How could I theoretically reach other dimensions in the multiverse if they exist?
Nick Canning,
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Coleraine, County Londonderry, UK
According to physicist Max Tegmark, there are at least four distinct meanings of 鈥渢he multiverse鈥�. All are to modern physics as 鈥渢he aether鈥� was to pre-relativistic physics: theoretical constructs with no measurable consequences. They are entities (or rather an infinity of entities) that are 鈥渁scientific鈥�, meaning in principle unfalsifiable.
Physicist Paul Dirac would condemn this sort of theorising as 鈥渘ot even wrong鈥�. It has left the realm of physical reasoning and is rather pure mathematical speculation. This is fascinating, yet leaves us with hypothetical universes imagined to exist alongside our own, but that can鈥檛 communicate or interact with us in any way.
How many such universes exist? How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
David Nye,
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, US
Pet peeve alert: contrary to assertions in some bad sci-fi, it is impossible to travel to a dimension. We can only travel in a dimension. In three-dimensional space, we can move along an x, y or z axis or some combination of those, but not to x, y or z.
There are several proposed multiverse ideas. One suggests that there may be other universes that share our x, y, z and t (time) coordinates, but have a different w (fifth dimension) coordinate. We would have to find a way to move along the w axis to visit them, which is currently not even theoretically possible.
Another idea is that the big bang started as a sort of bubble in a larger universe, which may be full of other such bubbles. If there is an edge to our universe, to get beyond it, we would have to travel close to the speed of light for longer than our universe has existed, since light coming back to us that has been travelling since near the time of the big bang doesn鈥檛 reveal an edge.
A third idea is that the other universes are like the quantum probabilities of a particle鈥檚 state that exist before it is measured, each of these possibilities existing in a separate possible universe. There is currently no conceivable way to get to these if they exist, and they may only be possible, not actual.
@PrideOfHumility,
via Twitter
To travel between realities, they need to be in proximity. To be in proximity and not interact, they need to be incompatible. If it is a compatible universe you could travel to, it is already here. Bridging universes with different laws of physics doesn鈥檛 sound like a good idea.
@alieninsect,
via Twitter
It isn鈥檛 a problem of reaching other dimensions as such, but of somehow gating the flow of information from those dimensions into the brain such that it begins modelling those dimensions. Some say this technology already exists in the form of certain psychedelic molecules, such as DMT.
@IanTower1,
via Twitter
The obvious answer is DMT due to the fact that you can鈥檛 expect to leave this dimension while your consciousness is still here, you need to let go of this consciousness that is stuck in this dimension 鈥� theoretically, of course.
@aktiesajt,
via Twitter
Walk through two slits at the same time without being measured.
June Edgar,
via Facebook
Through a wardrobe?
Spence Holmes,
via Facebook
Kundalini yoga has always been a firm favourite.
@JosephAbel,
via Twitter
Dryers. Spinning steel drum + electric field = gateway to another dimension. Only works for socks, it seems. Perhaps the static in the fabric pulls the things through small wormholes. Somewhere, in another dimension, there are mountains of socks.
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