Scientists Predict How To Detect A Fourth Dimension Of Space

Science Daily ^ | May 25, 2006 | Unattributed (Duke University)

[Ben Mugged]

Scientists at Duke and Rutgers universities have developed a mathematical framework they say will enable astronomers to test a new five-dimensional theory of gravity that competes with Einstein's General Theory of Relativity.

Charles R. Keeton of Rutgers and Arlie O. Petters of Duke base their work on a recent theory called the type II Randall-Sundrum braneworld gravity model. The theory holds that the visible universe is a membrane (hence "braneworld") embedded within a larger universe, much like a strand of filmy seaweed floating in the ocean. The "braneworld universe" has five dimensions -- four spatial dimensions plus time -- compared with the four dimensions -- three spatial, plus time -- laid out in the General Theory of Relativity.

The framework Keeton and Petters developed predicts certain cosmological effects that, if observed, should help scientists validate the braneworld theory. The observations, they said, should be possible with satellites scheduled to launch in the next few years.

If the braneworld theory proves to be true, "this would upset the applecart," Petters said. "It would confirm that there is a fourth dimension to space, which would create a philosophical shift in our understanding of the natural world."

~snip~ "When we estimated how far braneworld black holes might be from Earth, we were surprised to find that the nearest ones would lie well inside Pluto's orbit," Keeton said.

Petters added, "If braneworld black holes form even 1 percent of the dark matter in our part of the galaxy -- a cautious assumption -- there should be several thousand braneworld black holes in our solar system."

[r9etb]

You can use many "dimensions" in a vector to "represent" something in reality but that's all it is: just a representation and NOT reality.

Sorry, but that's just silly. You're essentially taking the view that if you can't imagine it, it cannot be. If nothing else, try to imagine a God's-eye view of eternity, and you'll get a vague idea of how that 4th spatial dimension would work -- seriously: how to you think God sees the universe? To be God, He's got to be outside of the three-D + time we've got....

[LLoyd George]

"It would confirm that there is a fourth dimension to space, which would create a philosophical shift in our understanding of the natural world."

Really? They predict the invention of "Clock"?

[r9etb]

Really? They predict the invention of "Clock"?

Apparently you didn't even read the first sentence of the article....

[raygun]

But isn't that just the rub? The next quantum leap of intellectual progress will be somebody who can conceptualize what those equations describe?

Think about it: Einstein revolutionized the world with his Gedanke Versuch with trolley cars and motorcycles traveling at relativistic speeds; the vector of these objects travel essentially being the normal vector of infinite two dimensional planes, traveling everywhere in no time at all and having infinite mass, their trajectory essentially being infinitely curved (flat space essentially being an infinite circle of infinite radius).

Because of his work, we can understand why we see muons at the Earth's surface when their creation is so high in the upper atmosphere, and their half life is so short, they'd decay before we could detect them.