In several interpretations of quantum mechanics, such as Everett's, the universe can be described
However, scientists have not proven that these interpretations are correct. They also have serious shortcomings due to which they have not received general recognition.
quantum problem
Quantum mechanics describes the behavior of tinyparticles. Its main point is that there is simply no certainty about what results can be obtained as a result of observations. For example, according to the interpretation of the theory, electrons exist simultaneously in several states. Then, when someone makes a measurement, the electron "selects" one of these states.
That's the problem:“the point of physics” is to predict how objects in the universe will behave. If a person throws a ball to someone else, you can use knowledge of physics (such as Newton's classical laws) to predict where it will go. But if you “drop” an electron, you won’t be able to find out exactly where it will end up.
The concept of the multiverse. Photo: en.freepik.com
However, quantum mechanics has one toolfor predictions: Schrödinger equation. It assigns a wave function to each particle and describes how it changes over time. In the standard picture of quantum mechanics, it represents a cloud of probability. It, in turn, describes where the particle can be observed. Where the wave function has high values, there is a high probability, and where it has low values, there is a small probability.
The wave function (or state vector) describesstate of a quantum mechanical system. If you know it, you can obtain the most complete information about the system, which is fundamentally achievable in the microcosm. For example, it can be used to calculate all the measurable physical characteristics of a system, the probability that it will be in a certain place in space, and its evolution over time. The wave function can be found by solving the Schrödinger wave equation.
However, this standard picture clasheswith a problem when scientists actually take measurements. When they are not looking, the wave function evolves on its own according to the Schrödinger equation. But when scientists make a measurement, this particle “collapses,” essentially disappearing, and the particle appears in one of the possible places.
Quantum interpretation
How can two exist in the quantum world?completely different set of rules for the behavior of the wave function? In the standard picture, the wave function obeys the Schrödinger equation when it is not observed and immediately collapses otherwise. This is strange, but usual for quantum physics.
The concept of the multiverse. Photo: maxpixel.net
In contrast to some interpretations of quantummechanics “transform” the wave function from a simple mathematical tool into a real existing object. For example, the many worlds interpretation (also known as the Everett interpretation) and the pilot wave theory.
How it works?
Everett's interpretation, also known asmulti-world interpretation(MMI) assumes the existence, in some waysense, “parallel universes”. In each of them the same laws of nature operate and are characterized by the same world constants. However, they are in different states.
According to physicist Mikhail Korobko, this is how it isworks. If a quantum system becomes entangled with the entire world around it, the different parts of the wave function become completely isolated from each other, without “collapse.” It's as if they are in different worlds. This is how the main idea of the many-worlds interpretation works, according to which the entire Universe is described by a single wave function.
At the same time, different “worlds” arise eachtimes when “collapse” occurs—the interaction of the system with its environment. In this case, one world is divided into several, in accordance with the branches of the wave function, and they no longer interact.
The concept of the multiverse. Photo: maxpixel.net
In this interpretation there is no such thing asmeasurement. There is no special process or “trick” that will make the wave function disappear. Instead, each particle in the Universe is assigned its own wave function, and each one simply continues to evolve indefinitely according to the Schrödinger equation.
When particles interact, their waveformsfunctions “overlap” for a short time. In quantum mechanics, once this happens, the particles are forever linked: one wave function describes both particles simultaneously in the process of quantum entanglement. In general, every particle in the Universe becomes entangled with every other, resulting in a single universal wave function that describes the entire cosmos “in one fell swoop.”
How the quantum multiverse works
But even if there is a universal wavefunctions, randomness is still key to quantum mechanics, Paul Sutter, a research professor of astrophysics at SUNY Stony Brook University, explains to Live Science. To explain this, according to both interpretations, the wave function splits every time a quantum interaction occurs, and in each duplicate Universe the electron behaves differently. This process creates the quantum multiverse.
The concept of the multiverse. Photo: en.freepik.com
Essentially, every interaction is at some levelis quantum, there are parallel universes, each containing the consequences of possible alternative choices that a person could make throughout his life. In essence, a person is constantly “split” at this very moment, fragmenting into many copies with every choice, every movement and every action.
"Splitting" of a person
The complexity of the quantum multiverse is thatit is unimaginably huge. After all, it is not only conscious decisions that lead to “splitting,” but also every quantum interaction. Even by reading this article, you are triggering the “fragmentation” of countless universes that are absolutely identical except for the tiny, insignificant quantum details happening inside a smartphone or laptop. That's a lot.
The main question of the quantum multiverse
The problem is that people perceiveconsciousness as a whole, and it takes time for the brain to integrate all the sensory data into the conscious perception of the world. But if a person is constantly "split", how can we maintain a consistent history of our own identity?
Moreover, none of these physical theoriesdoes not explain how this separation of universes actually occurs. It is unknown how quickly this happens and why people cannot observe it. It also remains an open question how people reconstruct the probabilities of quantum mechanics with all these splitting universes—in other words, how universes “know” which splitting to produce with each quantum interaction. In the future, perhaps scientists will be able to answer this and other questions.
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On the cover: the concept of the multiverse, photo: maxpixel.net