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A Mathematical Answer To the Parallel Universe Question

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the evil-twins-always-have-a-goatee dept.

diewlasing writes to mention that Oxford scientists have proffered a mathematical answer to the parallel universe question that is gaining some support in the scientific community. "According to quantum mechanics, unobserved particles are described by 'wave functions' representing a set of multiple 'probable' states. When an observer makes a measurement, the particle then settles down into one of these multiple options. The Oxford team, led by Dr. David Deutsch, showed mathematically that the bush-like branching structure created by the universe splitting into parallel versions of itself can explain the probabilistic nature of quantum outcomes."

13 of 566 comments (clear)

  1. Yes... by fyngyrz · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...but this is only a valid answer in some parallel universe.

    Yeah, yeah, I know it only affects physical outcomes. Laugh anyway. It's Monday.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    1. Re:Yes... by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 4, Funny

      In some parallel universe you simply posted a link to goatse.

      --
      It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
    2. Re:Yes... by Selfbain · · Score: 4, Funny

      And got a +5 insightful.

      --
      Well, it has never been successfully tested.
    3. Re:Yes... by fyngyrz · · Score: 5, Funny

      ...but in that universe, goatse is a picture of a cat going "LOL I'm all up in Schrodinger's box. I can have tuna?"

      --
      I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    4. Re:Yes... by MyLongNickName · · Score: 4, Funny

      And yet, no matter how many parallel universes there are, he still never gets laid. Where's the justice?

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    5. Re:Yes... by pegr · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...but this is only a valid answer in some parallel universe.
       
      I have no idea. I didn't want to change the outcome of the article by reading it...

    6. Re:Yes... by Poltras · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm gonna start my OWN universe. With hookers and blackjack!

      --
      Of Code And Men
    7. Re:Yes... by Dachannien · · Score: 5, Funny

      Or maybe this. (Assuming the deep link works.)

  2. Obligatory ... by JeepFanatic · · Score: 5, Funny

    But can this explain why all the men have goatees?

  3. Re:Why is this news? by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 4, Funny

    The moon landing was "one of the most important developments in human history", but that doesn't mean you should report it as news on slashdot forty years later!

    --
    Apology to Ubuntu forum.
  4. Occam's razor by Biff+Stu · · Score: 4, Funny

    So they say they have a mathematical description of the parallel universe theory. One can construct a mathematical model that describes the geocentric solar system perfectly well, but the the heliocentric version is much simpler.

    So, which is simpler?

    (1) Shit happens.

    (2) Shit happens. Parallel universes are created.

  5. an old chestnut... by Speare · · Score: 4, Funny
    • An engineer says that the equation approximates reality;
    • A physicist says that reality approximates the equation;
    • A mathematician simply doesn't care.
    --
    [ .sig file not found ]
  6. Re:Well if you can't believe in God.... by meringuoid · · Score: 4, Funny
    And the whole dark matter/dark energy thing strikes me as a load of humbug... saying there must be some undetectable, magical force acting on all the matter in the universe because the calculations we've come up with so far are inaccurate strikes me as lazy and uncreative.

    It worked once before. Calculations of the orbit of the planet Uranus were noticeably inaccurate; the planet wasn't quite where it ought to have been. One explanation was that this was the result of the gravitational effect of a large amount of dark matter. This dark matter was later found and named Neptune.

    --
    Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.