Is the evidence for 'alien' universes all around us?

New Scientist Space ^ | 05/09/07 | Zeeya Merali

[KevinDavis]

IT HAS long been accepted, at least in theory, that other universes might exist and might even collide with ours. Yet the idea that we would ever be able to see the aftermath of such collisions, and so find evidence of other universes, has seemed beyond the scope of science. That is set to change.

Anthony Aguirre of the University of California, Santa Cruz, thinks the proof of cosmic collisions could be all around us, as imprints in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) left over from the big bang.

According to the standard model of cosmology, our universe underwent a phase of exponential expansion, known as inflation, just after the big bang. In theory, inflation could still be happening, with bubbles of space-time suddenly blowing up to create new pocket universes. The cosmological parameters, such as the rate of expansion, and the laws of physics could be different in each new universe, potentially giving rise to new types of matter.

[KevinDavis]

[pissant]

[mtbopfuyn]

Sure, I don’t drink but ping me with enough advance warning so I can start before the next big collision.

[Mr. Mojo]

other universes might exist and might even collide with ours.

I can wrap my mind around galactic collisions, but the concept of universes colliding is a bit too ...."out there."

[Mr. Mojo]

Is that an alien from the planet Pigorat? Frightening.

[JamesP81]

Now, if only the democrats would have a collision with reality.

[pissant]

I think it slithered out of california right into a house seat.

[snarks_when_bored]

For the intrepid:

Anthony Aguirre, Matthew C Johnson, Assaf Shomer,
Towards observable signatures of other bubble universes (PDF)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Kevin. This one isn't a String Theory topic per se, but is bound to be of some interest.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Of possible interest pings....

[colorado tanker]

Not surprising. Liberals have been living in a parallel universe for years.

[kalee]

ping

[albee]

Is that a picture of Nostrildamus or just some sleazy politician from New York?

[aruanan]

Not surprising. Liberals have been living in a parallel universe for years

Tell me about it! Tonight I and the boys were on our way back home from their tutoring at Kumon. I pulled into the Home Depot parking lot so I could turn around and go back out to the road. I drove forward slowly and was honked at by someone behind me. This was just after my 14 year old was asking me about all the Impeach Bush bumper stickers we were seeing. After I explained it to him, he asked how it was that there could be people like this who thought like babies. Anyway, I pulled over to the side out of the main lane of traffic and the woman still honked at me even though I was no longer in front of her. I waved for her to go past and said, "Honey, go right on." She pulled up next to me and looked over and shouted something. I couldn't hear because both her passenger and driver's windows were closed. She lowered the passenger side and said that I had called her something. I told her I had not and she said, "You called me "honey"!" I laughed and told her to proceed. She must have been reading my lips in my rearview mirror. Anyway, she said that I ought to learn how to drive. I pointed out that after she had honked I pulled over so she could get by and then waved bye-bye. She pulled forward and then hit the brakes and started to reverse until the driver of the car behind her signaled that she was holding him up. She looked like she was ready to jump out of her car. Her impatience, her misrepresentation of reality, her lack of a sense of humor and appreciation for people trying to accomodate her impatience, and the fact that she was driving a Prius have me convinced that she was probably a liberal Democrat.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Please add me to your Space PING list. Thanks.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Are those his real nose and ear, or did you tweak them a bit?

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

That is indeed He Through Whose Nose You Could Drive a Bus.

[RightWhale]

It might be noted that inflation is still a hypothesis.