[tr1 (OP)]

Hi all
I watched a TV program a while ago about the stranger aspects of the quantum world. In it, a lecturer (can't remember his name) of quantum physics at Oxford University stated that, according to certain interpretations of quantum theory, not only is it possible that in a 'parallel universe' there are dinosaurs driving cars, it's a requirement. Can anyone shed any light on this for me?
thanks...

[neilep]

Hi tr1 and WELCOME to the site.

I'm not the expert on what you have mentioned....but I believe there is a fundamental rule that dictates that every single possible eventuality from everything does indeed happen....Where you might turn left in this universe...one of your counterparts in another universe has turned right...another has gone straight on...or be somewhere else entirely.

So, in another universe the dinosaurs did not die out by an enormous impact from space and therefore did evolve to become the earths sentient beings instead of the apes. This would make their roads much larger than ours and their cars too.

In fact, think of the most bizarre set of circumstances and it's probable that there's a parallel universe that it is actually happening.

I am sure somewhere for instance that the spot on my sons nose is probably evolving and is performing complex calculations somewhere.....probably even typing in a forum just like this one and asking the same question as you did...

Now, I am sure an expert in the Quantum World will come here and explain it all in better detail than myself.....In the mean time...enjoy the site.

[DoctorBeaver]

Neil - as far as I understand it, when you turn right another universe is spawned in which you turn left; it didn't exist prior to your making the decision. Any decision or alternative creates its own universe.

I dare say Ian, George, Lightarrow or Sophiecentaur will show me up to be an idiot for getting it wrong  []

[neilep]

What about thought ?...does thinking about turning left or right make a universe too ?

[DoctorBeaver]

er... dunno

[tr1 (OP)]

Hi tr1 and WELCOME to the site.

thank you

I am sure somewhere for instance that the spot on my sons nose is probably evolving and is performing complex calculations somewhere.....probably even typing in a forum just like this one and asking the same question as you did...

Now that really is bizarre!

Now, I am sure an expert in the Quantum World will come here and explain it all in better detail than myself.....

I hope so.
thanks...

[lightarrow]

Neil - as far as I understand it, when you turn right another universe is spawned in which you turn left; it didn't exist prior to your making the decision. Any decision or alternative creates its own universe.

I dare say Ian, George, Lightarrow or Sophiecentaur will show me up to be an idiot for getting it wrong  []

About me, you don't have to worry: concerning parallel universes I'm an idiot too.  []

P.S. What about a universe where someone has found a way to cancel our universe?  []
But...wait a moment! We still exist! (Or it's only their's dream?)

[lyner]

Just a thought but - are the people who wrote the preceding posts, some time ago, all in different universes from the one I'm in now? We've all made a lot of decisions in the intervening time.

As with all these theories, there's probably something, in the end, that will show that, for some reason, all the alternative universes sum to zero and ours is the only 'permanent one'. This is analogous to Huygen's principle of wave propagation that treats a wave front as an infinite set of 'secondary wavelets', spreading out in all directions. These cancel each other out except in the direction that the main wave is going. It is only a construct which helps you predict what will happen.

PS sorry for being a grumpy old sod and pointing out flaws. It's me upbringin' and being thrashed at School if I used phrases like "centrifugal force" etc.
I do, sometimes, agree with people, though and I am kind to children and animals.

[DoctorBeaver]

I do, sometimes, agree with people, though and I am kind to children and animals.

Including beavers?  []

[lyner]

including all sorts of furry things

[Soul Surfer]

One aspect of quantum theory is that before any quantum state changes it effectively explores all the possible options it had to change before "deciding" which change to make.  Thaken to the extreme it means that avey single particle in the universe is affected by evry other particle in the universe like an enormous parallel processing computer.  The multiple quantum universes that you are talking about are the many options that exist that were not taken but still affect the whole.  A good popular science book that describes this effect is "The end of Time" by cosmologist Julian Barbour.  Because these possibilities exist outside of normal space and time.  to think about it you have to consider our universe as occupying  at any instant one point in a space which describes the entire range of every possible arrangement of fundamental particles in our universe (an incredibly vast space)

[nothingnobody]

are there nothing as non living things? i mean is every thing living and conscious entities?

[neilep]

including all sorts of furry things

...and sheepys ?  []