What reason is there to believe that we are the only Universe?

Question

What reason do we have to believe we are the only Universe?

I suppose this question boils down to "Is space infinite?"

Supposing it was infinite, you would have to agree there is a likelihood of there being more Universes out there. Of course we struggle to see towards the edge of our Universe, so it would be highly unlikely we would ever have the ability to view any.

Starting with quarks, moving up to protons and neutrons, building atoms, which build our world, which makes up our solar system, making up our galaxy, which makes up the universe. Why does it have to stop there?

I'm not talking about a parallel universe here, but another universe in 3 dimensional space.

Is there any reason why this isn't possible? I'm guessing this may belong to the philosophy rather than the physics area. But I'm bored, and would like some of your ideas.

Answer 1

Since we're in the science section, let's look at how science uses the word 'universe'.  For now, let's limit that to our familiar 4-dimensional spacetime.  The universe would be that 4-dimensional spacetime, along with all the matter and energy contained therein.  If you can define its distance from earth, it's within our universe.  That's just the meaning of the word.

As you venture into superstring and M-brane theories of 11 or more dimensions, you open up the possibility of a theoretically unlimited number of independent 4-dimensional spacetimes comparable to ours.  We can't use any of those theories to answer whether our spacetime is unique.  We do not yet have a complete theory, or even know whether any of them is or can be valid.

Aside from the conjectures opened up by these mathematical dreams, we have no evidence whatsoever of any 4-dimensional spacetime besides our own.  A good scientist would not rule out the possibility.  But a good scientist cannot say either that they do exist, or that they do not exist.

Answer 2

K by all technicality we have proof that there are multiple universes, with the view on anti-matter (a matter that has energy but is the opesite of ours being very destructive and capable of ignoring most of our laws of science even some of the quantum nature), then with this you can assume it is not of the same universe because it defies the rules placed, then you can consider some madman's theory of multiple big bangs, and vuala! Multiple universes  

Answer 3

people talk about ghost existing and many of us have even experienced them.<even i>.so i think that there is a parallel world that we cant see because it exist in the ultra voilet light or the infrared light.thats the reason dogs look at something and bark sometimes, but we dont know what it is.since the dog can see the ultra voilet rays may be they can see somthg in that rays.personally i thk there is existence of parallel world we come across sometimes unknowingly

Answer 4

Scientists, when discovery atoms and labelling their aspects discovered they in turn where universes inside our universe. THis led them to believe that we also as larger beings than the atoms, must also be a smaller universe inside of a larger universe.

This they are trying to prove through the use of telescopes, infrared scans, and so forth.

It is only natural to assume we are NOT the only universe considering that science repeats itself throughout the entire landscape. If we have found smaller universes inside our own, then we will find out sooner or later that we are small to another universe that is larger. So on and so forth.

Answer 5

Because Heaven an Earth was what was written in the Bible.But really,I don't believe their are other universe because,the earth as gotten to more than a million yrs now an if their was other intelligents out there,they would have contacted us since.

Answer 6

I find it very selfish and close minded for people to think that we are the only universe or even the only planet that has life. Think about it. Our universe is unending, it's not like we live in a giant fish bowl or some thing.

Answer 7

Space is not infintite. big bang, etc. unless you think the big bang is wrong. There is also no reason to think that our universe is the only one. Suppose there is a God. Why would God stop after creating one universe? She (or he or whatever) has a lot of free time so why not create a lot of universes?

I am not sure what you are talking about with that 3 dimensional space stuff. our universe IS 3 dimensional space and anything in it is part of that space and hence part of the universe. If you are talking about another 3 dimensional space then yes there could be an infinite number of these. Think about a plane being a two dimensional universe then, in three dimensional space, you can have any number of these planes (like pieces of paper in a ream of paper). You can also have intersecting universes.  but we will never know this stuff (except maybe that intersecting thing) since we do not apparently have access to any dimesions other than those that constitute our universe. But, in priciple, there is no reason why there couldn't be a 4th (or a 5th or 6th, etc - no comment on string theory) spatial dimension and those dimensions encompassing other universes.

Note on intersecting universes. Think of the pieces of paper. the one intersects the other in a line (one dimension lower than the space itself) so in our case of three dimensions, the intersection would be a plane. And from that plane we would see cross sections of objects and stuff in the other universe as it swept through ours. And I don't think someone could escape from one universe to the other in this collision since only a part of that person would ever exist in the other universe.  And what about physcial laws? What if they are different in the two unisverses? What happens in the intersecting area? Could this really happen? I have no idea but it is fun to think about.

Answer 8

If this universe is infinite, there is no other universe possible! Infinity is all encompassing by definition!

Answer 9

If space is infinite, then the "othere univers" and "our universe" would be the same thing.  There would be NO dividing line between the two. "The Universe" IS space, and space IS "the Universe".

Otherwise, if we WERE to find a dividing line between two universes, then that would tell us definately that our universe is finite (not infinite) because "our universe" would end where "The Other Universe" would "begin". Universes with physical "ends" and "beginnings" are by definition FINITE.

There are some scientists that think that there are "Parallel Universes" . These universes are thought to exist, but NOT in our timespace.  Since they are NOT in out timepsace we can not see them, hear them, or find them in any way.  Therefore, there is no evidence that they exist.