birds. However, the sign being there means that someone tried to sneak out the door with 20-something turkeys, leaving a hoard of angry customers in their wake, who were not at all thankful.

There is a lot that wedding halls and Costcos have in common. For starters, both are exceptionally large spaces and have plenty of options when it comes to small bites of food. While Costco may sell all of the items necessary to host a wedding, they never expected that this Australian couple would want to tie the knot in one of their stores. Somehow, they managed to work out all the details. Talk about having a destination wedding!

Costco and iMovie thought they had the perfect name for the protagonist of their edgy film, when in truth, the name they chose was a better fit for a high school punk band. They may have thought that “Scratch Bread Matthew” was a super cool name, until no one could stop laughing. The bread might have been absolutely perfect, but no one could take it seriously. Sadly, Costco saw a decline in bread sales until they removed the “movie” poster.

You can’t always help your name, nor can you necessarily help your neighbor’s. However, this shopping complex in American suburbia randomly became super popular after a group of teenagers noticed just how specifically the stores were arranged. Rather than taking away sales by implication, the duo actually inspired crowds to stop off for the fun of the photo. It may have started off as a novelty, but going to this particular store location has just become a local routine.

As a kid, you might have dreamt about having a candy bar as big as your body on the regular, but not only was it a dream that never came true, even if you had found such a thing, your parents would never have let you buy it. Costco has made sure that every parents’ nightmare has come true with this oversized Cadbury bar. Clocking in at the size of a small child, it’s hard to say whether this is a blessing or a curse.

Mothers might think that getting their husbands to go to Costco in their stead will make for a relaxing afternoon, until the pictures start rolling in. No matter how helpful they want to be, for whatever reason, letting men loose with their kids can easily cause them to revert back to children. Rather than coming home with the toilet paper you said you absolutely needed, they’ve blown the entire month’s budget on a brand new electric guitar.

“Calling all bears! Please report to meeting room seven to discuss the marketing plan for foisting giant teddy bears on unsuspecting customers.” Despite the clear instructions, the employees were actually shocked when somehow all of the giant teddy bears had gathered in the appointed meeting room at 2 pm. They hadn’t really prepared for the teddies to join in on their meeting, but the team was determined to make it work, even though space was limited.

The heat may be on in San Diego, but that never bothered Costco. With their first stock of winter coats in place, the store employees hoped that they could maybe trick customers into buying winter coats in July by making the air conditioning so cold that no one could possibly shop without one. However, the savy customers had come prepared, as most know that even when it’s 100 degrees outside, that means it’s probably about 40 degrees inside.

When the new Costco finally opened near their hometown, these for ladies couldn’t wait even a day to go and do a major shopping trip. They were so excited that they planned to go all together, even sharing the same car. However, moments after they posed for this photo with their carts stuffed to the brim, they realized it was either going to be them or the stuff. Needless to say, they aren’t friends any longer.

Costco can be a great resource for finding reasonably priced home goods, but when they scooped up this questionably scented candle, customers were baffled. Sure, the life-sized bears had been an odd purchasing choice, but these candles brought up questions no one wanted to ask. After all, candles are supposed to make your house smell good. As anyone who’s ever owned a dog would know, this is not a scent you want at home.

Stores that have free babysitting for kids are one of the best innovations in parenting since television itself. That being said, Costco hasn’t quite jumped on the bandwagon, making trips to the mega-store difficult for many parents who have no choice but to tote their kids along. Some parents, however, have figured out how to hack the system. After all, why not zonk your kid on television just like you’re at home? With this level of entertainment, there’s no worry about them wandering.

When the American Diabetes Associations asked if they could set up a small table in several Costco locations around the country, the brand was happy to oblige. No one expected that after a day of buying everything you could imagine in bulk, customers were going to be more likely to donate parts of their purchases, rather than the change the Association so desperately needed. The irony of the donations didn’t escape everyone’s notice, however.

If you’ve ever dreamed of floating away in a glass of champagne, Costco is once again here to make your dreams come true. It might have seemed like people dancing in a champagne flute could only happen in a fantasy, but Costco really knows how to deliver when it comes to making any everyday object bigger. Of course, the box may say not to jump into the glass, but who’s really going to use something like this for decoration?

It was a rough day at Costco. They realized just as the store was opening their doors that they had no food samples scheduled for the day. Realizing just how many of their customers are there only for the samples, they had to think fast. The manager grabbed the only thing he knew they had an excess of – toilet paper. They hurriedly set up the sample table, only to realize hours later that customers were not only hungry, they now thought Costco was stupid.

A candy shop may seem like a health hazard, but if we’re really looking for a culprit to the health crisis, Costco is probably a much better answer. After all, who goes to a candy store and comes home with a 10-pound bag of candy? Sure, they might be detrimental if you’re making a daily or even weekly visit, but Costco enables you to have candy and sugary products all the time. It just took one customer to finally call them out.

This Costco employee became a store favorite after shoppers discovered just how nice it was to have a friendly young guy brightening up the check out lane. What was once a stressful experience full of cart traffic and exasperated housewives has become an experience akin to being a teenager waiting in line to meet your favorite teen idol. Of course, such a good thing couldn’t last long, as this was the big break this employee needed.

This might be one of Costco’s weirdest services. If it wasn’t enough to fill up the gas in your car, buy your food, furniture, and glasses at Costco, they’ve now got you covered even when you’ve passed on from this world. If you think that your time might be coming soon or you simply just want to take out an insurance policy, Coscto will help make sure that your family isn’t overburdened by the expense of a costly coffin.

Costco may be a wonderland for large families that otherwise find themselves running to the store for toilet paper once a week, but for the average young person, all of that choice can just be overwhelming. After wandering the store for what seemed like hours, this woman thought perhaps she had ended up in Ikea, rather than Costco. She began to call frantically for her friends, until this kind stranger took a photo. She stayed in the same place until they finally found her.

Coscto takes the adage, “go big or go home” a little too literally sometimes. No, Costco couldn’t just sell a regular teddy bear. They couldn’t sell a double pack of teddy bears. They just had to sell the biggest teddy bears known to man. For months on end, customers could spot these plush behemoths in all sorts of compromising positions. Many who did think they were a good a gift sorely regretted that decision the moment they left the store.

There’s nothing quite like the magic of going to the store and being able to buy a lifetime supply of Oreos all in one go. When the company considered that they could maybe entice sales through some sort of big box promotion, they asked Oreo fans to go the extra mile to prove why they’d be deserving of a free lifetime supply of Oreos. This woman wasn’t going to hold back. She painted her ‘do and took home the grand prize.

No one expects to make new friends when they go to Costco, except for those patrons who overdo it with the samples to the point that they’ve become friends with the sales rep. This young woman thought she was in for a routine shopping trip until she spotted Bamboo over in aisle 10. From the moment she picked him up and hugged him, she knew they were going to be best of friends, even if it meant that she would have to haul him home on her back.

When you work at Costco, one would expect the amount of scanning you have to do per order should go down significantly. Instead, you end up with people who think they’re shopping at the regular grocery store, only they’re buying bigger boxes of everything. Who knows where they have the space for all of that, but sometime after you’ve scanned the tenth mega-sized box of cereal, you feel like all of your hope is lost. The only thing keeping you going is the supersized box of batteries behind you.

No need to worry about the chlorine with these brand new, Sam’s Club pool floats! They feature a girly design which will ensure that your husband or partner won’t go near it. Perfect for the beach or the pool, Sam’s Club floats are a cheap, but durable option, that will keep your body dry no matter how many times your kids try to cannonball into the pool right next to you. Not only that, they’re perfectly shaped for your summer comfort.

Having children is a serious commitment. Some people have begun to realize that it’s better to practice before you’ve fully committed to spawning. That can mean anything from babysitting more regularly to trying things out with a pet. In this case, Pikachu just seemed to be a better option than anything else, but ultimately proved to be the most frustrating scenario of all. He wouldn’t even eat his Costco hot dog after begging for it the entire shopping trip.

There’s so much excitement to be had during a trip to Costco. From comfortable places to nap to an endless assortment of free samples to snack on, it’s almost a surprise that parents don’t buy Costco memberships just for the sake of entertaining their children for a fraction of the cost of going to Disney. Here, these two customers show just how awesome it is to ride the flatbeds out in front of the store. Half nap, half ride, it’s a great adventure to be had.