Are We One of Many Universes? MIT Physicist Says "Yes"

[n2doc]

Modern cosmology theory holds that our universe may be just one in a vast collection of universes known as the multiverse. MIT physicist Alan Guth has suggested that new universes (known as “pocket universes”) are constantly being created, but they cannot be seen from our universe.

In this view, “nature gets a lot of tries — the universe is an experiment that’s repeated over and over again, each time with slightly different physical laws, or even vastly different physical laws,” says Jaffe.

Some of these universes would collapse instants after forming; in others, the forces between particles would be so weak they could not give rise to atoms or molecules. However, if conditions were suitable, matter would coalesce into galaxies and planets, and if the right elements were present in those worlds, intelligent life could evolve.

Some physicists have theorized that only universes in which the laws of physics are “just so” could support life, and that if things were even a little bit different from our world, intelligent life would be impossible. In that case, our physical laws might be explained “anthropically,” meaning that they are as they are because if they were otherwise, no one would be around to notice them.


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http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2011/02/are-we-one-of-many-universes-mit-physicist-says-yes.html#more

[1620rock]

1. Wow! what a cool concept! K&R

[MineralMan]

2. It all depends on how one defines "intelligent life,"

I think. "Anthropic" seems to describe well these physicists definition of it. We're pretty limited in our ability to imagine things that are drastically different from what we experience, frankly. The definitions of "life" and "intelligence" as used by these physicists are extremely biased toward ourselves and our current condition. A little more thought might show them other possibilities, I think.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. No, they're all SF fans. :^)

They've seen more than a few unconventional ideas about what other life might be like.

This article doesn't make it clear that "anthropic" has a particular meaning here -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropic_principle

[Orrex]

8. Yeah, I'll bet the problem is that they haven't thought about it

A little more thought might show them other possibilities, I think.

:eyes:

[patrice]

3. Another "chicken or the egg question" = physical laws:someone who "notice(s)" them.

[The Doctor.]

4. More than any of us can possibly imagine.

And "I can imagine a lot."

[originalpckelly]

6. And can he measure this? Conduct experiments on it?

Then it's speculation and not science. His speculation is no more valid than someone who claims the universe was started by a big clown named Burt, and that there are many clowns named Burt, and that only some of them create universes where live can be supported.

[immoderate]

7. You know Burt?

Small world.

--imm

[qazplm]

9. it's a hypothesis

and currently he can't test it, but that doesn't make it "not science" it just makes it not a currently testable theory.

[originalpckelly]

10. It's speculation from a smart guy.

That's all it is.

His' is no better than anyone else's. Why don't we stick to the universe we can actually conduct experiments on to actually learn how the world really works?

[qazplm]

11. all hypotheses

are "speculation from smart guys."

I wasn't aware that some folks thinking about multiple universes somehow drains away the ability to conduct other experiments.

[14thColony]

12. So science should not even ponder things that it can't immediately toss in a test tube?

I fear it's your definition of what constitutes science that is more the speculation here.

This step is called "hypothesis formation" - a conjecture that could explain certain observed phenomena. In this case there are observed phenomena (e.g. the existence of the "Great Attractor") which could be plausibly explained by the close proximity of another universe to ours. Or could be explained by things confined to our universe. But once the hypothesis is established, it might be possible to make predictions that can be tested for. This is far different from mere speculation, which leads nowhere.