Multiverse and “Many Worlds” Theory
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If any of you reading this are familiar with Schrödinger’s cat, a recent paper from Raphael Bousso and Leonard Susskind, ( University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University, respectively) will certainly give you a lot to consider. The paper argues that the many worlds of quantum mechanics and the many worlds of the multiverse, are in fact the same thing. The researchers also argue that the multiverse is necessary to give exact meaning to probability predictions from quantum mechanics.
In essence, the interpretation states that all possible outcomes, and as such alternate histories exist. If you’ve ever seen the television show “Sliders” or other sci-fi shows that feature “alternate” universes, you understand the concept. Essentially, given a set of potential outcomes, the theory states that ALL outcomes are possible. So in this universe you are reading this story, and in another universe you may not, while in yet another universe you may not have ever been born!
Bousso and Susskind place certain criteria for their theory to hold true, one of which is a supersymmetric multiverse with vanishing cosmological constant. The researchers further argue that since the “many worlds” scenario is only possible in their “supersymmetric” universe, they must be one and the same. Bousso and Susskind refer to this as the multiverse interpretation of quantum mechanics, and as leading string theorists both researchers have the expertise to back up their claims.
One issue with the theory, like many theories in experimental physics, is that Bousso and Susskind’s theory cannot truly be tested. What this results in is something more akin to philosophy than scientific findings, yet their work is based on sound reasoning.
If you’d like to read the paper in its entirety, you can grab a copy from arxiv.org at:
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/1105/1105.3796v1.pdf( 700k PDF)
Ray Sanders is a Sci-Fi geek, astronomer and blogger. Currently researching variable stars at Arizona State University, he writes for Universe Today, The Planetary Society blog, and his own blog, Dear Astronomer
2012-12-04 08:06:04
Source: http://www.dearastronomer.com/2011/05/23/multiverse-and-many-worlds-theory/
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