Astronomers Find First Evidence Of Other Universes

[Dave Lane]

Our cosmos was “bruised” in collisions with other universes. Now astronomers have found the first evidence of these impacts in the cosmic microwave background



There’s something exciting afoot in the world of cosmology. Last month, Roger Penrose at the University of Oxford and Vahe Gurzadyan at Yerevan State University in Armenia announced that they had found patterns of concentric circles in the cosmic microwave background, the echo of the Big Bang.

This, they say, is exactly what you’d expect if the universe were eternally cyclical. By that, they mean that each cycle ends with a big bang that starts the next cycle. In this model, the universe is a kind of cosmic Russian Doll, with all previous universes contained within the current one.

That’s an extraordinary discovery: evidence of something that occurred before the (conventional) Big Bang.

Today, another group says they’ve found something else in the echo of the Big Bang. These guys start with a different model of the universe called eternal inflation. In this way of thinking, the universe we see is merely a bubble in a much larger cosmos. This cosmos is filled with other bubbles, all of which are other universes where the laws of physics may be dramatically different to ours.

These bubbles probably had a violent past, jostling together and leaving “cosmic bruises” where they touched. If so, these bruises ought to be visible today in the cosmic microwave background.

Now Stephen Feeney at University College London and a few pals say they’ve found tentative evidence of this bruising in the form of circular patterns in cosmic microwave background. In fact, they’ve found four bruises, implying that our universe must have smashed into other bubbles at least four times in the past.

Again, this is an extraordinary result: the first evidence of universes beyond our own.

So, what to make of these discoveries. First, these effects could easily be a trick of the eye. As Feeney and co acknowledge: “it is rather easy to fifind all sorts of statistically unlikely properties in a large dataset like the CMB.” That’s for sure!

There are precautions statisticians can take to guard against this, which both Feeney and Penrose bring to bear in various ways.

But these are unlikely to settle the argument. In the last few weeks, several groups have confirmed Penrose’s finding while others have found no evidence for it. Expect a similar pattern for Feeney’s result.

The only way to settle this will be to confirm or refute the findings with better data. As luck would have it, new data is forthcoming thanks to the Planck spacecraft that is currently peering into the cosmic microwave background with more resolution and greater sensitivity than ever.

Cosmologists should have a decent data set to play with in a couple of years or so. When they get it, these circles should either spring into clear view or disappear into noise (rather like the mysterious Mars face that appeared in pictures of the red planet taken by Viking 1 and then disappeared in the higher resolution shots from the Mars Global Surveyor).

Planck should settle the matter; or, with any luck, introduce an even better mystery. In the meantime, there’s going to be some fascinating discussion about this data and what it implies about the nature of the Universe. We’ll be watching.

Ref:

http://arxiv.org/abs/1012.1995: First Observational Tests of Eternal Inflation

http://arxiv.org/abs/1011.3706: Concentric Circles In WMAP Data May Provide Evidence Of Violent Pre-Big-Bang Activity

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

not to quibble but we just discovered a 13.6 billion year old universe.

Here in America ****ers can't vote without identification but yet we listen to some shit cooking in the microwave and we immediately ascertain it's age and what it is.

I call bullshit. The only thing I hear in my microwave is awfully similar to Joe's Apartment.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

Did you get a picture dave?

Actually I just got this one...

[Fire Me Boy!]

I'll bet $100 cash money that in one of those other universes that 3rd and 48ers does the laundry.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Dick Bull

In that case, how much to send me to another universe? HCF can ****ing have this one.

Most scientists think parrell universes are more likely than time travel. So you may get your wish.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by notorious

The Chiefs are still celebrating their 4 SB win in a row in another Universe.

Lead by a white chocolate penii

[TimeForWasp]

This isn't in Science is cool thread so it sucks.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Most scientists think parrell universes are more likely than time travel. So you may get your wish.

If anyone wants to completely melt their brain, dive into Parallel Universes.


They are Infinite.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by ChiefsNow

This isn't in Science is cool thread so it sucks.

This is too cool to just live there...

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I'll bet $100 cash money that in one of those other universes that 3rd and 48ers does the laundry.

Shit, I'd bet cash money he does it in THIS universe, but also admits to it in the other one.

[Fire Me Boy!]

There's a parallel universe out there where everything is exactly the same except Hawk and Omaha switched places for the women they find attractive.

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I'll bet $100 cash money that in one of those other universes that 3rd and 48ers does the laundry.

I'd be willing to bet that he does it in this one and if he doesn't his wife beats him like a red headed step child.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by Dick Bull

How much to send HCF to another universe? I got $5 on it as long as there is no internet access.

+500

[Dave Lane]

Hawk: Too Fat!

[notorious]

There is a Universe in which Como is right.....




....about EVERYTHING.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by notorious

There is a Universe in which Como is right.....




....about EVERYTHING.

Bizzaro world !!!!