Traveling to alternate universes

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of traveling to alternate universes, exploring ideas related to parallel universes, the multiverse, and the implications of space-time. Participants engage in a mix of cosmological theories and references to popular culture, particularly the show Stranger Things.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that if space-time goes on forever, it could hypothetically repeat itself, suggesting a framework for understanding parallel universes.
  • Others argue that the concept of parallel universes is often conflated with the multiverse, and if such universes exist, they are likely causally disconnected from our own.
  • A participant questions the validity of using fictional narratives, like Stranger Things, to derive scientific conclusions about alternate dimensions.
  • Some contributions reference the many worlds hypothesis, suggesting that every possible outcome occurs in separate, causally distinct realms.
  • Max Tegmark's theories are mentioned, particularly regarding the implications of randomness and the existence of finitely describable universes.
  • There is a discussion about the statistical nature of repeating sequences in an infinite universe, with some participants expressing skepticism about the feasibility of such repetitions.
  • One participant notes that if there is an infinite number of worlds, each would have zero probability, raising questions about the nature of infinity in this context.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the nature of alternate universes and the implications of space-time. There is no consensus on the validity of using fictional examples to illustrate scientific concepts, nor is there agreement on the nature of parallel universes and their accessibility.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on assumptions about the nature of infinity and the definitions of universes, which remain unresolved. The discussion also reflects a blend of scientific inquiry and speculative reasoning, with varying degrees of skepticism about the interpretations presented.

diezir
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We have a three-dimensional universe, and if we include space-time - four. So, in Stranger Things, the characters do not travel to another dimension, but rather to another version of Earth in a parallel universe. This is hypothetically true. If space-time goes on forever, it only makes sense that it should repeat itself.
 
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diezir said:
This is hypothetically true. If space-time goes on forever, it only makes sense that it should repeat itself.
Any sort of 'hypothesis' can be discussed but that doesn't imply it will "make sense". Just don't try to bring Physics into this it won't run.
 
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diezir said:
We have a three-dimensional universe, and if we include space-time - four. So, in Stranger Things, the characters do not travel to another dimension, but rather to another version of Earth in a parallel universe. This is hypothetically true.
You don't seem to understand the concept of other "parallel" universes being the same thing as the multiverse and if they exist (which is doubtful) they are causally disconnected from ours. Stranger Things is FICTION. Don't try to make science out of it.
If space-time goes on forever, it only makes sense that it should repeat itself.
That seems to make sense to you but it makes no sense to me. The integers go on forever. Do they repeat themselves?
 
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Although this thread started off as a question in cosmology (sort of), it has morphed into something that should be in the science fiction forum, not cosmology.
 
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It's definitely possible! For example Dr Strange traveled to the dark dimension to engage Dormammu, and Scott Lang used Pym particles to enter the quantum realm.
 
imagIne71 said:
Summary:: How can we travel to another universe?

How can we travel from one alternate universe to another?, how could we prove that it has happened?
What "our universe" is is pretty well defined by the fact that it at least contains the part we can visit, which is part of the causally connected part of the universe. So any place we can in principle visit is already part of our universe. Other universes are causally disconnected from our universe, which we therefore can't visit.
 
phinds said:
Although this thread started off as a question in cosmology (sort of), it has morphed into something that should be in the science fiction forum, not cosmology.
Agreed. And moved.
 
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Alternative Universe? You can't get there from here.
 
phinds said:
Stranger Things is FICTION.
It is also very derivative, repetitive and boring. I watched about three of the first episodes. Yawn; not enough car chases or bar fights.
 
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diezir said:
We have a three-dimensional universe, and if we include space-time - four. So, in Stranger Things, the characters do not travel to another dimension, but rather to another version of Earth in a parallel universe. This is hypothetically true. If space-time goes on forever, it only makes sense that it should repeat itself.
That's called 'technobabble'. You are doin' it right.

Regarding the 'repeat' thing: if you make a random series of variables: like decimals of a number there will be sequences which repeat themselves with some statistical chance. That's true.
As far as we understand now the problem with the universe - any universe - is that the possible number of values (states) its 'decimals' can take is pretty big (practically infinite). You need some infinite-on-infinite-on-infinite kind of number of repeats to have significant pieces (not the whole - just pieces) to repeat themselves.

Just keep on with the technobabble. That's more reliable. Sort of.
 
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  • #11
diezir said:
This is hypothetically true. If space-time goes on forever, it only makes sense that it should repeat itself.
Max Tegmark seems to think so, with some assumptions.

There is the many worlds hypothesis which says that everything that can happen (has non-zero probability according to Quantum mechanics) does happen, but reality branches off into different causally separate realms (different realms, rather than spatially separated universes or worlds). In that scenario there is a reality with every possible version of you.

Tegmark, however, argues that, given some randomness properties, and an infinite number of finitely describable universes, you get the same thing, where everything that can happen does happen in some universe.

The Multiverse Hierarchy
https://arxiv.org/pdf/0905.1283.pdf

There was a discussion on PF related to this.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/quantum-immortality-without-mwi.997952/
 
  • #12
Jarvis323 said:
Max Tegmark seems to think so, with some assumptions.

There is the many worlds hypothesis which says that everything that can happen (has non-zero probability according to Quantum mechanics) does happen, but reality branches off into different causally separate realms (different realms, rather than spatially separated universes or worlds). In that scenario there is a reality with every possible version of you.

Tegmark, however, argues that, given some randomness properties, and an infinite number of finitely describable universes, you get the same thing, where everything that can happen does happen in some universe.

The Multiverse Hierarchy
https://arxiv.org/pdf/0905.1283.pdf

There was a discussion on PF related to this.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/quantum-immortality-without-mwi.997952/

If there is an infinity of worlds then each one has zero probability. Lebesque integration was invented to deal with this.

I remain to be convinced that an infinite Universe is finitely describable.
 
  • #13
Hornbein said:
Alternative Universe? You can't get there from here.
Tegmark estimates that the nearest identical copy of you is probably only about ##10^{10^{29}}## m away in a level ##\text{I}## multiverse. But there would be many near perfect copies as well, and I'm not sure how close they would be.
 
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