Allow me to reiterate John Denker's original answer to "Why don't the
ant's expand?" The ants don't expand because a force
(electromagnetism) binds their molecules. On the other hand, the
force that "binds" the galaxy clusters (VERY long-range gravity) is
too weak to cause genuine binding of the clusters. So only galaxy
clusters can possibly reveal the Hubble expansion.
But allow me, slowly, to introduce a new question ...
The universe-as-cylinder model is consistent with the notion of a
zero-volume creation event, the big bang. But the cylindrical
universe is "closed," isn't it? That means that it -- like the
spherical universe -- contains a finite amount of space.
Current measurements indicate that the universe is probably not
closed. Rather, it is "critical" or "open". In either of these
cases, the universe has an infinite amount of space AND ALWAYS HAS
HAD AN INFINTE AMOUNT OF SPACE, no?
Here's the question: HOW IS A UNIVERSE WITH AN INFINITE AMOUNT OF
SPACE CONSISTENT WITH A BIG BANG? I.e., can we possibly envision how
an infinite amount of space undergoes creation? I can certainly
envision the expansion of a cylindrical universe from zero initial
volume. But I'm having real trouble(!) envisioning the expansion of
a true "saddle" universe -- or any other open universe -- from zero
initial volume.
Can anyone help? ... Or is my question itself flawed?