Multiverse

hypothetical group of multiple universes

A multiverse is the theory of a conjectured set of multiple possible universes, including ours, which make up reality. These universes are sometimes called parallel universes. A number of different versions have been considered.

The word "multiverse" was created in 1895 by psychologist William James as a philosophical concept.[1]

The cosmological multiverse

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The cosmological multiverse tries to explain why the universe we can see sometimes called ''our universe'' is one that life can exist in. Even small changes to the way physics works would make life impossible. In a multiverse a large number of universes are randomly created and some happen to favour life emerging there. Many inhospitable universes would also have been created, but there would be no life there to observe their existence.[2]

The quantum multiverse

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The quantum multiverse is another version in which our universe splits into alternative futures with every quantum event. This is called Many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.[3]

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Further reading

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  • "Astrophysicists lock horns over weather the multiverse exists". Mind Matters News. 27 February 2022.
  • "Multiverse theories are bad for science". John Horgan. Scientific American.
  • "Everything Everywhere All at Once, explained by a quantum physicist". Alex Abad-Sentos. Vox. 15 April 2022.
  • "Is the Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Right Re: The Multiverse. Sheldon Cooper insists that in no universe would he dance with Penny". Robert J. Marks. Mind Matters News. 4 June 2020.
  • "Why This Universe? A New Calculation Suggests Our Cosmos Is Typical". QuantaMagazine.

References

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  1. James, William 1895. The Will to Believe, and earlier in 1895, as cited in OED's new 2003 entry for "multiverse": 1895 W. JAMES in International Journal of Ethics 6 p10. "Visible nature is all plasticity and indifference, a multiverse, as one might call it, and not a universe".
  2. Vergano, Dan (2014-03-19). "Big Bang Discovery Opens Doors to the "Multiverse"". National Geographic. Retrieved 2018-09-18.
  3. Byrne, Peter (October 21, 2008). "The Many Worlds of Hugh Everett". Scientific American. Retrieved 2018-09-18.