Thursday, August 19, 2010

CSB#9: Life in Alternate Universes (Vikram Sundar)

 Definitions
Multiverse: The combination of all the universes that exists. It is theorized that our universe was “born” from a microscopic region in the multiverse (the Big Bang). In addition, the multiverse may have more than four dimensions (three + time)
Basic physical constants/laws: These include the weight of the quarks (up and down), the particle composition, the strength of the various forces (gravity, electromagnetic, weak nuclear, strong nuclear). These differ from universe to universe within the multiverse.
Summary

If any of our basic physical constants/laws differed by just a little bit within our universe, then life could not be formed.
For life to be formed, we need some form of carbon and oxygen to be stable, i.e. not radioactive, and form the necessary bonds.
Theory states that it is possible to create a universe in which the weak nuclear force does not exist.
This sort of universe would have deuterium rather than hydrogen and helium-3 rather than helium-4, to name a few differences; however, it could have carbon-12 and life.
Other universes, such that those where the down quark is lighter rather than heavier than the up quark, and another quark (the strange quark) exists, could also be congenial to life.
These universes cannot be detected by any physical means as of now; this is because they are very likely completely separated from our own universe within the multiverse.
Discussion

One of the most complex questions in all of science is whether or not intelligent life itself exists outside of Earth.
This research has proven to me that life could possibly exist outside of my own universe and in the multiverse.
This also proves to me what a miracle our existence as human beings is; scientists theorize that protons 0.2% heavier than their current mass would not be able to form atoms.
In addition, we still do not know whether or not the multiverse actually exists.
I chose this article because the multiverse is fascinating in that like so many things about the Universe, we do not know whether it exists.

Questions

Is there any physical evidence of the multiverse?
What happens if two universes collide?





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