Research on parallel universes

Breitbart reports (via Ace) on mathematical research that seems to support the theory of parallel universes:

Parallel universes really do exist, according to a mathematical discovery by Oxford scientists . .

The parallel universe theory, first proposed in 1950 by the US physicist Hugh Everett, helps explain mysteries of quantum mechanics that have baffled scientists for decades, it is claimed.

In Everett's "many worlds" universe, every time a new physical possibility is explored, the universe splits. Given a number of possible alternative outcomes, each one is played out - in its own universe. . . .

According to quantum mechanics, nothing at the subatomic scale can really be said to exist until it is observed. Until then, particles occupy nebulous "superposition" states, in which they can have simultaneous "up" and "down" spins, or appear to be in different places at the same time.

Observation appears to "nail down" a particular state of reality, in the same way as a spinning coin can only be said to be in a "heads" or "tails" state once it is caught.

According to quantum mechanics, unobserved particles are described by "wave functions" representing a set of multiple "probable" states. When an observer makes a measurement, the particle then settles down into one of these multiple options.

The Oxford team, led by Dr David Deutsch, showed mathematically that the bush-like branching structure created by the universe splitting into parallel versions of itself can explain the probabilistic nature of quantum outcomes.

Terry Pratchett fans will recognize that the "bush-like branching" referenced above is in fact a phenomenon known on Discworld as "the trousers of time."

Comments

[Ana]

You mean, somewhere out there I'm a different me than I am here?

[Sean H]

The Breitbart article is overstating things quite a bit. The study doesn't actually claim to show they exist so the headline's just flat-out false. What they've found is that some key equations of quantum mechanics pop up when they're working with the math of parallel universes. Since we know quantum mechanics describes things in the real world it suggests that maybe the many worlds math is related and also describes something real. Then again it could turn out to be nothing.

A lot of the math theoretical physicists are working with now is so complex that we won't be able to go much farther until they finally get quantum computers working so it's a really fuzzy field. I saw something quite a while back saying we're kind of at a standstill on string theory and such. It said some of the equations involved are so god-awful that all our current computers together would take ridiculous multiples of the age of the universe to solve them. That's why you see so many "suggests" and "may explains" in physics stories.

[Jake]

Sean..

Every party has a pooper that's why we invited you..

PARTY POOPER!

I know someplace out there in some parallel universe I'm rich.. good lookin & bringin sexy back!

[Ana]

yeah. I'm with Jake. In my parallel universe I never say stupid shit, I'm really patient, and chocolate is a diet food.

[CraigC]

In my parallel universe I'm Neil Peart.

[Jake]

Funny, I was just reading Peart's Traveling Music: Playing Back The Soundtrack To My life And Times and on page 289 he says "..yannow, I'm pretty much convinced that in some quantum mechanical parallel universe I'm CraigC... Either him or the Orangutan librarian at the Unseen University... Ook... One or the other.."

Talk about synchonicity...

[CraigC]

I'm just getting ready to watch his DVD "Anatomy of a Drum Solo." Probably a bit of heavy going for anyone but a drummer, lol.