Parallel worlds exist and interact with our world, say physicists
Parallel worlds exist and interact with our world, say physicists
Theory explains bizarre observations made in quantum mechanics.
Quantum mechanics, though firmly tested, is so weird and anti-intuitive that famed physicist Richard Feynman once remarked, "I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics." Attempts to explain some of the bizarre consequences of quantum theory have led to some mind-bending ideas, such as the Copenhagen interpretation and the many-worlds interpretation.
Now there's a "new" theory on the block, called the "many interacting worlds" hypothesis (MIW), and the idea is just as profound as it sounds. The theory suggests not only that parallel worlds exist, but that they interact with our world on the quantum level and are thus detectable. Though still speculative, the theory may help to finally explain some of the bizarre consequences inherent in quantum mechanics.
The theory is a spinoff of the many-worlds interpretation in quantum mechanics — an idea that posits that all possible alternative histories and futures are real, each representing an actual, though parallel, world.
Sean Carroll, a theoretical physicist at the California Institute of Technology, supports the many-worlds theory. It's the subject of his new book, "Something Deeply Hidden."
"It's absolutely possible that there are multiple worlds where you made different decisions. We're just obeying the laws of physics," says Carroll, Just how many versions of you might there be, asks NBC News. "We don't know whether the number of worlds is finite or infinite, but it's certainly a very large number," Carroll says. "There's no way it's, like, five."
One problem with the many-worlds interpretation, however, has been that it's fundamentally untestable, since observations can only be made in our world. Happenings in these proposed "parallel" worlds can thus only be imagined.
MIW says otherwise. It suggests that parallel worlds can interact on the quantum level, and in fact they do, as this video explains.
More story at site
Parallel worlds exist and interact with our world, say physicists
Theory explains bizarre observations made in quantum mechanics.
Quantum mechanics, though firmly tested, is so weird and anti-intuitive that famed physicist Richard Feynman once remarked, "I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics." Attempts to explain some of the bizarre consequences of quantum theory have led to some mind-bending ideas, such as the Copenhagen interpretation and the many-worlds interpretation.
Now there's a "new" theory on the block, called the "many interacting worlds" hypothesis (MIW), and the idea is just as profound as it sounds. The theory suggests not only that parallel worlds exist, but that they interact with our world on the quantum level and are thus detectable. Though still speculative, the theory may help to finally explain some of the bizarre consequences inherent in quantum mechanics.
The theory is a spinoff of the many-worlds interpretation in quantum mechanics — an idea that posits that all possible alternative histories and futures are real, each representing an actual, though parallel, world.
Sean Carroll, a theoretical physicist at the California Institute of Technology, supports the many-worlds theory. It's the subject of his new book, "Something Deeply Hidden."
"It's absolutely possible that there are multiple worlds where you made different decisions. We're just obeying the laws of physics," says Carroll, Just how many versions of you might there be, asks NBC News. "We don't know whether the number of worlds is finite or infinite, but it's certainly a very large number," Carroll says. "There's no way it's, like, five."
One problem with the many-worlds interpretation, however, has been that it's fundamentally untestable, since observations can only be made in our world. Happenings in these proposed "parallel" worlds can thus only be imagined.
MIW says otherwise. It suggests that parallel worlds can interact on the quantum level, and in fact they do, as this video explains.
More story at site
