How has the concept of parallel universes come up?
104579
well, aside from the spooky sort of supernaturalism of "scientist" there (ironic name, my friend), as i understand the "parallel universes" concept began as an interpretation of quantum mechanics.\n\nthere are many different interpretations of the seemingly-bizarre nature of quantum mechanics.   here is a list:\nhttp://dmoz.org/Science/Physics/Quantum_Mechanics/Interpretations/\n\ni believe that the notion of parallel universes sprang up as a popularization of everett's many-worlds interpretation.   consider the schrodinger's cat paradox.  (this won't make sense if you don't know about schrodinger's cat, so go to the above link and read about it.)\n\nthe cat is in the box, and after some time the cat may be either alive or dead; we don't know because we haven't observed it.  the paradox is that the cat cannot be both alive and dead at the same time!  so how to interpret this?\n\neverett's attempt essentially says that when we stop observing the cat, 2 universes continue on - one with the cat alive, and one with the cat dead.  when we open the box and look inside, the cat will be alive or dead depending on which universe we are in.  this way the cat doesn't have to be in both states at once.\n\nthis is the essential idea, but you should read about it more deeply if you're interested in it.  also the other interpretations of QM are enlightening to think about, too.\n\ncheers!
812104
1.  Great place to start and understand the universe.\n2.  Nice "simple" version of # 1.\n3.  It's a classic and not useless at all, but it contains information that is outdated now (not necessarily wrong, just not inclusive of the future).\n4.  Most of his books I consider to be very simple and for general audiences.\n5.  Parallel universes might not exist - I haven't read this!
370961
go to\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe
60140
The multiverse. And current theory states it is possible.
762397
Well, that is a valid theory indeed. However if parallel universes exist (often called "multiverse"), there is likely to be a limitless amount of them instead of just one, acting out the infinite branches of all probabilities. And why would ours be a backup? Parallel multiverse have no core universe and subsequently no backups either.\n\nI like these kind of questions, but is it possible to cite where you got that bit about the astronomers' statement? It might help me understand the context of your question better. Thanks.
230650
I think the Big Bang is actually another universe budding off. There were mulitple Universes (Parralel Universe Theory) before the big Bang. Yet, what do u define as a universe? If it is a "world" of intelligent being maybe not (who knows). So the answer is yes and no depending on ur definiton of a universe.
895275
I read in Time a few years back that in an article, scientists explained a theory that universes connect as a chain, and our Universe- is among many. The idea was quite something to read and of course the diagrams and images they used to portray this thing out was all very fascinating to say the least. It was a rational idea even to me and considering what we found with a pin tip portion of the night sky magnified 1,300 times....hundreds of thousands of Galaxy's all clustered in an array that almost seemed like you are looking at it all through a cylinder. \nSo there is no real way to know for certain, but there could be millions of them...and a chain of universes makes rational sense.
515815
According to the standard theory, our universe sprang into existence as "singularity" around 13.7 billion years ago. What is a "singularity" and where does it come from? Well, to be honest, we don't know for sure. Singularities are zones which defy our current understanding of physics. They are thought to exist at the core of "black holes." Black holes are areas of intense gravitational pressure. The pressure is thought to be so intense that finite matter is actually squished into infinite density (a mathematical concept which truly boggles the mind). These zones of infinite density are called "singularities." Our universe is thought to have begun as an infinitesimally small, infinitely hot, infinitely dense, something - a singularity. Where did it come from? We don't know. Why did it appear? We don't know. \n\nAfter its initial appearance, it apparently inflated (the "Big Bang"), expanded and cooled, going from very, very small and very, very hot, to the size and temperature of our current universe. It continues to expand and cool to this day and we are inside of it: incredible creatures living on a unique planet, circling a beautiful star clustered together with several hundred billion other stars in a galaxy soaring through the cosmos, all of which is inside of an expanding universe that began as an infinitesimal singularity which appeared out of nowhere for reasons unknown. This is the Big Bang theory.
394306
There is no answer to this question within the context of which it is asked.  The theory that the universe is finite but boundaryless is groundless at best having been built from many accepted, yet untried, pre-existing theories of the universe.  \n\nThis theory should be more approprately viewed as the culmination of everything we do not know about the universe, and is tied entirely to a singular perspective. Yet it is accepted as fact by many within the scientific community and elsewhere.\n\nBased on our current technological capabilities and observations of the universe we have no business asking science this type of question.  In turn it is irresponsible of science to supply any type of response with conviction and confidence.  \n\nTheories such as this one are no different than the assertions of any religion;  they require an enormous amount of faith to be accepted.\n\nBottom line:  your guess is just as good as anyone's.
1124248
Keep in mind that a novel is fictional, as in made up imagination content for entertainment purposes, and thus is more entertaining if the basis for the plot and logic is believable. In reality parrellel universes exist in parrellel, not adjacent, and rarely intersect or exchange matter or energy. It is unlikely the exchanges can be instigated, controlled or predicted.\n\n1)  Universes are in parrellel because the cycle of existence disposes of and recycles matter and energy in a non-random fasion, with high concentrations of some types of energy and minimal amounts of others. Each Nuclide and nucleotide has an intention to its existence, and actually requested it's state of being, so to determine which universe is the origin of which nuclide, just ask it. If your listening in the right way, you'll hear it (Not attempting to mock you, this is how I communicate with matter and it works).\n\n2 to 4) these questions are irrelevant, due to an important factor you've failed to account for, besides the fact that this is all fictional. Once something transfers from universe 1 to universe 2 it goes from stable to unstable, or unstable to stable, because the exchange recombines it into different nuclides. You don't really get what you asked for.\n\nThe science you've read is accurate and correct, but you could use some more study hours in the astrophysics and quantum physics theory labs. I'd suggest checking out my source.
191921
There has been a study of this phenomenon done by the University of Michigan.  \n\nThe conclusion was that they entered a time warp that inverted their reality causing a rift in this universe sending them sliding around to different parallel universes for 5 years and returned only 35 minutes later in their time.  Pretty neat huh.
194391
Nobody really knows, but people theorize that if we have free will, then there must be many parallel universes; a new universe for every choice any one has ever made. If we don't have free will, then there is just one universe and we chose the choices we would have always chosen because of our upbringing and the way our brains have been wired through our life experiences.
1118477
String theory.  Two parallel universives touched briefly - creating the big bang.
1127098
the concept of time cannot be just related to this parallel. the creation as a result of a big bang is just a theory, it has not been proven. not having time before the big bang is beyond understanding. however the infinity can be proven (for example the number pi) that in my opinion shows that the creation was pre-planned in someway by a supreme being (a freemason would say).
913586
the parallel universe theory, just like string theory, and bubble universe theory, are simply elaborate "what ifs". but none of these are based off of any empirical data, and are completely unfalsifiable, and therefore unscientific. in fact, this theory actually came from scientists who decided to disregard a generally better established explination of the of von Neumann's quantum collapse postulate.\n\njust in the same sense that, if i lock all my doors and windows, and christmas presents get under my tree, it doesnt mean that santa put them there.\n\nthere is too much quantum mechanics for me to explain, but i have a fellow lab student who is doing quantum computing who agrees with me on this point. and this is the general consensus of the scientific community.
1057879
I think you have it backwards.  The macrocosm reflects (to a degree), the microcosm.\n\nAt present, no-one knows if there are other universes.  My suspicion (not belief, just suspicion) is that everything that is possible is in some sense actual.  My other suspicion is that nothing is actual at all, so there is nothing to prevent the existence of everything.  Yes, that's a contradiction, but we're allowed to contemplate them once we step outside the bounds of what is knowable.
193032
The above answers are interesting but, modern physicists speak extensively about 'multiverses'.  So, does one universe end at the edge of another? or, do they 'co-exist' in space and time? OR??????