Philosophy
I don't buy this at all.
"Over the past few decades, the idea that our universe could be one of many alternate universes within a giant multiverse has grown from a sci-fi fantasy into a legitimate theoretical possibility. Several theories of physics and astronomy have hypothesized the existence of a multiverse made of many parallel universes. One obvious question that arises, then, is exactly how many of these parallel universes might there be."
In a new study, Stanford physicists Andrei Linde and Vitaly Vanchurin have calculated the number of all possible universes, coming up with an answer of 10^10^16. If that number sounds large, the scientists explain that it would have been even more humongous, except that we observers are limited in our ability to distinguish more universes; otherwise, there could be as many as 10^10^10^7 universes.
To work these numbers out, Linde and Vanchurin looked back to the time shortly after the Big Bang, which they view as a quantum process that generated lots of quantum fluctuations. Then during the period of inflation, the universe grew rapidly and these quantum fluctuations were "frozen" into classical perturbations in distinct regions. Today, each of these regions could be a different universe, having its own distinct laws of low energy physics.
By analyzing the mechanism (called "slow roll inflation") that initially generated the quantum fluctuations, the scientists could estimate the number of resulting universes at 10^10^10^7 (a number which is dependent on the model they used). However, this number is limited by other factors, specifically by the limits of the human brain. Since the total amount of information that one individual can absorb in a lifetime is about 10^16 bits, which is equivalent to 10^10^16 configurations, this means that a human brain couldn't distinguish more than 10^10^16 universes.
Requiring that the human brain must be able to count the number of parallel universes may seem inappropriate, if not arrogant, but Linde and Vanchurin explain that dealing with the quantum world is different than our everyday lives in which quantum effects can be safely ignored. A crucial part of their calculation here is an investigation of quantum effects on supergalactic scales. In this kind of scenario, the state of the multiverse and observations made by an observer are correlated (similar to the Schrodinger cat experiment, where the outcome can be determined only after it is registered by a classical observer).
"When we analyze the probability of the existence of a universe of a given type, we should be talking about a consistent pair: the universe and an observer who makes the rest of the universe 'alive' and the wave function of the rest of the universe time-dependent," the scientists write.
As the scientists explain, the calculation of the number of universes is an important step toward an even larger goal: to find the probability of living in a universe with a particular set of properties. What are the chances that we live in a world in which the laws of physics are these laws that we currently observe? Answering this question requires finding probabilities that depend on knowing about other universes, among many other challenges.
How many universes are in the multiverse? by Andrei Linde and Vitaly Vanchurin
- No Evidence, No Cigar...robert Lanza's Biocentric Universe And The Afterlife
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- Callllllllll Forrrrrrrrrr "meta-physician"...so Called Johnny Roventini
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- S. Hawking's New Book...a Review By Michael Moorcock
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- Parallel Universes Exist Reports Fox News, Ya Right
And so Fox News is reporting the lastest in science fiction. "Freaky Physics Proves Parallel Universes Exist" by John Brandon April 5th, 2010 FOXNews.com Look past the details of a wonky discovery by a group of California scientists -- that a quantum...
- Extrapolation Went Too Far
Of course this is unanswerable but I suggest that the field be narrowed to our own universe...the laws of physics as we understand them may not be the same everywhere in the universe. "Life beyond our universe: Physicists explore the possibility of...
Philosophy
10^10^16 parallel universes...theoretical physics run amuck
I don't buy this at all.
"Over the past few decades, the idea that our universe could be one of many alternate universes within a giant multiverse has grown from a sci-fi fantasy into a legitimate theoretical possibility. Several theories of physics and astronomy have hypothesized the existence of a multiverse made of many parallel universes. One obvious question that arises, then, is exactly how many of these parallel universes might there be."
"Physicists Calculate Number of Parallel Universes"
by
Lisa Zyga
October 16th, 2009
PHYSORG.COM
by
Lisa Zyga
October 16th, 2009
PHYSORG.COM
In a new study, Stanford physicists Andrei Linde and Vitaly Vanchurin have calculated the number of all possible universes, coming up with an answer of 10^10^16. If that number sounds large, the scientists explain that it would have been even more humongous, except that we observers are limited in our ability to distinguish more universes; otherwise, there could be as many as 10^10^10^7 universes.
To work these numbers out, Linde and Vanchurin looked back to the time shortly after the Big Bang, which they view as a quantum process that generated lots of quantum fluctuations. Then during the period of inflation, the universe grew rapidly and these quantum fluctuations were "frozen" into classical perturbations in distinct regions. Today, each of these regions could be a different universe, having its own distinct laws of low energy physics.
By analyzing the mechanism (called "slow roll inflation") that initially generated the quantum fluctuations, the scientists could estimate the number of resulting universes at 10^10^10^7 (a number which is dependent on the model they used). However, this number is limited by other factors, specifically by the limits of the human brain. Since the total amount of information that one individual can absorb in a lifetime is about 10^16 bits, which is equivalent to 10^10^16 configurations, this means that a human brain couldn't distinguish more than 10^10^16 universes.
Requiring that the human brain must be able to count the number of parallel universes may seem inappropriate, if not arrogant, but Linde and Vanchurin explain that dealing with the quantum world is different than our everyday lives in which quantum effects can be safely ignored. A crucial part of their calculation here is an investigation of quantum effects on supergalactic scales. In this kind of scenario, the state of the multiverse and observations made by an observer are correlated (similar to the Schrodinger cat experiment, where the outcome can be determined only after it is registered by a classical observer).
"When we analyze the probability of the existence of a universe of a given type, we should be talking about a consistent pair: the universe and an observer who makes the rest of the universe 'alive' and the wave function of the rest of the universe time-dependent," the scientists write.
As the scientists explain, the calculation of the number of universes is an important step toward an even larger goal: to find the probability of living in a universe with a particular set of properties. What are the chances that we live in a world in which the laws of physics are these laws that we currently observe? Answering this question requires finding probabilities that depend on knowing about other universes, among many other challenges.
How many universes are in the multiverse? by Andrei Linde and Vitaly Vanchurin
- No Evidence, No Cigar...robert Lanza's Biocentric Universe And The Afterlife
"Is there an afterlife? Science can prove there is, quantum physicist claims" by John Hall November 15th, 2013 The Independent It's a question pondered by philosophers, scientists and the devout since the dawn of time: is there an afterlife? While...
- Callllllllll Forrrrrrrrrr "meta-physician"...so Called Johnny Roventini
Now we are entering the realm of philosophy and metaphysics. "Will we ever… know what happened before the Big Bang?" by Matthew Francis May 3rd, 2013 BBC NEWS If you think theories about the universe are mind-bending, rest assured that many...
- S. Hawking's New Book...a Review By Michael Moorcock
Well, why not...nothing else to do, so write a book and speculate. "Book review: 'The Grand Design' by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow" This fascinating book ponders the numerous theories that explain our universe, scientific and otherwise....
- Parallel Universes Exist Reports Fox News, Ya Right
And so Fox News is reporting the lastest in science fiction. "Freaky Physics Proves Parallel Universes Exist" by John Brandon April 5th, 2010 FOXNews.com Look past the details of a wonky discovery by a group of California scientists -- that a quantum...
- Extrapolation Went Too Far
Of course this is unanswerable but I suggest that the field be narrowed to our own universe...the laws of physics as we understand them may not be the same everywhere in the universe. "Life beyond our universe: Physicists explore the possibility of...