First Observational Test of the "Multiverse"

An anonymous reader writes "The theory that our universe is contained inside a bubble, and that multiple alternative universes exist inside their own bubbles – making up the 'multiverse' – is being tested observationally by UK physicists, who are searching for disk-like collision patterns in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. Though CMB is generally thought of as a uniform schmear of radiation extending in all directions in our universe, in fact, they say if a multiverse exists, there ought to be imprints trapped in the muck like footprints of where our universe banged into others."

Comments

first

[Anonymous Coward]

in this universe at least.

Re:first

[History's Coming To]

Interesting question. There are several different kinds of possible multiverse (see Tegmark). What this is looking for is type one, possibly type two. They're the most "boring" in some ways because the "other versions" of you exist simply because of statistical imperative and are also a very, very long way away. It's like proving two identical snowflakes have existed, but not knowing where or when. Still, I love the fact that people are trying to test ideas that were thought to be untestable at one point.

Collision?

[pushing-robot]

If universes can physically interact with each other, can each really be called a "Universe"?

Re:Collision?

[flaming error]

Yes. Inaccurately perhaps, but life goes on, the sun will still rise and fall.

Re:Collision?

[Dachannien]

Yes, but our universe is called Universe A. You can be Universe B.

Re:Collision?

[pclminion]

If universes can physically interact with each other, can each really be called a "Universe"?

If they could not physically interact, what would be the point? If something can't be seen, measured, felt, etc then how can it even be said to exist?

Re:BS

[MightyMartian]

Or maybe you just don't what what you're talking about, and think that playing a public game of semantics is a suitable replacement for knowledge.

Multiverse "pressure"

[Reality Master 101]

You know, my 11-year-old son said something kind of interesting last night, on this subject. This month's article in Scientific American is about multiverse theories, and he asked me (paraphrase), "If the universe is contained among a bunch of other universes, and the universe is expanding, isn't it possible that the other universes are exerting pressure on our universe as it's expanding?"

I'd never really thought about that before, and it may be an unanswerable question (along the lines of, "what are the multiverses contain in"), but I thought that was an intriguing thought.

Re:This...

[elsurexiste]

I was expecting this kind of comment. You fell into my trap! Muahahaha! :)

Now, seriously, Karl Popper is a late guest in the show. There are two lines of thought, verificationism and falsationism (Popper and its following). The first one states that you must verify your hypothesis with experiments. Those experiments, though, are nothing more than steps in an endless stair of confirmation. Popper said that scientists should aim for the opposite, that is, you can't verify but you can falsify, and Science's objective (with capital "s") should be to keep trying to falsify hypothesis.

It doesn't matter in the end with which epistemological view you adhere, as they are two sides of the same coin. If you are a verificationist, you keep doing experiments that will verify your hypothesis until you find one that doesn't. If you are a falsationist, you keep doing experiments that will falsify your hypotesis while you wait for the one that succeed in doing that. Either way, you keep on testing: that is the essence of the scientific knowledge.