Posted on 05/25/2006 1:35:30 PM PDT by 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
No matter how they try, no one can explain 4 dimensions in a way that I can understand. The loaf of bread metaphor doesn't cut it (har har).
It won't work out because time is already an illusion in reality and a convenience in the mechanics formulas.
I'm guessing "thetan levels" aren't going to be discussed.
Which 4 dimensions? 4 dimensions of space, or 4 dimensions of: 3 dimensions of space plus 1 dimension of time.
Having finally heard her talk, she is very bright and sure enough of what she knows that it would take a very rare physics mind to out-argue her. She is also current enough in philosophy to be able to stand her ground in C/E debates.
In terms of upsetting the apple cart, this would really be shattering in some ways. It would be like the explosion of insight achieved when Relativity showed it explained things Newtonian physics couldn't touch.
And lunch time doubly so.
All they have to do is watch AlGore for a few days...............
Where is that "Time Kitty" when you need one??
Four dimensions is easy. Meet me on the 5th floor at Main Street and Second Avenue at 3 pm today and I'll tell you all about it.
Five dimensions (of which the ARTICLE speaks) is beyond me! I seem to recall a high-school report where I had a duplicated a drawing that somehow represented the numerous (27??) dimensions that Einstein somehow figured there are???!!
I meant four dimensions of space.
Try this Huck. The tree dimensions are up, down and depth.
Think of it as a cube. As you leave the cube the length, bredth and depth are frozen to you. In actuality that cube remains active, you just aren't aware of it.
Now move to a different cube that will be unfrozen to you when you arrive.
The first cube was the present. The second cube could be any time other than the present. The movement between cubes would be via the forth dimension.
Perhaps you and others will disagree that this describes the the four dimensions in an understandable way. It does for me.
The fourth dimension is the one next to the bottom. Next question....
There are an infinite number of possible solutions to Einstein's equations, and an infinite number of them are also physically possible in our universe as we know it. A five-dimensional solution was one of the first proposed to Einstein, and it is a solution, but Einstein rejected it because it did not pass the reality test.
Fascinating. I wish I had the math background to understand this better.
You described 3 dimensions of space with 1 dimension of time. The idea is to describe 4 dimensions of space without using time, or even saying the word time.
Me too. My first thought: `Uh oh, smart people'. (Smart *and* pretty.)
"A philosophical shift in our understanding of the natural world."
What does that mean?
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