Parallel Universes: Existential Shock
Sit back, close your eyes, and imagine how complex the universe is. Now take that, multiply it by infinity, and then toss in some parallel dimensions and/or parallel universes. Overwhelming? Yes. Insane? I am not so sure. Fermilab, located in Illinois, is working on experiments to once and for all shatter our current model of the universe. Physicists hypothesize that there are four different classes of parallel universes; each type just gets stranger than the next.
Type 1 Parallel Universes
These exist in the same space-time that our universe occupies but too far to see or detect. The nearest one is a googolplex yards from us. This implies that our universe is infinite in space, and the most accurate calculations to date point to an infinite, flat universe. Consequently, there are an infinite number of parallel universes out there; therefore, our exact planet replica exists in the far reaches of space. You would, in fact, exist in these parallel universes and be reading this same article right now.
A googolplex equals 10^(100 zeros). I had trouble copying that many zeros onto this page.
Type 2 Parallel Universes
These also occur in our space-time like type 1s. Made up of giant cosmic soap bubbles that float in hyperspace or the bulk. These bubbles can clash with one another and bud off more parallel type 2 universes. As they pop into existence, type 2s can also pop out of existence. This can be visualized as a tree of soap bubbles branching off into infinity. This is highly chaotic and is termed “bubble nucleation.” Each of these soap bubbles contains not only one universe, but also an infinite number of type one parallel universes.
Type 3 Parallel Universes
Infinite type 3 universes occupy the same space and time as ours but in different dimensions. These dimensions are each flat membranes that are almost on top of one another. Our own universe floats on one of these membranes. Physicists hypothesize that two of these membranes clashed together like two cosmic cymbals and produced the big bang. This theory gets even stranger. A T-Rex may be storming through your living room, in a parallel Earth, where dinosaurs never went extinct.
Type 4 Parallel Universes
Quantum fluctuations or membranes clashing create these parallel universes, but the laws of physics are not the same as our universe. These universes, for example, might not have a strong gravitational force. Thus, gas and matter would not clump and form galaxies, planets, and stars like our own universe. If life were to evolve in a type 4, it would be nothing like life, as we know it.
This video is from the television series dubbed “The Universe”, which is broadcasted on the History Channel Tuesdays at 9pm/8c. Set your DVRs and TiVos!
The Universe—Parallel Universes Part 1 of 5
The Universe—Parallel Universes Part 2 of 5
The Universe—Parallel Universes Part 3 of 5
The Universe—Parallel Universes Part 4 of 5
The Universe—Parallel Universes Part 5 of 5
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There is not one universe, but many…
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