“In an alternative universe” as a phrase typically connects to quirky thought like, “In an alternative universe, where Will Smith and Chris Rock shook hands instead…” and then a slightly out of line, snarky punch line follows.  But maybe Mr. Smith and Mr. Rock really do exist in an alternative universe compatible with the multiverse theory.

Multiverse theory implies that the universe we barely know and maybe love accompanies an unknown number of other universes that vary in different levels from our own.  Brilliant minds suggest a plethora of ways that a multiverse can happen, but the ones I find the most fascinating are the inflation theory and the “many worlds” hypothesis.

The inflation theory adds on to the Big Bang theory, which suggests that everything in space resulted from an infinitely dense particle that expanded or “inflated” outwards in an extraordinarily short time period.  As inflation occurs, quantum fluctuations, a property stemming from the Heisenberg uncertainty principle proposing an inability to know two physical properties simultaneously, like location and momentum at once, state that the amount of energy at a point of space randomly changes, disrupt the fabric of spacetime.

Spacetime, in its most simple terms, interconnects the three dimensions of space with time, which were traditionally assumed to be separate.  A relationship between space and time means that higher speeds effectively make time move slower, and strong gravitational fields also affect how time proceeds from separate observers perspectives.

These disruptions of spacetime each form universes, called pocket universes which may either expand or contract and form conditions and physical laws like ours, different to ours, or just completely collapse.  Bringing the last blog’s topic on the anthropic coincidences, which says that our universe has laws that are fine tuned for our existence, is called into question as the creation of so many, a near infinite number, of pocket universes, means that one universe fit for life as we know it could exist because simply because there are so many chances to create a universe fit for humans.

Ending with a different variation of the multiverse, the many worlds theory also uses the uncertainty principle but uses probability and time to create branching universes that cease interacting with each other after a probabilistic event.  Imagine flipping a coin with a perfect 50-50 chance of landing on either heads or tails, but instead of it landing on one side, both future chances are produced in separate daughter universes with its own non-interactive future, but an observer can only see one outcome, even though many daughter universes are formed as a result.  Instead of a coin though, because it doesn’t actually have a 50-50 chance, it’s the laws of quantum mechanics, because quantum mechanics gives probability, not certainty.

Science and physics provide compelling evidence for these theories, and we may never know the truth, either because we evolve or do not possess the capacity to know.  In addition, both these theories are a way to work around the idea that we are here with intention—but just because we feel we’re more special than other universes, if they exist, doesn’t mean that all universes exist without purpose.