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.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for the heads up!

Max Tegmark's article is illuminating and verrrry timely!

Until now, all the attempts to explain the alternative multi-verse views, that I have read, have been shotgun at best. They never before gave the reader an opportunity to "get their arms around" the subject. I've excerpted the Tegmark article now and again and have repeatedly referred Lurkers to it in various discussions here.

Personally, as a Platonist I am in agreement with the Level IV in Tegmark’s article. His frog/bird metaphor is superb for visualizing extra-dimensionality. Strangely, that helps also in understanding Burt Ovrut’s ekpyrotic cosmology even though the dimensions hypothesized are essentially parallel.

[Just another Joe]

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

Yeh but the other hillary married Hugh Hefner, had LOTS of plastic surgery, and graces the cover of the 1969 Playboy magazine.

[r9etb]

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

Well, that would certainly explain the repulsive force that's driving the universe apart.

[Servant of the Nine]

The universes are only parallel to a Democrats standard of factuality.
They actually are just more or less, kinda, maybe, in the same general direction.

So9

[Junior]

You're probably right. I'm a writer by training, not a mathemetician.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Tales From A Parallel Universe?

When do we leave!?

[Myrnick]

Not sure I'd want to see that even with plastic surgery.

[js1138]

Just think. There are universes in which Jane Fonda makes endless sequels to Barbarella.

[Just another Joe]

Not sure I'd want to see that even with plastic surgery.

Hey, look what it did for Micheal Jackson. (quick duck and cover)

[Arkie2]

Saddam had some of those. I don't imagine their fate was too pleasant even in all those other universes!

[Just another Joe]

I don't imagine their fate was too pleasant even in all those other universes!

Ah, but if my other was the Beloved Emperor of the Universe I wouldn't have to worry. I just make spot appearances where the actual can't get to.
And suck up all the benefits of course.

[Ancesthntr]

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?

If there is, why is HE the one that sold all of his Internet stocks and used the proceeds to buy out-of-the-money QQQ puts in late March of 2000? Huh, why? And can he loan me some money?

[Paradox]

Somewhere out there, Monica didn't dribble, and President Gore is still wondering what to do about all the AlQaida attacks on US soil..

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I'd rather entertain myself with visions of a parallel universe in which Jane Fonda was shot for treason upon disembarking from her plane when she returned from Hanoi.

[iceskater]

bump for later

[carenot]

WHAT?????

[thirdheavenward]

I am not really an expert on Cosmology, but I suspect that the author of this article isn't one either. Let me state a why I think this is bogus (and why Scientific American should know better):

Most mainstream Physicists believe in the Big Bang. The Big Bang theory stipulates that at the beginning the volume of the universe was zero. After that, it expanded (extremely rapidly) and continues to do so, such that the total volume of the universe grew and continues to grow at a high but finite rate. If you start with something finite (zero) and over a finite period of time add finite quantities to it, you end up with something finite. My Point? The universe is just big, not infinite. Something around 5*10^9 to 20*10^9 light years across. Big yes, but 10^10^28 light years? Give me a break!

I suppose poeple do enjoy reading an article like this, but I thought Scientific American tries to be scientific.

[The Duke]

Maybe in the other universe I took the BLUE PILL!?!?

[carenot]

Now that is funny! :)

[Lloyd227]

"that must mean that there are two hillaries too!

Actually, many more that two, and at least one of those Hillary's is Republican.

How's THAT for scary?