Do Parallel Universes exist?
By, Kayla Parker
The behavior of quantum particles is erratic, it makes our understanding of probability become questionable. I defies many of the rules of science, instead of the particles going one direction at different times, they all go different directions at the same time. Nothing is quite as it seems with quantum physics and we have no idea of what knowledge that it contains, thus meaning our understanding of the universe and what we think we know about it is challenged.
The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
The Copenhagen Interpretation
When compared to the other studies of science, quantum physics seems quite ridiculous, it is a relatively new study dating back to only 1900. Maybe the right theory that will explain quantum physics hasn’t been suggested yet, maybe the person who will propose it hasn't been born yet. But when you look at all of the theories, all of them could be true at the same time, even the contradicting ones. The Copenhagen theory is one of the most comforting and most believable theories that have been put out there, even though it frustrates scientists that the particles could exist in more than one state at a time, it only puts our understanding of the universe slightly escue.
The Many Worlds Theory
In the Many Worlds Theory time does not exist, instead it jumps and skips. Instead of in a line, the time is in branches. In one universe you win and in another universe you lose, in one universe you're alive and in another one you are dead. If there are infinite universes the laws of probability don’t add up. It would mean that every answer to every problem is definitely going to happen somewhere, this leads to a mathematical meltdown. It would make it so that we would no longer be able to use quantum problems the way that we do in our theories. Elementary particles can be in two places at once therefore you can be in two places at once. Your fate depends on which universe you live in, but you will never be able to know which quantum reality it is.
String Theory
The Theory of Everything
The Cosmic Inflation Theory
Thought Experiments
The quantum level is the smallest level of matter that scientists have detected so far, it is nearly impossible for scientists to study this level using the traditional methods of science inquiry. This is why in order to study and learn about quantum physics, physicists must use thought experiments like the one mentioned above. Thought experiments mean that the experiments are only carried out hypothetically. But all of the experiments are backed up by data observed in quantum physics which make the experiment outcome more likely. Now based on the thought experiment mentioned above, you might be wondering,“ So how come people who have attempted to kill themselves aren't immortal?” The answer is, they might be, just in the other universe, in this universe we got stuck with the dead person, with that half of the universe split. But this thought experiment is only trying to prove one theory, there are many other theories out there.
Vocabulary
- Photons: small packets of light
- Matter: any physical substance
- Cosmic: in relation to the universe
- Quantum: a very small or discrete quantity of energy