|
Well... if you delve into the realm of quantum mechanics and string theory, you start arriving at solutions to some of the problems Einstein was trying to sort out... his "theory of everything" -- Membrane theory, which derives from quantum mechanics in general and string theory in particular, describes a multi-verse. This occurs in the 11th dimension if memory serves me correctly (or was it the 10th?) and it is, actually, this extra dimension that solves the paradox of the multitude of different string theories by demonstrating that each of these theories is just a different manifestation of the membrane theory.
What you end up with, effectively, is a foam where each bubble is an alternate universe some of which even have different laws of physics. Anyway, making a long story short, there's an infinite number of alternate universes in this dimension.
One of the quirks of quantum theory is that things like electrons exist as waves until you observe them and their location is undefined until they are observed. In fact, it is now proven that electrons exist in more than one place at the same time. The multi-verse is used to explain how that is possible. The Schrodinger's Cat thought experiment being an example of that.
Anyway, the problem with going back in time is the paradox of what happens if you go back in time and kill your Grandfather. Then it becomes impossible for you to have been born and therefore impossible to have gone back in time and so on and so on. However, in membrane theory, the problem is solved by the fact that every decision point is just a fork in the 11th dimension that lands the observer in the one "bubble" that fits the criteria.
It all tends to make the head hurt, but it's very cool stuff all the same.
|