Fecund Universes: Exploring Lee Smolin's Theory on Child Universes

  • Thread starter ricardo81
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In summary: In theory this would be possible, but it would violate known laws of physics.So I'm wondering if anyone knows of any experiments or theory that could actually measure this 'bits in, bits out' phenomenon.
  • #1
ricardo81
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As a general amateur enthusiast of physics, I've been reading about various proposals regarding a multiverse, beyond the big bang and the borderline philosophical concepts of beyond the big bang.

I 'warm' to Lee Smolin's Fecund Universes idea. A universe is born... with slightly different constants and the laws of natural selection applying to child universes lasting over time, with a black hole as its parent.

I was wondering whether the problem of 'if the information is lost' was dealt with in this (or similar) theories when such a thing occurs, which'd apparently be a violation of the known laws of physics. I have this idea that, potentially, because time slows and general relativity breaks down at a black hole, that the entire child universe created could potentially last for Planck length of time (on our universe's scale of time), but in itself have a lifespan similar to our own. i.e. the child universe lives a normal life, but from our frame of reference it never existed and could never be detected.

Said universe's collapse on themself and their entropy is emitted out the black hole as radiation. Because they are two separate systems and the parent universe has no deterministic way of knowing the information output, perhaps it could explain why time apparently moves in one direction. (It seems like only one non-reversible process through our own universe or many would result in time moving one way).

Taking the idea to our own parent univese, precisely nothing would have happened since the big bang. The utmost parent universe, to us, would apparently last for an eternity but be subject to the same cyclical nature.

As people who are undoubtably more knowledgeable about the practical limits and currently understood knowledge, I welcome any insight!
 
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  • #2
It's one of many 'multiverse' proposals on offer which are supposed to explain the origin of the known observable universe.
However I don't personally take any of these very seriously, since anyone of these proposals might be correct, and also none of them might be correct.
Given the lack of any evidence for any multiverse proposal at present, I can't see them as deserving any status better than interesting speculation.
Being able to produce nice mathematical models is useless by itself, the model needs to describe actually occurring physical phenomena that we are certain of.
 
  • #3
Thanks, that's the impression I get. There are a lot of theories, some more popular than others.

I was thinking with regards to the 2nd point about information and black holes, there would be the potentially to measure 'bits in, bits out' if it were possible to create a black hole.
 

1. What is the theory of fecund universes?

The theory of fecund universes, proposed by physicist Lee Smolin, suggests that new universes are constantly being created through black holes. This theory is based on the idea that a black hole contains a singularity, which, instead of collapsing into a single point, explodes and forms a new universe.

2. How does this theory differ from the multiverse theory?

The multiverse theory suggests that there are multiple universes existing simultaneously, each with its own set of physical laws. Fecund universes, on the other hand, propose that new universes are constantly being created through black holes, and therefore, share a similar set of physical laws.

3. Is there any evidence to support this theory?

There is currently no direct evidence to support the theory of fecund universes. However, mathematical equations and simulations have shown that black holes could potentially create new universes. Additionally, the theory is consistent with the laws of physics, making it a plausible explanation.

4. What implications does this theory have for our understanding of the universe?

The theory of fecund universes challenges traditional ideas about the origin and structure of the universe. If proven true, it would suggest that the universe is constantly expanding and creating new universes, rather than being a singular event. This could also potentially help explain the existence of dark matter and dark energy.

5. How does this theory tie into the concept of the "selfish universe"?

The concept of the "selfish universe" is closely related to the theory of fecund universes. It suggests that universes that have the ability to create new universes through black holes would have an evolutionary advantage, leading to a "survival of the fittest" scenario among universes. This ties into the idea that our universe may have specific physical laws and constants that allow it to create new universes, making it a "selfish" universe in comparison to others.

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