NationStates Jolt Archive

What separates parallel universes? (i.e. what defines a universe?)

We don't even know if there are parallel universes. We can't know because we can only see and interact with the contense of our own universe.

Watch the movie Event Horizon.

My answer would be nothing, nothing detectable in any way shape or form, if it were, then the barrier itself would be a continuation of the universe.

the word 'Universe' means everything. therefore a 'parallel universe' is a contradiction in terms. but nobody cares because 'alternative version of reality' (while more accurate) is a bit of a mouthful.

Well the logic goes something like this: If you were a one dimensional being you wouldn't have any knowledge of a 2nd dimension, just as if you were a 2 dimensional being you wouldn't be able to imediately recognize a 3rd dimension. So couldn't it be possible that there are an infinite amount of dimensions of which we are not aware of? Not to mention that many physicists believe that time is actually the fourth dimension.

What separates parallel universes? (i.e. what defines a universe?)



a gap

-snip-
many physicists believe that time is actually the fourth dimension.
that makes sense because it is the only 'direction' we can't describe in terms of the other three dimensions.

Well the logic goes something like this: If you were a one dimensional being you wouldn't have any knowledge of a 2nd dimension, just as if you were a 2 dimensional being you wouldn't be able to imediately recognize a 3rd dimension. So couldn't it be possible that there are an infinite amount of dimensions of which we are not aware of? Not to mention that many physicists believe that time is actually the fourth dimension.
Using the advanced math that goes along with string theories it has been proposed that our universe must have some 10 or 11 dimensions. We can't access any but the three big ones that define our shape and the fourth one, time. The others are too small. Just big enough for the strings to vibrate into.

Still, all those dimensions inhabit our universe, and we can use math to suggest their existance, and theoretically we could find a way to interact with them.

Take this post for what it's worth. A curious layman's interpretation of what he's read and heard about string theories. If there's a physicist around maybe he can clarify it and correct any errors I've made.

string theory = 9 dimentions

Well the logic goes something like this: If you were a one dimensional being you wouldn't have any knowledge of a 2nd dimension, just as if you were a 2 dimensional being you wouldn't be able to imediately recognize a 3rd dimension. So couldn't it be possible that there are an infinite amount of dimensions of which we are not aware of? Not to mention that many physicists believe that time is actually the fourth dimension.

String theory determines 11 dimensions in our universe alone. So, we can't see these higher dimensions because they are not visible to us, much like 3-d to a 2-d universe, and so on.

Perhaps dark matter is really another universe overlapping our own, and it operates in higher dimensions and so is undetectable by our methods of observation? It's like time; we know it exists but can't really observe it like we can with three dimensional objects.

ooo a fellow string theorist. j thiught latest work had decided nine.

but dark matter can be observerd. its effect is there just we cant see it with the eye but we cann see its effects

ooo a fellow string theorist. j thiught latest work had decided nine.

They can mathematically determine 9, but they haven't worked out the equations for 10 or 11 yet.

but dark matter can be observerd. its effect is there just we cant see it with the eye but we cann see its effects

Exactly! Just like we can with time; we can observe its effects but can't actually see it or measure it phyically.

i still love/hate the way its basically pure philosophy cos no one can come u with an experiment for support it

There are no parallel universes. There is however, something like 19 dimensions, so there is a lot of room for addition things to be using the 'same' space.

M thoery(membrane) predicts other universes

I would feel bad if what I said punched a hole in your membrane so I’ll just shut up... :D

There was 5 or 6 different interpretation of the string theory (with 10 dimension) until they unified them with the "Mother of all theory" which contain 11 dimension. The 11th defining the "universe" in which you interact, perceive things,...
More info on:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/