Very interesting question Jabbaji!
Well, assuming my understanding of this type of physics is correct, then I suspect I just might have a very good/detailed answer for you, as follows:
1) Some say the Universe is about 90 billion light years across in diameter (or even possibly MUCH wider!)
2) But of course, the Universe is only about 13.8 billion years old (give or take a few million years).
3) And of course, I assume you also know that Einstein said NOTHING in the Universe can travel faster than the speed of light.
4) So... we now suddenly have a conundrum and paradox on our hands:
How in the heck did the Universe get 90 billion light years wide, in only 13.7 billion light years, if nothing can travel faster than the speed of light in the Universe?
There just wasn't enough time yet, for the Universe to get that wide yet?
What gives?
Well, the solution to that paradox, will also be the answer to your question!
5) FIRST... imagine that we have a really long, straight sidewalk, that is made up of 1000 blocks of cement squares.
6) NEXT: imagine yourself standing at one end of the sidewalk, while your best friend stands at the opposite end, and shines a BRIGHT green laser pulse right at you!
7) NEXT pretend the following:
A) YOU = Earth.
B) YOUR FRIEND = Distant star at edge of Universe.
C) GREEN LASER POINTER = Bright awesome supernova explosion!
D) SIDEWALK = The space-time-continuum. (The fabric of time and space).
8) Now comes the VERY interesting part!
Pretend that each individual cement-side-walk-block is mysteriously DOUBLING in size, every 1 second.
9) Why have the sidewalk blocks begun to creepily expand like that? Who the f--k knows! It's just simply happening, like some black-magic right out of the twilight zone.
10) So after 1 second, your friend is now the equivalent of 2000 older sidewalk blocks away from you.
2 seconds = 4000 sidewalk blocks away from you.
3 seconds = 8000 sidewalk blocks! And so on...
11) You now have a VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM on your hands: your sidewalk block-grid is essentially expanding EXPONENTIALLY.
12) At this exponential rate, your friend's measured distance away from you would very quickly be CHANGING and growing FASTER than the speed of light.
6000 blocks, 32000 blocks, stop!... but no it continues relentlessly: 64000 blocks, 128000 blocks, 256,000 blocks... noooooo!
13) When the measured distance between you two is growing faster than the speed of light like this, it means that the laser-pulse will NEVER EVER be able to reach you.
14) YES, the laser pulse is still trying so hard to reach you... still travelling DIRECTLY towards you forever, at the speed of light along it's pathway, so eager to strike those sensitive little eyeballs of yours.
15) But again, as time ticks second per second, each block that the laser-pulse travels through doubles in size (ALONG WITH all the other blocks that stand between the laser's current position, and you).
16) The same applies to anything else that is "beamed" or "shinned" in our direction, whether it is regular star light, or a bright supernova bang...
17) FINAL NOTE:
The space-time-continuum is essentially a "container" that holds our universe.
You, me, everyone, the planets, the stars, are "contained" or "held" or "supported" by the cosmic-fabric of this space-time-continuum, just as the sidewalk in our metaphor holds, and supports you, and your friend.
You, your friend, and the laser pulse are "inside" the Universe.
The "space-time-fabric" is more "outside" the Universe.
Anything "INSIDE" the Universe can NOT move faster than light. But the same restrictions don't apply to anything "OUTSIDE" the Universe.
And so that's how the space-time-continuum can get away with stretching itself FASTER than the speed of light.
But just what the heck is expanding the cement side-walk blocks of our universe? Dark-energy... but is Dark-Energy anyways? Who the f--k truly knows.
And also, what is our Universe's so called "container" (our space-time-continuum-fabric) made of? Again who knows? Perhaps cosmic-strings?