The "Many Universes Theory"...Opinions?

[M.D. Holloway]

Radical New Quantum Theory Says Other Universes Affect Our Own

I suppose in an infinite universe their are infinite possibilities right? Well...maybe or maybe not.

Let us say there are many universes, what is the limiting factor to distinguish each? Let us say that in a different universe corn bread was never discovered or humans were never provided the opportunity to develop or that by some strange twist of physics, the particular shade of blue pantone pms 801 2x never existed...fine. But where do you draw the line. Theoretically it would hold that from the very dawn of time to the end of time, every single atom can either be or not be at any given time in space. And if that's not enough, not only can each of those atoms be effected one way or the other depending upon the given universe it is in that would also mean that of each atom that at any given time it's sub-atomic make up (all the leptons and hadrons et al) can have a different state of being along the time line. So now you talking about the opportunity for as many universes as there are sub-atomic states in the universe. Pretty big number right? But it doesn't stop there. If you maintain that in any given instance the selected sub-atomic state changes, what is the time period in which it holds? Every minute? Every second? Every pico-second? And that's just counting the time in the time line which is really big as well.

So, lets say in our universe, when the place was say only 100,000,000 years old, a quark on a distant planet was influenced to behave differently then it was behaving up till that point. Ok. But in a nearby universe, that same quark was effected to behave differently ...say...a few days later. Now you have two legitimate universes which by all standards are identical save for that one quark. And that's just one quark.

So, even if you were to calculate the amount of sub-atomic states that exist in our universe - it would be a big number (10^80 atoms in our universe). So, it is fair to say that that would be the starting point for the number of universes we have...to begin with provided that only one sub-atomic particle was effected only once. Now, add 1 to say another and you have two. That's to say that 2 quarks, long ago changed. Ok, so we double that number...but really we have to do more than double it, we have to consider 3, or 4, or 5 all the way to the 10^80 opportunities in just one instance of time! OK, now things are getting really massive!!!

But what that quark that we were initially talking about didn't just change once in the life of our universe but twice? hmmmmm. See where I'm going with this? say it cnaged 3, 4, 5 times? Say it changed every second for as many seconds there are in the life of the universe? Oh heck, a second is nothing, say it changed every 1/1000 of a second? Add that to the number we came up with for all the different combinations discussed earlier. We are now are getting really close to Poincare reoccurrence number.

I don't buy it. I'm not even sure there is a universe. I think its all a dreammmmm

Any way, carry on...

[Nostril Cheese]

Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves. Here’s Tom with the weather.

- Bill Hicks

[Porsche-O-Phile]

"Infinite Multiverses" is the mind-blowing concept that keeps getting thrown around in cosmological discussions. Basically every possible variation on what reality is exists as a constituent universe in the Multiverse. Infinite possibilities on what reality is - from the nature of matter and energy (or if they even exist in particular universes at all) to the nature of life to the nature of time and probably a lot of stuff we can't even conceive because it doesn't exist in our universe.

Crazy stuff.

[motion]

This thread makes my head hurt.

[Nathans_Dad]

The problem with an infinite multiverse theory is it can be used to explain away anything, no matter how improbable.

An example you're playing cards and deal yourself four aces one hundred times in a row. Cheating? Nope, we just happen to live in the universe where that highly improbable event happened.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Nathans_Dad

An example you're playing cards and deal yourself four aces one hundred times in a row. Cheating? Nope, we just happen to live in the universe where that highly improbable event happened.

This example has absolutely nothing to do with multiverses. It is just basic probability theory. Although highly improbable, it is possible, here or in any universe real or imagined.

[Jim Richards]

This thread made me think of a recent article I read. Scientists propose existence and interaction of parallel worlds: Many Interacting Worlds theory challenges foundations of quantum science -- ScienceDaily

Like motion said, this stuff makes my head hurt.

[fanaudical]

Well, that radical new theory would give a plausible explanation (finally) to why our world is so messed up...

[Evans, Marv]

Could be we're just shooting in the dark if we don't have a handle on anti-matter, dark matter, and all those other matters out there. Until then all these interesting ideas could just be fun mental exercises, although I understand that's part of the process.

[Jim Richards]

Absolutely, Marv. The multi-universe theories are interesting but they don't sound like they're widely accepted yet.

BTW, there's a new take on dark matter that recently came out...Dark matter may be massive: Theorists suggest the standard model may account for the stuff -- ScienceDaily

My brain is turning into dark matter.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Dark matter is racist.

[sand_man]

What does anything mean? Basically? Next time, I'm taking the "blue pill", and will be content with my fabricated reality while the machines use me as a battery...

Or did I already take it?

[Chocaholic]

It's simple. When you're in your living room and you turn on the radio you hear one station. Does that mean all the others don't exist?

Just because we share the present universe doesn't mean others don't exist. As a stage 1 level of humanity (pretty immature) we would be foolish to ignore the likelihood of parallel universes and the potential to eventually move between them.

Like changing the radio station.

[motion]

Whenever I try to wrap my little mind around the vastness of space and what it holds, I realize that absolutely anything is possible. Its an amazing space out there.

[Aragorn]

Sounds like another great idea for a tv show. Oh wait....

Sliders - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[doug_porsche]

Not sure how new this theory is:

I know Stephen Hawking pimped for it, or one possibility of it, years ago.

8 Shocking Things We Learned From Stephen Hawking's Book | Theoretical Physics & Mysteries of the Universe | Grand Design Book & Cosmology

According to Hawking and Mlodinow, one consequence of the theory of quantum mechanics is that events in the past that were not directly observed did not happen in a definite way. Instead they happened in all possible ways. This is related to the probabilistic nature of matter and energy revealed by quantum mechanics: Unless forced to choose a particular state by direct interference from an outside observation, things will hover in a state of uncertainty.

For example, if all we know is that a particle traveled from point A to point B, then it is not true that the particle took a definite path and we just don't know what it is. Rather, that particle simultaneously took every possible path connecting the two points.

Yeah, we're still trying to wrap our brains around this.

The authors sum up: "No matter how thorough our observation of the present, the (unobserved) past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities."

and the same, but different

If there is any "theory of everything" that can describe the whole universe, it is M theory, according to Hawking and Mlodinow. This model is a version of string theory, which posits that at the tiniest levels all particles are fundamentally little loops of string that vibrate at different frequencies. And, if true, all matter and energy would follow rules derived from the nature of these strings.

"M theory is the only model that has all the properties we think the final theory ought to have," the authors write.

One consequence of this theory is that our universe is not the only one – untold numbers of cousin universes exist with different physical laws and properties.

[ckissick]

Schrodinger was driving down the road when he was pulled over by a cop. The cop asked if he could look in the trunk. "Sure," said Schrodinger.

The cop returned and said, "There's a dead cat in your trunk."

"Well, now there is," replied Schrodinger.

[nynor]

MDH, read 'Anathema', by neil stephenson. it is fiction. but a good read. and addresses some of the ideas you bring up in you OP.

[M.D. Holloway]

Thanks! I will try to get a copy.

[tabs]

Your thinking is all chained to matter in a conventional sense. The question becomes how much weight or mass does an emotion or a thought have? They exist in the same space time continuum that we live in. Can't see em, can't touch them can't quantify them. When your talking about science you are talking about the repeatedly quantifiable. Which in reality exists in small range of perception. You have to blow the doors off of what is possible and what exists that is unseen