Humanity opens gate into empty universe, set off explosion that possibly creates the universe

[fiendo]

The following is a post that I read while on reddit, and I know that I've read the same story and wanted to find it again as well. Sorry for no further details.

I have read a short SF story a very long time ago and cannot seem to find its title -
Plot is as far as i remember, about humanity creating a gate into an unknown universe where there seems to be no light, no stars, nothing. They send some satellites in different directions to explore but no matter how far the satellites travel, they do not find anything. Then they try to use the gate and that universe in order to create massive energy but something goes wrong and the whole thing is about to explode. Humanity is forced to shut the gate down just before a massive explosion, with the main character being happy for those satellites because after 40 years of traveling they will finally see the light, this being a hint that the whole thing was what created the universe.

Thank you!

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

I suspect this might be "Nor the Many-Colored Fires of a Star Ring" by George R. R. Martin. I don't remember all the details, so I don't know if it matches your description exactly, but I do recall that the Star Ring (a sort of technological wormhole in space, allowing for star travel) winds up creating the universe, in some sort of time paradox.

Here are the places it has appeared.

Title: Nor the Many-Colored Fires of a Star Ring

www.isfdb.org

 

[PaulMmn]

Not the gateway to another universe, per se, but didn't the end of The Weapons Shops of Isher series (A E Van Vogt) have a man swinging back and forth in time, energy building with each swing, until he explodes far in the past (big bang).

And, I believe, the last story in the series "Cities in Flight" (James Blish) also had people blowing up and creating new universes.

 

[hitmouse]

And, I believe, the last story in the series "Cities in Flight" (James Blish) also had people blowing up and creating new universes.

Yes, it did.