Parallel universe theory is not only math, it is verifiable science

Parallel universes may sound like a concept in sci-fi movies, and basically have nothing to do with modern physics. However, the theory that we live in a 'multiverse' made of countless numbers has long been perceived as a scientific possibility - although it is still being debated. The immediate problem is to find a way to test this hypothesis, including scrutinizing the sky to look for signs of colliding with other universes.

Scientists are looking for collisions between different 'cosmic bubbles' in cosmic microwave background radiation.(Photo: Geralt / CC 0).

It is important to remember that the concept of a multiverse is not really a theory, rather it is a consequence of the current understanding of theoretical physics. This difference is quite important. We don't just wave a hand and say, 'Let's have a multiverse . ' Instead, the idea that this universe is perhaps just one of the numerous other universes has originated from current theories such as quantum mechanics and string theory.

Interpretation of multiple worlds

You may have heard of the Schrödinger cat's fantasy experiment, a horrible animal locked in a sealed box. The act of opening the box allows us to follow one of the cat's possible future consequences, including the case where it lives and dies. This may sound absurd, simply because intuition people are not familiar with such an idea.

However, that is entirely possible, based on the odd principles of quantum mechanics. The reason this is possible is because the ability spaces in quantum mechanics are quite large. Mathematically, a quantum mechanical state is the total (or co-effect) of all possible states. In the case of Schrödinger's physicist cat, the cat is the effect of two "alive" and "dead" states.

Please interpret this in a way that is easier to understand. Think of all these possibilities as book recording devices, in which we can only observe the cat's 'right objectivity' state. However, we can also choose to accept all these possibilities, and that they exist in the different universes of a multiverse. (The cat may be alive in this universe, but died in another cylinder, but we can only see a state here)

(Photo: Robert Couse-Baker / CC BY 2.0)

String theory model

String theory is one of the most promising paths capable of consolidating the theory of quantum mechanics and gravity. This is a very difficult problem because it is difficult to describe gravity on small scales such as the scale of atomic particles and subatomic particles - which belong to the category of quantum mechanics. But string theory, which assumes that all fundamental particles are made up of one-dimensional strings, can simultaneously describe all the forces known in nature, including: gravity, force electromagnetism, and nuclear force.

However, for string theory to work on the mathematical side, at least 10 physical dimensions will be needed. Since there are only 4 dimensions that we can observe, including: height, width, depth (3-dimensional space) and time dimension, so additional dimensions in string theory must be hidden. hide somehow if they really exist. In order to be able to use string theory to explain the physical phenomena we see, these additional dimensions need to be 'compacted' by curling them into sizes so small that it cannot be observed. close. For each of the 4 main dimensions, should there exist 6 other homogeneous directions?

A problem, or as some people say, a characteristic of string theory is that there are many ways to compactify - 10,500 ways is a number often given. Each of these compactifications will create a universe with different physical principles - such as different masses of electrons and different constants of gravity. However, there are strong objections to the methodology of compactification, so this issue has not yet been agreed.

However, based on this, the obvious question to ask is: in what scenarios are we living in these possibilities? String theory itself does not provide a mechanism to predict this, making it useless because we cannot verify. But fortunately, an idea in the early period of space research turned this technical error into a special feature.

The early universe

In the early stages of the universe, before the Big Bang, the universe had undergone a period of rapid expansion called the expansion phase. The initial expansion phase was designed to explain why the observed universe is now almost uniform in temperature. However, this theory also predicts a range of temperature fluctuations around thermal equilibrium. This has been confirmed by a number of spacecraft such as COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer), WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe), and PLANCK space telescopes.

Although the debate about the specifics of this hypothesis is still controversial, physicists have widely acknowledged the concept of the expansion stage. However, an inevitable consequence of this hypothesis is that there must be other areas of the universe that are still accelerating expansion. However, due to the quantum fluctuation of time - space, some parts of the universe have never really reached the final state of the expansion process. This means that the universe, at least according to our current understanding, will forever expand. Some parts of the universe can therefore become other universes, which in turn can become other universes . This mechanism will create countless countless universes.

By combining this perspective with string theory, it is possible that each universe will have a compactification method of different complementary dimensions and therefore will also have different physical principles.

Cosmic microwave background radiation.Search for attractive ripples and signs of collision with other universes.(Photo: NASA / WMAP / wikimedia scientific research group).

Verifying the hypothesis of multiverse

The universes in the predictions of string theory and the hypothesis of expansion will exist in the same physical space (unlike many quantum mechanical universes that exist in a mathematical space), they have can be stacked or collided with each other. Indeed, they must surely collide with each other, thereby saving traces of the cosmic sky that we might be able to search for.

The specifics of these traces are intimately dependent on the models of the universe — from hotspots or cold spots in cosmic microwave background radiation to abnormal gaps in the sequences Galaxy. However, because collisions with other universes must occur in a certain direction, any trace will be able to break down the identity of our visible universe, here is a Common possibility is expected.

These traces are being actively sought by scientists. Some people are searching for it directly through traces in the cosmic microwave background radiation, which emits residuals after the Big Bang. However, no such traces have been discovered. Others are looking for indirect support, which is the ripples created in time-space when the celestial bodies shift. Such ripples can directly prove the existence of a period of expansion, thus supporting the hypothesis of a multiverse.

Whether in the future we can prove their existence, this is a difficult thing to say. However with such great significance, the search for them is absolutely worth the effort.