Is the false vacuum theory not well accepted?

In summary, research on the Higgs boson suggests that the universe is in a false vacuum, but many physicists do not take it seriously because if it were true, it would have destroyed us billions of years ago. Physicist Katie Mack compares this to a piece of paper that should spontaneously combust, but has not despite being exposed to intense processes like inflation, cosmic ray collisions, and energetic quasars. Some physicists are considering the instability of the Higgs field as an indication of unknown physics that is stabilizing it.
  • #1
Trollfaz
137
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Research into the Higgs boson suggest that the universe is in a false vacuum but I heard many physicists do not take it seriously as they think that if it were true we cannot even exist as it would have wiped us out billions of years ago.

For example Katie Mack said that its like a piece of paper that is thought to spontaneously combust but it had been put into a furnace in the past and yet it did not burn. What she means is that there are a lot of natural processes that is intense enough to knock the higgs potential to the stable state such as inflation, cosmic ray collisions, energetic quasars but we are still safe.

Are a lot of physicists taking this instability as an error to tell us that there is something unknown physics that is stabilising the Higgs field
 
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  • #2
Trollfaz said:
Research into the Higgs boson suggest that
If you could provide a link to what you've been reading, we might be able to respond more sensibly.
 

1. What is the false vacuum theory?

The false vacuum theory is a concept in physics that suggests the existence of a state of the universe that appears to be stable but is actually not the true lowest energy state. This means that the universe could potentially undergo a catastrophic phase transition to a lower energy state, resulting in significant changes to the laws of physics and the structure of the universe.

2. Why is the false vacuum theory not well accepted?

The false vacuum theory is not well accepted because there is currently no experimental evidence to support it. It is purely a theoretical concept that has not been observed or proven through scientific experiments. Additionally, there are other theories and models that better explain the behavior of the universe without the need for a false vacuum state.

3. How does the false vacuum theory relate to the Big Bang theory?

The false vacuum theory is often used to explain the initial conditions of the Big Bang. It suggests that the universe began in a false vacuum state and underwent a phase transition to the true vacuum state, resulting in the rapid expansion and cooling that we observe in the Big Bang. However, this is still a theoretical concept and has not been proven.

4. Are there any potential implications of the false vacuum theory?

If the false vacuum theory is true, it could have significant implications for our understanding of the universe and the laws of physics. It could potentially explain the existence of dark energy and dark matter, as well as the observed asymmetry between matter and antimatter. It could also have implications for the ultimate fate of the universe.

5. Is the false vacuum theory being actively researched?

Yes, the false vacuum theory is still an active area of research in physics. Scientists are constantly working to gather more evidence and refine the theory, as well as exploring other potential explanations for the behavior of the universe. However, it is still a highly debated and controversial concept in the scientific community.

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