Parallel universe?

Question

Do you think there are parallel universes? Some people think that schizophrenia or people who have a higher level of spiritual awareness are actually getting in touch with parallel universes. I wonder about that. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

There are several WAGs on parallel universes, but that's all they are. A parallel universe has a scientific basis in multi-dimensional models that exceed the standard four-dimensional model of our known universe. One such model is in string/M theory. [See source.] Another is in the so-called Higgs Field model. [See source.]

String/M theory is more a philosophy (a hypothesis) than a theory because it cannot be validated at this time through testing. Same for the Higgs Field. Which is why I call them WAGs. They are interesting mathematical results, but no more than that at this time.

Depending on which string theory (there are several, which is one of the problems with it), there are 10 or 11 dimensions, rather than the four space-time dimensions we routinely think of. So, there could be other (parallel) universes existing beside our own, but with one or more of their dimensions outside our standard four.

Brian Greene [See source.] visualizes these like slices in a multi-universe loaf of bread. Each slice is unaware of the others because they are separated by a dimensional difference. It's like a two-dimensional creature being unaware of the three-dimensional figure the two-dimensional side is a part of.

Anyway, Brian WAG's that the big bang might have been caused when two parallel universes collided...when the dimensional differences disappeared for an instant (i.e., Plank time). That speculation has no evidence whatsoever to support it, but it's interesting math.

The Higgs Field is also a multi-dimensional model of the universe. The field supposedly consists of messenger particles called bosons. These are very tiny and unobserved quanta that determine if a packet of energy has inertial mass or not. The WAG posits that when a quantum is aligned with the field, along some higher dimension, it will have no inertial mass...like a photon.

But if a guantum is aligned against the direction of the Higgs Field, it will have inertial mass...like an electron. Understand, the alignment is along one or more dimensions outside the standard four. And wherever there are more dimensions, there is always speculation about parallel universes.

An intersting spin off of the string multi-universe model is that the posited graviton, the messenger particle for gravity, is way weaker than it ought to be. So the WAG is that part of each graviton exists outside our usual four dimensions. That is, part of each graviton may in fact exist in one or more parallel universes.

Wouldn't it be interesting if intelligent beings learned to modulate gravity waves...like modulating radio waves. If that were possible, those beings could send signals across parallel universes. Nothing spiritual here...just science...way advanced science and pure speculation, but with the support of some pretty wayout WAGs.

Answer 2

Yes there are parallel universes and no it has nothing to do with spiritual awareness or schizophrenia!
Although a schizophrenic person might actually think it perceives parallel universes, I'm afraid it only happens in their minds...

Please do not mix science and psychology it just don't add up!

Good day:)