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How to map the multiverse
New Scientist ^ | 5/4/09 | Anil Ananthaswamy

Posted on 05/05/2009 5:33:31 AM PDT by LibWhacker

BRIAN GREENE spent a good part of the last decade extolling the virtues of string theory. He dreamed that one day it would provide physicists with a theory of everything that would describe our universe - ours and ours alone. His bestselling book The Elegant Universe eloquently captured the quest for this ultimate theory.

"But the fly in the ointment was that string theory allowed for, in principle, many universes," says Greene, who is a theoretical physicist at Columbia University in New York. In other words, string theory seems equally capable of describing universes very different from ours. Greene hoped that something in the theory would eventually rule out most of the possibilities and single out one of these universes as the real one: ours.

(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: anilananthaswamy; catastrophism; cosmology; multiverse; physics; string; stringtheory; theory
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1 posted on 05/05/2009 5:33:31 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: LibWhacker
Briane Green is an excellent writer. I haven't read "The Elegant Universe" but I recently picked up his "The Fabric of the Cosmos" at my local used book store and am about 2/3 of the way through it. I highly recommend the book for anyone interested in obscure things like "Bell's Theorem". Green's explanation of "spooky action at a distance" is simply the best I have ever read.

It is worth noting that you can buy a used copy of the hardcover version of this book for about $7 including shipping on Amazon. That's less that half the price you would pay for the paperback at the local Borders.


2 posted on 05/05/2009 6:02:35 AM PDT by InterceptPoint
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To: InterceptPoint

Both are great books, but I HIGHLY recommend The Elegant Universe.. probably one of the most well written and fascinating books on cosmology I have ever read. It’s the kinda book you want to go back over and re-read sections of. I give it 2 thumbs up.


3 posted on 05/05/2009 7:20:36 AM PDT by Bones75
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To: LibWhacker
Brian Greene once appeared on PBS' normally content-thin, glacially-paced NOVA program and ROCKED it!

It was the best NOVA program, and one of the clearest explanations of Quantum Mechanics, that I'd ever seen.

4 posted on 05/05/2009 7:22:21 AM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Bones75

Definitely second that - cannot recommend The Elegant Universe highly enough.


5 posted on 05/05/2009 10:12:27 AM PDT by warpsmith (Palin/Harmon 2012)
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To: LibWhacker

I certainly agree with all of the praise offered for “The Elegant Universe.” It was virtually my only companion during a rainy week in Virginia Beach, and I was fascinated and entertained by it from cover to cover. Green’s string theory was elegant, but it was, by definition, impossible to observe and to verify. Too bad because the rising possibilities inherent in it of alternate universes really appealed to me. It was quite soothing to think that somewhere, in one of those alternate universes, I was in Virginia Beach with the hottest babe in the world and we were indescribably happy together. :)


6 posted on 05/05/2009 2:43:39 PM PDT by Continental Soldier
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To: LibWhacker; AdmSmith; bvw; callisto; ckilmer; dandelion; ganeshpuri89; gobucks; KevinDavis; ...
At last! A string theory topic instead of "also of interest". It's been slim pickings on the news search since the LHC had its little problem. Thanks LibWhacker!

· Google ·

7 posted on 05/05/2009 6:18:39 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: InterceptPoint

Quantifying time is the key IMO. If that is not done, all physical theories fall apart, again just my opinion.


8 posted on 05/05/2009 9:28:05 PM PDT by allmost
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To: SunkenCiv; grey_whiskers; LibWhacker

9 posted on 05/07/2009 3:45:10 AM PDT by snarks_when_bored
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To: GodGunsGuts; LibWhacker

To GGG: Regarding your keywords belongsinreligion and
notasciencetopic - when you start posting your threads into religion or chat, you can add such keywords. Until then, don’t.


10 posted on 11/18/2009 10:28:41 AM PST by Admin Moderator
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To: LibWhacker
Greene hoped that something in the theory would eventually rule out most of the possibilities and single out one of these universes as the real one: ours.

Gosh. What if ours is not the real one?
11 posted on 11/18/2009 10:34:27 AM PST by ZX12R
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To: Admin Moderator; metmom; DaveLoneRanger; editor-surveyor; betty boop; Alamo-Girl; MrB; ...

I put “belongs in religion” on some evo posts because the evos have been tagging my posts with that forever. And if you click on the keywords “belongs in religion” “propellerbeenie” “notasciencetopic” “spammer” etc, you will see that I (and a number of other Creationists and IDers) were the subject of an evo keyword attack yesterday. So I retaliated. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have done that, I should have just complained to the mods. But then again, certain mods tell me to “shut up” or “stop hitting the abuse button” no matter what.

I’m sure you will be giving the evos who launched the keyword attack yesterday the same warning, so I’m quite confident that this will cease to be a problem on all sides of the origins debate after today.

All the best—GGG


12 posted on 11/18/2009 10:51:42 AM PST by GodGunsGuts
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Comment #13 Removed by Moderator

To: GodGunsGuts

If you have issues with keywords, bring them to the attention of the moderators.


14 posted on 11/18/2009 11:19:13 AM PST by Admin Moderator
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To: Admin Moderator
Ok, I'm bringing it to your attention. Will you please instruct the evos who conducted the keyword attack yesterday to stop inserting derogatory keywords into Creation/ID posts?
15 posted on 11/18/2009 11:25:24 AM PST by GodGunsGuts
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To: GodGunsGuts
Ok, I'm bringing it to your attention. Will you please instruct the evos who conducted the keyword attack yesterday to stop inserting derogatory keywords into Creation/ID posts?

Please try bringing it to our attention on the specific threads - the keywords are tied to those threads. Oh, and not all keywords are abusive if they are an expression of a poster's opinion on the thread subject and are not profane or personal attacks.

16 posted on 11/18/2009 11:30:18 AM PST by Admin Moderator
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To: Admin Moderator; Jim Robinson

Ok...so if I sincerely believe evo threads “belong in religion” than I’m in the clear. Got it.


17 posted on 11/18/2009 11:51:03 AM PST by GodGunsGuts
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To: LibWhacker

Sorry for the hijack of your string theory thread.

GodGunsGuts (GGG) is a creationist that spams the news forum with several creationist threads every day.

He believes anything that is not in line with a 6000 year old earth or the rest of the bible to be an atheist, liberal, Nazi, communist, racist, etc (people have been called all of those by GGG or his groupies)plot.

Please ignore him and go back to your interesting discussion.


18 posted on 11/18/2009 12:20:32 PM PST by Wacka
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: InterceptPoint

I haven’t read the Fabric of the Cosmos yet, but I loved the Elegant Universe. Excellent read.


20 posted on 11/18/2009 12:34:40 PM PST by Knitting A Conundrum (Without the Constitution, there is no America!)
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