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Parallel Universes Exist - Study
BreitBart/Press Association ^ | Sep 23, 2007

Posted on 09/24/2007 4:10:41 PM PDT by anymouse

Parallel universes really do exist, according to a mathematical discovery by Oxford scientists described by one expert as "one of the most important developments in the history of science".

The parallel universe theory, first proposed in 1950 by the US physicist Hugh Everett, helps explain mysteries of quantum mechanics that have baffled scientists for decades, it is claimed.

In Everett's "many worlds" universe, every time a new physical possibility is explored, the universe splits. Given a number of possible alternative outcomes, each one is played out - in its own universe.

A motorist who has a near miss, for instance, might feel relieved at his lucky escape. But in a parallel universe, another version of the same driver will have been killed. Yet another universe will see the motorist recover after treatment in hospital. The number of alternative scenarios is endless.

It is a bizarre idea which has been dismissed as fanciful by many experts. But the new research from Oxford shows that it offers a mathematical answer to quantum conundrums that cannot be dismissed lightly - and suggests that Dr Everett, who was a Phd student at Princeton University when he came up with the theory, was on the right track.

Commenting in New Scientist magazine, Dr Andy Albrecht, a physicist at the University of California at Davis, said: "This work will go down as one of the most important developments in the history of science."

According to quantum mechanics, nothing at the subatomic scale can really be said to exist until it is observed. Until then, particles occupy nebulous "superposition" states, in which they can have simultaneous "up" and "down" spins, or appear to be in different places at the same time.

Observation appears to "nail down" a particular state of reality, in the same way as a spinning coin can only be said to be in a "heads" or "tails" state once it is caught.

According to quantum mechanics, unobserved particles are described by "wave functions" representing a set of multiple "probable" states. When an observer makes a measurement, the particle then settles down into one of these multiple options.

The Oxford team, led by Dr David Deutsch, showed mathematically that the bush-like branching structure created by the universe splitting into parallel versions of itself can explain the probabilistic nature of quantum outcomes.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Technical
KEYWORDS: astronomy; balderdash; bilge; callingartbell; drwho; gottagettagrant; greed; mathematics; physics; quantumbullshit; quantummechanics; rubbish; science; space; sugarcoatedgreed
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To: anymouse

Yea, infinite parallel universes, thats the ticket. If an infinite number of parallel universes is what it takes to make the math work, then it’s not much of a theory. In other words, it’s utter b.s.

I got a suggestion for these physicists, you’ve recently dumped 10 dimensions in favor of 11 dimensions, take another step and go to 12 dimensions.


61 posted on 09/24/2007 4:46:52 PM PDT by Diplomat
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To: adorno

Is there a parallel universe that has the capability to destroy all the other universes?


62 posted on 09/24/2007 4:48:04 PM PDT by Fitzcarraldo
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To: Logophile; RightWhale
proposed a mathematical model to account for a result predicted by another mathematical model.

The mathematical models I've proposed to (36-24-36), had very predictable results from both.

NO

63 posted on 09/24/2007 4:50:16 PM PDT by BOBTHENAILER (One by one, in small groups or in whole armies, we don't care how we do it, but we're gonna getcha)
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To: Fitzcarraldo
Is there a parallel universe that has the capability to destroy all the other universes?

Sure enough, there is.

That universe would be the one where liberals rule and everything goes to hell, including all the other universes..

There's another one where Islam rules and time has stood still since the seventh century.
64 posted on 09/24/2007 4:52:14 PM PDT by adorno
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To: RightWhale
No. There is an infinite number of the same thread in an finite number of universes. I remember years ago there was a SNG episode about this. Something got screwed up and all the universes began to converge and the Enterprise kept replicating and replicating.
65 posted on 09/24/2007 4:52:23 PM PDT by isrul
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To: isrul

I have a headache.


66 posted on 09/24/2007 4:53:11 PM PDT by WVNan
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To: GregoTX

67 posted on 09/24/2007 4:53:29 PM PDT by Radix (When I became a man, I put away childish things!)
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To: RightWhale
You could slip into a parallel universe and never notice. In fact this could be happening 400 billion times a second.

Which leads me to doubt the whole theory.

68 posted on 09/24/2007 4:55:25 PM PDT by airborne (Proud to be a conservative! Proud to support Duncan Hunter for President!)
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To: anymouse

69 posted on 09/24/2007 4:55:28 PM PDT by perfect_rovian_storm (John Cox 2008: Because Duncan Hunter just isn't obscure enough for me!)
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To: WVNan

Take an infinite number of these and call an infinite number of doctors in the morning.


70 posted on 09/24/2007 4:57:00 PM PDT by isrul
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To: Fitzcarraldo

No, because once the new parallel universe comes into existance, it expands into a different universal space completely seperate from your universe. Thereby effecting nothing in our universe. << I may be stating this slightly wrong, i.e. universal space may not be what the physicists are calling this.

This acceptance of parallel universes is because of the collapse of “string theory”. Which is kind of where they were before advent of string theory anyway.


71 posted on 09/24/2007 4:57:23 PM PDT by Diplomat
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To: anymouse

Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. (NIV)


72 posted on 09/24/2007 5:01:49 PM PDT by jimmyray
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To: RightWhale
There is a thread exactly like this in a parallel universe.

Not any more ...

73 posted on 09/24/2007 5:02:02 PM PDT by IronJack (=)
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To: clinkclink

just bumping


74 posted on 09/24/2007 5:03:19 PM PDT by clinkclink
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To: RightWhale
There is a thread exactly like this in a parallel universe

or are WE in the parallel universe and they are - ah, mmm - we?

75 posted on 09/24/2007 5:04:26 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time" LINCOLN)
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To: Diplomat
I got a suggestion for these physicists, you’ve recently dumped 10 dimensions in favor of 11 dimensions, take another step and go to 12 dimensions.

In all seriesness though, this theory of parallel universes has been kicking about for decades (read: Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time"), but it has never able to have been proven, and probably might never be, at least not by us mere Earthlings. Only God holds the answer, and he ain't speaking to us about it.

Otherwise, theories such as Quantum Mechanics predict how a Transistor is supposed to work, but it still baffles physicists why it even works at all .... but there it is, trillions upon trillions of manmade Transistors ticking away doing their thing in our technological world.

Likewise, Aerodynamics says that a Bee is not supposed to be able to fly ... but there they are flying about, going from flower to flower gathering pollen, flying with the greatest of ease and control.

76 posted on 09/24/2007 5:04:44 PM PDT by Mr_Moonlight
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To: stylin19a
evidence exists in the other universe. of course, there they have global cooling...

No wait. Didn't they have Global WarmingTM before they had Global CoolingMT, did I get that backwards? Ya, I did ... OK, it was Gnilooc Gnimraw first, then it became Labolg Labolg.

Man, this Science stuff is way confusing ..........

77 posted on 09/24/2007 5:09:31 PM PDT by Mr_Moonlight
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To: Mr_Moonlight

78 posted on 09/24/2007 5:10:27 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time" LINCOLN)
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To: isrul

LOL. Will I have to wait an infinite number of 10 days before I will be cured? Whew! It’s hard to get the brain around this infinite number of possibilities. Of course, as a fan of Quantum Physics, I have contemplated this theory many times. It still boggles the mind.


79 posted on 09/24/2007 5:15:09 PM PDT by WVNan
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To: Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek
Do not read this sentence while holding your breath -

This is another good example of scientifically illiterate journalists converting an interesting story into a “gee whiz astounding science” fable based on a stupid claim about the relationship between physics and mathematics.


80 posted on 09/24/2007 5:16:08 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time" LINCOLN)
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