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.

[Dead Corpse]

"All night long by my Xev, Xev.
All night long by my Xev I lay."

The redhead Xev was better looking. LEXX Rocks...

Doesn't it follow logically, that everything that ever COULD happen, is happening RIGHT NOW? And continues to happen again and again every Plank second?

[Junior]

As Physicist pointed out earlier, the universe is essentially flat, which means the scenario posited in this article is possible. He does a whole lot better at explaining it than I can ever hope to do.

[Lloyd227]

"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 believe the author said meters not light years. Your point is still valid, that the universe is NOT infinite (if Big Bang is true). But the author also says "...infinite or sufficiently big

Still fun to ponder either way

[Kozak]

Somewhere there's a universe where I'm with Anna Kournikova. Wow. Of course the other one has me with Hillery. What circle of Hell is that?

[dirtboy]

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

Can I claim him as a dependent on my taxes? Because if I didn't exist, he wouldn't either. That should be worth something, especially in an age when you can get a tax credit when you didn' pay taxes...

[Alamo-Girl]

I don't understand your question...

[Charles Martel]

Parallel universe bump.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

I knew it! This am Bizarro World!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

But the author also says "...infinite or sufficiently big

For myself, I prefer the phrase, "mind-bogglingly huge".

[longshadow]

turtles all the way down placemarker

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Is Jherek Carnelian lurking?

[MEGoody]

The idea of parallel universes has been floating around for a long time. Sort of like the food irracacycle on the Jetsons or the little green men from Mars.

[freedom9]

"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.

Go back in time and do something that will make a significant change.
While it most likely wouldn't create a parallel universe, it would create a parallel world or time line, though an unnatural one.
Although the concept seems stretched or far-fetched, in biblical context it becomes more valid.
There are numerous prophecies regarding end-time, latter-day scenarios and events. There are only several ways to account for the origins and the fulfillment of the prophecies.
1) The prophecies were a stated desire and outcome that necessitates a careful control of events to order their actualization.
2) The prophecies were actual accounts of first hand observations conveyed from the future or present to the past.
In all likelihood both premises hold weight, although the second is more plausible. But once stated it may well bring the first premise into play in order to avoid a false prophecy. For interaction with the past can initiate change and it's possible that change can invalidate future events.

[Junior]

The Universe - some information to help you live in it.

Area

Area - Infinite

Infinite : Bigger than the biggest thing ever and then some. Much bigger than that in fact, really amazingly immense, a totally stunning size, real "wow, that's big," time. Infinity is just so big that by comparison, bigness itself looks really titchy. Gigantic multiplied by staggeringly huge is the sort of concept we're trying to get across here.

Imports

Imports - none.

It is impossible to import things into an infinite area, there being no outside to import things from.

Exports

Exports - none.

See IMPORTS.

Population

Population - none.

It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.

Money

Monetary units - none.

In fact there are three freely convertible currencies in the Galaxy, but none of them count. The Altairian Dollar has recently collapsed, the Flanian Pobble bead is only exchangeable for other Flanian Pobble Beads, and the Triganic Pu has its own very special problems. Its exchange rate of eight Ningis to one Pu is simple enough, but since a Ningi is a rubber coin six thousand eight hundred miles along each side, no one has ever collected enough to own one Pu. Ningis are not negotiable currency, because the Galactibanks refuse to deal in fiddling small change. From this basic premise it is very simple to prove that the Galactibanks are also the product of a deranged imagination.

Art

Art - none.

The function of art is to hold the mirror up to nature, and there simply isn't a mirror big enough - see AREA.

Sex

Sex - none.

Well, in fact there is an awful lot of this, largely because of the total lack of money, trade, banks, art or anything else that might keep all the nonexistent people of the Universe occupied.

However, it is not worth embarking on a long discussion of it now because it really is terribly complicated. For further information see GUIDE Chapters seven, nine, ten, eleven, fourteen, sixteen, seventeen, nineteen, twenty-one to eighty-four inclusive, and in fact most of the rest of the Guide.

[Junior]

3) The "prophesies" were backdated from after the event to make them look prophetic.

While you might not like the implication, it is still a possibility and should not be discounted.

[Dead Corpse]

Possibly. I'm fairly certain that Alan Greenspan is related to Lord Mongrove. I think Tommy Daschle may be Werther De Goethe pre-incarnated. He is deeply saddened by all this. ;-)

(Is that enough Moorecock references for now?)

[<1/1,000,000th%]

LOL!

Elric?! Is that you??

[Dead Corpse]

Considering the full implications of an infinte universe in which all things are possible... er... Yes?

I wonder if Stormbringer would do me any good in Austin traffic....

[Dead Corpse]

Speaking of which, anyone got $2500 I can get for a traffic study grant?

HHhhmmmm... pretty.

[PigRigger]

Glad to know that somewhere out there I'm a real "Chick Magnet".