One universe, or two?

Question

The scenario is hypothetical, invented to illustrate a thesis.

40 lightyears from Earth, in the direction of the North Star, there is a solar system with intelligent creatures on it.

40 lightyears from Earth, in the direction of the South Star, there is another solar system with intelligent creatures on it.

Civilizations on both of these other planets happen to intercept a radio transmission from Earth. It's something about a "War to End All Wars." At once the monarchs of these respective planets command their radio astronomers to send a message to Earth, congratulating the Earth people for eliminating the troublesome problem of war.

By chance, it happened that a baby prince was born to the King of Planet North on the very day the radio astronomers sent the message commanded by their king.

By chance, a baby princess was born to the Queen of Planet South on the very day that the radio astronomers of Planet South sent the message commanded by their queen.

80 years after Planet North sent its congratulatory message to Earth, the radio astronomers of Planet North learned about the existence of Planet South, which is 40 light years on past Earth.

80 years after Planet South sent its congratulatory message to Earth, the radio astronomers of Planet South learned about the existence of Planet North, which is 40 light years on past Earth.

It just so happens that the Prince of Planet North lived 70 years and died.

And likewise the Princess of Planet South also lived 70 years and died.

Question: Were these two persons in the same universe?

Answer 1

Of course they were.

Why exactly would you think otherwise?

Answer 2

Yes

Answer 3

nobody knows, but if there was I would like to meet my double.  

Answer 4

  There is only one universe and this is it.

Answer 5

Interesting. I would say this depends on your definition of a "universe"

As far as I'm concerned, the universe does not depend on how far away things are, but rather on whether it is possible for matter or energy from to travel from one to the other. For this reason I would argue that they were in the same universe.

There is also the issue of space-time, which would suggest that if they had been so ... lucky, they could have met each other in their lifetimes (what with light-speed travel reducing the flow of time for them). They COULD have met, and that puts them in the same universe.

Answer 6

Jondalar -

I think the distinction that you are searching for is time - the fourth dimension within this one universe that really does include all three planetary systems.

While the two persons of interest clearly existed in the same universe, they did not all share the same perception of time. The time for the Northern planet does not include events that occur on the Southern planet until 80 years after they occur on the Southern planet, and vice versa.

Since time and space are connected, this is a property of the spacetime that is called our universe. The observation of events at any distance depend on the distance involved and the relative velocities of the observer vs. the observed reference frame. Think about it this way: even the light from events that occur that you observe across the street require a very small fraction of a second to reach your eye. So, time as defined by you can only refer to what you can see at any given nanosecond - whether it is across the street or across the galaxy.  

Answer 7

ye but not frome same world lol

Answer 8

parallel universe?  

Answer 9

This question is kinda like that "if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it does it make a sound?" only your asking if no one is around is the tree in the same dimension... from the way I and I believe all scientists define the term universe yes they exist in the same universe. They might not affect each other directly but their actions will affect the universe... no matter how minuscule.