The Mysteries of the Multiverse

By: Adrian Muñoz.

What is the multiverse theory?

It’s commonly known that the Earth’s inhabitants are nothing compared to the great size of the universe --- it’s almost as if our existence can be questioned by the universe itself. But what has been less commonly discussed is the theory of the multiverse, which states the potential existence of multiple or infinite numbers of universes that are composed of everything that exists like space, time, matter, and energy. The multiverse can also refer to as parallel universes because different universes may exist alongside our own.

[Photo credit: Science News for Students]

What is the evidence for the existence of the multiverse?

One well-known thought is that different universes are sorted on top of each other while having the same physics laws and constants, also known as the Hubble Volumes. This means that each universe will differ from our own in terms of matter and Hubble volumes with similar configurations to our own.

Additionally, universes with different physical constants can exist and the multiverse as a whole is continuously expanding, except some parts of space where they stop stretching and create bubbles.

Furthermore, these observations made by scientists can’t be predicted absolutely through a range of possible observations, where each one corresponds to a different universe. Max Tegmark, an MIT cosmologist, came up with a mathematical hypothesis called the Ultimate Ensemble, which considers that all universes can be defined by mathematical structures. In a simpler explanation, universes with the same or different constants may tend to exist.

The biggest evidence is the cosmic inflation theory, which originates from the Big Bang. This proposes that our universe’s expansion originally started off fast, but then slowed down over time. The quick expansion is not only what led to the creation of our universe, but also potentially other universes in a “vast bubble-like” multiverse. Although a few sections of the universe stopped expanding rapidly, larger sections continued expanding further since then. From there, the biggest parts of the universe would keep creating new bubble universes as described in the last sentence. Interestingly, there is no certainty to exactly how many universes there are --- there could likely be trillions of universes to this day and still increasing from there. What’s even more fascinating is that the universal laws of physics known to our own universe may not apply to some other universes since all of them are expanding at different rates.

Does the multiverse actually exist?

The fact that we’re microscopic beings that haven’t been around for long in our own universe shows that we ourselves lack the ability to confirm the notion of the multiverse existing with the lack of advanced technology. But what’s for certain is that this mystery will no longer be a mystery in the future when we reach a point in our evolution that we would be able to travel outside of our solar system and into interstellar space.

Works Cited

Kuhn, Robert Lawrence. “Confronting the Multiverse: What 'Infinite Universes' Would Mean.” Space.com, Space, 23 Dec. 2015, www.space.com/31465-is-our-universe-just-one-of-many-in-a-multiverse.html.

Siegel, Ethan. “This Is Why The Multiverse Must Exist.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 15 Mar. 2019, www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/03/15/this-is-why-the-multiverse-must-exist/?sh=257691bf6d08.

Williams, Matt. “What Is the Multiverse Theory?” Universe Today, 21 July 2020, www.universetoday.com/77523/multiverse/.

“Does The Multiverse Exist?” Adler Planetarium, 9 Jan. 2020, www.adlerplanetarium.org/blog/does-the-multiverse-exist/.

Brookshire, Bethany. “Scientists Say: Multiverse.” Science News for Students, 3 Dec. 2019, www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/scientists-say-multiverse.