When we watch science fiction shows like Star Trek or Stargate to name but a few, there’s always been those interesting few episodes which don’t take place entirely within the main “universe” of the show. In Star Trek we see this with both the Kelvin Timeline and the Mirror Universe, which while similar to the “Prime” Universe, they do have distinct differences. Stargate did this with a quantum mirror which allowed travel between these different realities, or in one instance, through the stargate itself due to the powers of a black hole.
These sorts of stories give us the scope for a much wider amount of storytelling as so long as it can be imagined, a story can be made alongside the main show itself. But how close to reality is this, or is it simply TV pseudoscience.
Max Tegmark, Swedish-American
physicist and professor at M.I.T.
There may be more to this than meets the eye as there are theories from actual scientists due to fields such as String Theory and Quantum Mechanics. These do suggest that there alongside our universe, we could have a multiverse, which could be virtually identical to what we have already. Max Tegmark, a mathematician and cosmologist from MIT has suggested there could be four different types of parallel universe.
The first one which is virtually identical to the universe that we currently inhabit with nothing new inside. This would likely be similar to what we’ve seen on Televisions.
The second may be similar but where the laws of physics as we understand them are different, which could open up some very interesting possibilities, maybe gravity works in reverse?
The third type is one which has a similar law of physics to what we have within our own universe, however it’s differentiation to the first is that the conditions at the start of the universe were different.
Finally, is a universe with the same laws of physics again but some of the bylaws that we have here are different.
While all of these do seem very similar, each one has a very unique take on what you’d see if you were to visit a universe which fit each of those descriptions. It’s hard to imagine what it’d look like, but perhaps the Mirror Universe fits into the final idea, as we did see that it was darker naturally within that space.
Hugh Everett first
proposed the 'Many Worlds
Theory' in 1957
While it is fun to postulate on whether these do exist and we could argue this for decades to come, one of the main questions becomes. If we can’t visit it, how can we be sure that it’s there? Perhaps that’s what some explorers or members of the public thought about America before it was discovered by the European explorers back during that period of time. How can they be sure that it’s really there.
Some scientists have been looking at ways to prove whether there are these parallel universes and have come up with some ideas. Both of these ideas stem from the cosmic microwave background which is what’s left over from the big bang. One of the suggestions is that these universes leave either hot or cold spots within this CMB which we can detect with some of the instruments that we’ve got now. Although nothing has been discovered as of yet.
The second idea, is through gravitational waves from the big bang which put “curls” into the CMB. These are then detected by our telescopes which has been done already, back in 2014, although I don’t believe anybody has used that to show a parallel universe yet.
It’s an interesting conundrum, for all we know there’s another UFP in another universe where Three has become the ultimate dictator, running the community with an iron fist with her cat by her side, although I’m not sure how I would feel about that.
Do you think that you’ve got a doppelganger out there somewhere, perhaps whose made a few different choices leading to a different future? I’d love to know what you all think.
WRITTEN BY Chris Wilkinson
EDITED BY Silek
Its very similar to Quantum Super-positioning in Quantum Mechanics whereby something, whether it be an object, state of matter or whatever can exist in every possible form and version at the same time and only becomes one of those states once it’s observed. This could be applied to the ideology of a multiverse, whereby our actions as humans dictate what the outcome, consequence etc. becomes or happens and that a new reality or timeline is formed when a different action is taken.
For example, one day I turned left to walk down the street to go the supermarket for groceries. But what would have happened if I turned right instead? What possibilities could happen by me making such a simple decision? Thanks for writing such an awesome article!