Parallel Universes

Scientific American ^ | May 2003 | Max Tegmark

[Junior]

Is there a copy of you reading this article? A person who is not you but who lives on a planet called Earth, with misty mountains, fertile fields and sprawling cities, in a solar system with eight other planets? The life of this person has been identical to yours in every respect. But perhaps he or she now decides to put down this article without finishing it, while you read on. The idea of such an alter ego seems strange and implausible, but it looks as if we will just have to live with it, because it is supported by astronomical observations. The simplest and most popular cosmological model today predicts that you have a twin in a galaxy about 10 to the 1028 meters from here. This distance is so large that it is beyond astronomical, but that does not make your doppelgänger any less real. The estimate is derived from elementary probability and does not even assume speculative modern physics, merely that space is infinite (or at least sufficiently large) in size and almost uniformly filled with matter, as observations indicate. In infinite space, even the most unlikely events must take place somewhere. There are infinitely many other inhabited planets, including not just one but infinitely many that have people with the same appearance, name and memories as you, who play out every possible permutation of your life choices. Entire Article

Overview / Multiverses

• One of the many implications of recent cosmological observations is that the concept of parallel universes is no mere metaphor. Space appears to be infinite in size. If so, then somewhere out there, everything that is possible becomes real, no matter how improbable it is. Beyond the range of our telescopes are other regions of space that are identical to ours. Those regions are a type of parallel universe. Scientists can even calculate how distant these universes are, on average.

• And that is fairly solid physics. When cosmologists consider theories that are less well established, they conclude that other universes can have entirely different properties and laws of physics. The presence of those universes would explain various strange aspects of our own. It could even answer fundamental questions about the nature of time and the comprehensibility of the physical world.

[Physicist]

Now you can add your own comments.

[Physicist]

Looking back on my life, there are a number of really stupid things that I almost did. Now I find out that somewhere out there, I actually did do them. How embarrassing is that?

[glock rocks]

fortunately, they're 10^28 meters away, so you'll likely be saved the embarassment :o)

[Sir Gawain]

This is old news. I read about this stuff back in the 80s.

[glock rocks]

are you sure it was you?

[Junior]

After posting the link to you, I thought a lot of folks would like to take a gander at the article. It's going to be interesting getting some folks' comments on this...

[Junior]

That's 10^10^28 meters away. A whole 'nuther order of magnitude...

[Junior]

You might enjoy this.

[Doctor Stochastic]

At last the plural of "I" is "We" because there are finally two of "me."

[SouthParkRepublican]

Well to begin with, I’m going to start claiming the other me as a deduction!

[glock rocks]

omg. </mind boggle>

nevermind.

[TheBigB]

Is there a copy of you reading this article? A person who is not you but who lives on a planet called Earth, with misty mountains, fertile fields and sprawling cities, in a solar system with eight other planets?

Of course not, that would be silly. But let me get the opinion of my friend Larry, who lives in my eyebrow. Larry?

[spunkets]

" Now I find out that somewhere out there, I actually did do them. How embarrassing is that?"

Be glad nobody shows up with pics!

[DonQ]

Does anyone know of a way that I can get into one of those parallel universes?? I'm not all that happy being in this one.

[Physicist]

you'll likely be saved the embarassment

My God! It just occurred to me...what must my doppelgängers think of me?

[js1138]

That's 10^10^28 meters away. A whole 'nuther order of magnitude...

I'm no mathematician, but wouldn't that be 10^10 orders of magnitude? Or a bunch anyway. ;^)

[tx_eggman]

ah, coffee out my nose and onto the keyboard ... thanks, the 2 of me needed a good laugh.

[CJ Wolf]

that must mean that there are two hillaries too! AAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHH! the horror!

[Just another Joe]

So I actually AM the Beloved Emperor of the Universe somewhere?

Hey, buddy, beam me over! I'll be your body double.