• Question: Do you believe in parallel universes and if yes, which theory do you think is right?

    Asked by Chickenophile to Connor, Jillian, Lidunka, Sarah, Steven on 23 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Steven Thomson

      Steven Thomson answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      Personally, I don’t believe in parallel universes. They arise in quantum mechanics as a way to resolve the so-called ‘measurement problem’. For example, some quantum theories say that if you flip a coin the universe splits into two universes: in one the coin comes up heads, and in the other it comes up tails.

      It seems simpler to me to say that there’s just one universe and the coin either comes up heads or tails depending on, say, how hard you flip it, how heavy the coin is and so on. So I agree with a theory called hidden variable quantum mechanics that says there’s only one universe!

    • Photo: Jillian Scudder

      Jillian Scudder answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      I haven’t seen enough evidence (that I understand) from quantum mechanics to tell me that I should definitely believe that there are parallel universes. I tend to be a bit skeptical of all of the things that string theory suggests, largely because they predict things that are completely unmeasurable, and that always makes me a little wary. Testing your theory is a fundamental principle of science! So if there were a test designed to determine if parallel universes, and it came up that there had to be parallel universes, I’d change my mind.

    • Photo: Sarah Beasley

      Sarah Beasley answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      Ahh I hate quantum mechanics! It’s described as a conscious being. So it’s a no from me. But they make for awesome films.

    • Photo: Lidunka Vocadlo

      Lidunka Vocadlo answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      I believe the maths behind the physics that predicts the multiple universes, but not necessarily the outcome. Which is fine, because in quantum mechanics all outcomes are possible including none!

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