This Remarkable Thing (for the free-thinkers out there)

edgray

edgray

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This video is just amazing. Posted in another thread but I think it deserves it's own.

This is a video about the possibility of a multiverse. That is, the idea that our universe is just one of many universes, all unique, with their own geometry, dimensions, natural laws, and of course the possibility of other forms of life.

An exercise in free-thought more than anything, and some interesting speculation. It also talks of the origins of our universe, how the universe was formed through the 4 forces of nature (Gravity, Electromagnetism, The Strong Force and the Weak Force) and the resulting life, too.

And all presented in such an awe-inspiring and eloquent way. Enjoy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdRCPjXn1DY
 
Good video Ed! I like the lines,

What other things have we found where there was only one of them?

We exist simply because our existence is possible.

As far as there being multiple universes, I don't know. But like the video said, no one can know. It's reasonable to think something existed before our universe and that thing created/spawned our universe. Of course, you quickly get into an infinite regression if you ask where that thing came from. Like the old philosopher who said it's turtles all the way down. But for there to have always been something is unimaginable especially for a being that won't make it to much more than a hundred years old. So who knows.
 
BornReady said:
Good video Ed! I like the lines,

What other things have we found where there was only one of them?

We exist simply because our existence is possible.

As far as there being multiple universes, I don't know. But like the video said, no one can know. It's reasonable to think something existed before our universe and that thing created/spawned our universe. Of course, you quickly get into an infinite regression if you ask where that thing came from. Like the old philosopher who said it's turtles all the way down. But for there to have always been something is unimaginable especially for a being that won't make it to much more than a hundred years old. So who knows.
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Yeah the guy that makes these videos is just so inspirational I think. He's awoken a real thirst for science inside me, I just can't get enough of this amazing universe we live in :D

As the guy explains tho, we might be able to detect multiple universes using hints in our own. For example, it is thought that the universe is made of 11 dimensions, but we can only perceive 4 of them. The other dimensions are derived from mathematical calculations.

The same could go down with the multiverse. Gravity, for example, is a confusing force, and could well be explained by multiple universes, and therefore show their existence.

I guess if the scientists successfully create a new universe in the lab, which is being worked on, we'll know that in both theory and practice there is at least 2, our own, and the new one we've created.

Interesting stuff.
 
Multiple universes give a good answer to the anthropic principle. If there's only one universe then the probability it would have the physical laws necessary to support intelligent life are not good. If there's billions of universes then the probability one of them could support intelligent life are much better. It's even possible that universes evolve. For example, suppose our universe was spawned by a black hole in another universe and our universe inherited most of the physical laws of its parent but with some random modification. Then the universes which had the physical laws necessary to create lots of black holes would be the more successful universes at "reproducing". And some of their offspring would likely be even more successful at "reproducing". Eventually this evolution would arrive at a universe with the ideal physical laws for creating the most black holes. This could be the universe we find ourselves in. All the galaxies in our universe could be a spandrel effect due to fine tuning the physical laws to create black holes. But, of course, this is all speculation.
 
BornReady said:
Multiple universes give a good answer to the anthropic principle. If there's only one universe then the probability it would have the physical laws necessary to support intelligent life are not good. If there's billions of universes then the probability one of them could support intelligent life are much better. It's even possible that universes evolve. For example, suppose our universe was spawned by a black hole in another universe and our universe inherited most of the physical laws of its parent but with some random modification. Then the universes which had the physical laws necessary to create lots of black holes would be the more successful universes at "reproducing". And some of their offspring would likely be even more successful at "reproducing". Eventually this evolution would arrive at a universe with the ideal physical laws for creating the most black holes. This could be the universe we find ourselves in. All the galaxies in our universe could be a spandrel effect due to fine tuning the physical laws to create black holes. But, of course, this is all speculation.
Click to expand...

Also, given that how each universe could conceivably have completely different natural laws, life could take up an incredible array of forms, it might even be something we couldn't even recognise as life.

Some interesting ideas there.
 
I remember reading about Galileo for class one semester. went to my first trip to a planetarium for the first time as well, and I can only imagine his thoughts after seeing Jupiter and Saturn....we truly live in an age where it acceptable to be smart and scholarly. Funny thing about society during the Renaissance (and before it as well) society accepted people like Mozart for being a prodigy of music and yet throw out the people like Galileo as one to defy government.
 
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