For various reasons I’ve been considering this question lately, and now the scientific evidence recently discovered (see this TED talk by Allan Adams – The discovery that could rewrite physics) brings the possibility right into centre stage again, along with scientific credibility.
Scientific proof of multiple universes?
The recently discovered scientific proof suggests that the big bang is most likely true. The universe we live in was (13 billion years ago) just an incredibly small and dense blob containing all the matter in the universe, which then exploded, flinging parts of that matter out in all directions. At some point, gravity will cause all the matter to start moving backwards again and, eventually, the universe will collapse back into another blob.
This means that there is a maximum extent to how far the matter from the big bang spreads out. This is why Allan Adams suggests our universe is like a bubble. Because all of the matter in our universe fits within a certain size, a certain sphere.
The killer question here is – what is outside our bubble?
Where do space and time exist?
Recently, I saw a Facebook post by Deepak Chopra where he asked the simple question “Where do space and time exist?”. That’s a great question. We all accept that two of the components of our universe are space and time. But, where do they exist?
This is a deep philosophical question, and we always seem to get down to these. For example, our universe began with a big bang, what was before the big bang? Where did the blob at the centre of the big bang come from? If space and time are “things” where are they? If our universe is a bubble, what’s outside the bubble? The list goes on and on.
Back to multiple universes
Science now has proof that the possibility of multiple universes is real. We’ll never know if there are multiple universes or not, but they are certainly a possibility (the universe seems to have fun making sure there are some things we can never find out – also have a look at Double-slit experiment defines weirdness to see another example of how the universe likes having fun with us). Also, we’ll never know if other universes are just like ours, of if they are completely different. The possibilities are endless.
Why is this important?
I think this tells me that the universe is not as simple as we might have thought and it helps me keep my mind open to all sorts of possibilities in the universe and in life. Things that people say that might seem crazy, are still often worthy of some thought.
When trying to find the right direction in life, we certainly have to take care of our physical selves with good diet and exercise, and we have to take care of our spiritual selves as well. This is where I want to be very open minded, consider all possibilities and find the path that feels right for me.
First of all, the Big Bang is most likely NOT true. Seriously, how could NOTHING become SOMETHING, and then explode to create the universe, then create LIFE? The idea of the big bang arose from speculation. There is either a creator God or thing arose naturally. The intricate detail that we see in the universe we know could not have arisen on its own. I am an architect and I know that things do not design themselves. Think about how complex a human brain is! DNA is a program! An explosion did not form these things.
Thanks for the comment M Stone. I agree that the universe is so amazing and so detailed that it doesn’t make sense that it occurred randomly out of matter just floating around. There had to be design behind something so beautiful. It also seems true to me that the force that designed and created this world could have created it with a “big bang” as it’s origin. Why not? Something with the power to create a universe like ours must have the power to do that, if it wanted to.
When we keep asking questions like, “and where did that come from?”, “what was there before that?” and “ok, but where does that exist?”, we can rapidly conclude that behind everything there must be an infinite, eternal force. We can call that God if we like, but it must be infinite and eternal otherwise the questions never stop.
I wonder if we’ll ever know for sure in this lifetime. It’s sure fun contemplating it all though.
Hope you’re having a great day!