rrw4rusty

Hi ajb! Thank you for replying! As always, it was helpful! For myself and for the purpose of my book, string theory has become M-Theory. There are many theories and I wish I had time to read them all but I don't right now. Yes to ‘a stack of branes’. I very much depend on this element. Agreed… I think. When you say dimensions, do you mean like the basic 4 we see; up, down, side to side, etc. As mentioned, I'm using M-Theory which has 11 dimensions (I'm pretty sure anyway). I'm making an assumption that all the extras beyond the basic 4 are thought to be of the type that are tightly curled up at the string level (size). I know that this is just one idea about where they are, I guess I mean that the 11th one M-Theory adds is no different from the other extras. Absolutely agreed. Furthermore I view the ‘Many Worlds’ theory as being at the ‘particle level’ and branes to be at the string level. That is to say that parallel universes (of many worlds) are a super set of branes (which are a subset of particle level items such as parallel universes). Each parallel universe would contain its own set of branes, strings, closed loop strings, etc. Agreed. That's a bold statement but then I only know of branes from M-Theory and I really don't know what a classical non-interacting brane is. It may not be important to my book. Definitely. The way I'm using certain areas of M-Theory (as well as quantum mechanics and, relationships to dark matter and energy) is summarized in the post located here: http://www.scienceforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=45594 I'm still banging it into shape (pun intended) but my deadline looms so I'm trying to get feedback on this. Perhaps, lol, it is maddening or distasteful for you to read sci-fi 'made up' ideas. I (of course) believe that mine are pretty... logical, even good. However, my quantum mechanics is about 15 years old and I've only been cramming on string/m-theory for a few months. Anyway, if you can provide feedback it would be greatly appreciated. Just keep in mind that this has an M-Theory focus and a light weighted, 'every reader' target and... that its sci-fi. BTW, as far as I can tell, among other things, M-Theory involves: combining the 5 string theories; and, (not perhaps not exclusively) branes, open and closed loop strings, the idea that open strings are (or, maybe) attached to branes, that gravitons ‘wonder’ between branes, when branes collide = big bang. Thanks! Rusty

Hi, On many of the videos I've watched they show waving sheets hanging next to each other or, slices of bread, or spheres to represent branes. They also show different people or worlds or universes on each 'slice of bread' or 'wavy sheet' brane. In and around all of this there is talk of 'higher dimensions'. Also 'wavy sheets' branes clash together and bingo, big bang. I have come away with certain assumptions about brane theory I wish to confirm and some confusion I wish to clarify. I hate to do a post with multiple questions, just quote this and confirm or refute what you know or believe. * All the things we can detect or interact with are on the same brane, yes? * The videos also say that branes can be very large... as large as universes, but also, very thin... is this correct (I realized that there are many types)? * The 'higher' dimensions are the extra 7 believed to be curled up at the string level and have nothing to do with branes (this is, a brane is not considered a 'dimension')? * The videos seem to imply that a brane equals a universe... in fact a 'parallel universe' (all those parallel wavy sheets, a world on each one). But the phrase 'parallel universe', which is also used in the Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, does not seem to be used with branes. Confusion... what are branes? Just... branes? * If a brane is a universe and two branes clashing together create big bangs (i.e. another universe) does this mean that another brane is created???? Thanks for any help you can offer this stumbling old county sci-fi writer! Rusty

Not a problem -- in fact even better! I thought that this was one of the risky ideas I was using in my sci-fi book. It seems that its not as risky as I thought. Another risk in my book is that the Many Worlds Interpretation is responsible for dark energy. I doubt anyone is thinking of that! Thanks! Rusty

Bummer. I thought it might be 'my' idea -- I hadn't come across it in anything I'd yet read. Its such an obvious conclusion to come to... I guess I should have known. I will certainly do a search for Michio Kaku's videos. Thanks, Rusty

Oh oh. And I can't find a way to edit the darn thing. Thanks for letting me know. Such is life. r

Hi, The following are exerts from my sci-fi book 'The Spiral Slayer -- Book One: Encounters' -- it is a trilogy. I've put most of the futuristic science in chapter intros so people can skip them if they like, however, the following, while introduced in a chapter intro, are two items that are related to the plot. This has actually turned out to be kind of a long post but, as my wife will kill me if I do not start on her 'honey-do' list, I'm committed... so, sorry for the bandwidth. In the following a human species (just like us) on a planet near the edge of the Great (Galactic) Wall are contacted by an alien race (The Loud) 10,000 years ahead of the humans in science and technology. Their representative (Bugs) appears as the opening speaker to a scientific conference. Bugs will summarize some of the things the human’s have wrong. Chapter Eighteen – Initiating the War Machine “Coming into this great hall I saw many scientific displays. Ah… is that nervous laughter I hear… no, not every display will need to be redone. <more laughter> One display illustrated the effects of a mysterious and unknown substance called dark matter and, its counterpart, dark energy. Well now… <a burst of laughter> yes, that’s right, we know what’s going on. <increased laughter with applause> But… you’re probably not interested… <laughter with cat calls and whistles> oh… you are? <applause> Ok… I know you are aware of zero-mass closed-end strings – i.e. gravitons -- and, that all other ‘open ended’ strings, the basic building blocks of all matter, attach themselves to membranes or branes. We can only see matter that is attached to one brane, strings attached to other branes make up higher dimensions that we cannot see, detect or interact with.. with one exception, gravitons. Not having any open ends, gravitons cannot bind to branes and therefore drift in and out of the branes. You’ve also figured out that this is why gravity is so much weaker than the other forces. This is the culprit for your dark matter. You see, what’s going on…” The Loud Named Bugs Opening Speech to the 23rd Annual Symposium on Quantum Physics Source: The Archive Chapter Nineteen – Council of War “You see, what’s going on is that Gravitons are associated with the matter of all branes so they appear around matter just where you thought you had your black matter. The influence of a graviton extends across branes, all of the time but, a higher percentage of influence goes to the brane it is passing through and those it is closer to. In addition, when it passes through a brane its higher influence is left behind propagating outward. So these are the reasons that gravity can be detected where no matter can be found. The gravity you detect is gravity leaking in from other higher dimensions. Now, regarding dark energy…” The Loud Named Bugs Opening Speech to the 23rd Annual Symposium on Quantum Physics Source: The Archive Chapter Twenty One – Secret Disclosures “Now, regarding dark energy… for over 150 years you’ve had a set of principles describing the physical reality at the atomic and subatomic levels called quantum mechanics. One interpretation of quantum mechanics says that every time an action is taken, all possible alternate actions are also taken and exist in parallel universes. This means that a very large number – perhaps an infinite number – of parallel universes exist, and everything that could possibly have happened in our past (but didn't) did in fact occur in some parallel universe. In one parallel universe we never came to your world, in another we don’t even exist and in another, you don’t exist. This all has to do with the fact that when we shoot a sub-atomic particle at a barrier that contains two holes in it and we watch the wall behind the barrier, instead of the particle going through one hole or the other, the particle seems to spread out into a wave of probability which does all possible things. It gets blocked by the barrier, it goes through one hole, it goes through the other hole and sometimes it misses the barrier completely. If we instead watch the barrier to see where the particle goes, the particle will only do one thing! We have brought what happens at the barrier into our universe. What happened to all the different things we saw before? They are still happening but they are happening in other parallel universes! So, why have I brought up this incredible and impossible sounding interpretation of quantum mechanics…” The Loud Named Bugs Opening Speech to the 23rd Annual Symposium on Quantum Physics Source: The Archive Chapter Twenty Two -- Aftermath “So, why have I brought up this incredible and impossible sounding interpretation of quantum mechanics… because these parallel universes really exist! They exist right here, right now and if we could see everything going on around us it would look like a raging storm of chaotic static filled foam bubbling and rippling all around you and within you! The sub-atomic world is almost completely empty space; that is how all these parallel universes can exist. Luckily, we can only see, detect, and interact with the atoms in our parallel universe. Nevertheless, about three billion years ago the incredible expansion rate of parallel universes ran out of sub-atomic room to grow into and began pushing things apart and the universe began the runaway expansion we see today. This is your black energy.” The Loud Named Bugs Opening Speech to the 23rd Annual Symposium on Quantum Physics Source: The Archive

Hello, This concerns the test where you have a barrier with two slits cut out of it, set in front of a wall or blackboard (or something that will show hits upon it) and devices that will shoot sub-atomic particles. My understanding is this: when particles are shot into the barrier with two slits, you get a wave-like pattern on the wall behind it. However, if you watch the barrier (or take measurements?) to see where the particles are going, the pattern on the wall behind it changes and you get two lines with no wave-like interference pattern. There is a goofy little video that shows this test here: The test is shown about half way through the video. Hopefully I can find someone who knows the details of this test. I of course find it very hard to believe and want to find out just how deep the rabbit hole goes. Of course I’d heard of this test and the implications long ago but somehow I missed the part about the sub-atomic particles changing their patterns from wave-like to particle-like when ‘watched’. My first questions are the obvious ones: Do I understand correctly that the completely non-evasive and passive act of ‘watching’ or ‘measuring’ really cause a changed in how the particles acted? Exactly how was the barrier ‘watched’ or ‘measured’? Searching for ‘Many Worlds’ has not shed light on these… does the test have a name? Any help will be greatly appreciated! Regards, Rusty

Thanks! It helps!

Enter the world of science fiction were proof is not necessary and interesting and mind blowing is gets more points! Many Worlds responsible for Dark Energy When an ‘object’ takes action-X, all possible actions that ‘object’ could have taken form a probability wave which either collapses into action-X or the wave fails to collapse and each possible action is taken each splitting off into a parallel universe. The latter is the Many Worlds Interpretation, which exists because, so far, the wave collapse has not been detected. The Many Worlds Interpretation will be used to explain dark energy. Furthermore, M-Theory will be used and an element of this will be used to explain dark matter (another post). The Many Worlds Interpretation taken to its logical conclusion is... rather uncomfortable at best! It seems to mean that in every preexisting parallel universe (PU), every Planck period, every possible action of every super string on every brane and every looped string and all possible combinations spawn a new and separate parallel universe! Please let me know if I have any of this wrong. Such a situation would mean an unbelievable number of PUs growing at an unbelievable accelerating rate! Unless something surfaces to curb this rate, this is what will be used. These PUs exist within the vast empty space found at the quantum level – that is to say, the molecules, atoms and subatomic particles of these PUs exist in-between the around those of the PU we find ourselves in. We cannot detect or interact with other PUs at our level of existence however, at the quantum level, we might be able to detect and perhaps interact with these PUs. ??? What force or boundary separates the PUs is not known – any ideas ???? ??? Perhaps a coating of antimatter: as brief glimpses PU particles are accompanied by their anti-particle and are almost instantly annihilated when particle and antiparticle join together ???? The Many Worlds Interpretation makes several predictions that we can test: 1. Due to the number of PUs, the empty space at the quantum level should be teaming with particles from other PUs and we should be able to catch brief glimpses of them. They would appear with their anti-particle and almost instantly annihilate each other. This would cause energy of some kind. Two metal plates suspended next to each other should be slowly forced toward each other. We should try this simple experiment. ;-) 2. Due to the incredible accelerating number of PUs, the vast empty space at the quantum level should have been used up about 4 billion years ago (calculations can be done to estimate this). At this point the continued growth of PUs would begin pushing outward causing the universe to expand and an ever accelerating rate. We can test for this. ;-) 3. The energy within the empty space (the vacuum energy) would be enormous. Feedback welcome! Rusty PS: Forgive typos... No sleep in 2 days (which may explain these posts). PPS: Everyone stop moving so the universe will stop expanding! Edit: The universe is expanding at an ever accelerating rate. This must be caused by something also expanding at this rate. Are there any other candidates?

Welcome to the twilight zone... trying to bring science to fiction to science M-Theory Explains Dark Matter M-Theory brings the five different string theories together. The Theory predicts an 11th dimension, Membranes or branes and also a closed-loop zero-mass string which turns out to be a graviton. It says that branes can stretch out to enormous sizes (i.e. to the sizes of universes), that these membranes are places where strings can attach their ends, and that these different branes represent different dimensions. We can only see and interact with matter made from strings attached to, or touching our brane. We cannot detect or interact with other branes (i.e. dimensions). M-Theory offers explanations for at least a couple of unresolved anomalies. One is the apparent weakness of gravity compared to the other forces. Since gravitons are closed-end strings they cannot attach to branes like other strings and so they float from brane to brane and perhaps in-between them. Ergo gravity is shared by all branes thus diluting its strength. Another is Dark Matter: the rotation of galaxies as well as other phenomena indicates that there is a whole lot of matter that is missing. Or, put another way, there is a lot of gravity that seems to have no corresponding matter. Since gravitons float between branes it would make sense that this mysterious gravity could be coming from the gravitons not on our brane. Put another way, gravity is mysteriously weaker than it should be... while at the same time we have a bunch of gravity with no mass to account for it. Three things could be happening: 1. Gravitons passing through our brane could be leaving gravity behind 2. We could be picking up gravity from gravitons not within our brane 3. Both of the above Also, if #1 and gravity were leaving another brane and coming to ours, some of those gravitons might be coming from a location on the other brane that has matter but the corresponding location on our brane (if such a thing is possible) does not and so either between branes or while leaving the other brane and entering our brane the graviton would be pulled towards the matter in out brane. This would cause a pattern of gravity which seems to border the mass in our brane which is about what we see when tracking Dark Matter using gravitational lensing. If #2 then mass among all branes would tend collect in the same areas with the same result. Rusty Edit: We have a lot of missing gravity in the form of gravity being so much weaker then the other forces. We have a lot of extra gravity in the form of Dark Matter. Doesn't it seem likely that these two properties are related?

My next post on this subject must be made under 'Pseudoscience and Speculations' as I tie Many Worlds to Dark Energy and brane-wondering closed-loop zero-mass strings to Dark Energy in a post entitled: An End to Darkness

Hi! This regards the famous experiment were photons (or other particles) were fired through two slits and the wave pattern appeared -- even when fired one at a time... and then we 'watched' to see what was actually passing through the slits and the wave pattern collapsed and we then got two lines instead of the wave pattern... First, how did we 'watch'? Since I do now know the answer to the above, I will assume we just aimed a special camera at one (or both) of the slits. Then... (did we try to trick the universe?) 1. Did we try recording instead of watching it live and then... not watching the recording -- burning the tape!?!? 2. Did we try putting the camera there but not turning it on (or using bad film!)? 3. Did we try only 'watching' (filming) the first particle? 4. Did we try only 'watching' half of the sequence (or one forth... one eighth) 5. What if someone else put a phony/or a real camera there so even 'we' didn't know! Could we then determine if it was a phony or real camera 100% of the time? How could the 'universe' know that it was being watched or that it wouldn't be?!?! Was it just the presence of the camera??? Or, was it really whether someone watched or not and... what if we watched (or didn't) after the pattern was created!!!!?????!!! Sorry, this one defies even sci-fi and really makes me crazy. ;-) Thanks, Rusty Edit: This issue won't let me sleep (it's 1:24 AM). It must be that if it 'could' be watched the wave collapses (that is the 'camera' is in place and it's working whether its being watched or not... or, it's being recorded, whether it's watched or not). Also, it must be that whatever part is filmed or recorded creates lines but the rest reverts to the wave pattern. Any other circumstance and this thing could predict the Lotto!

Darn, I ambushed myself in two ways! 1. I know about VPPs filling the 'empty' space, to get the answer I am looking for these must be ignored or excluded. Or, perhaps I should be asking how much space is left for VPPs. 2. All the 'examples' I used were MADE UP and are only EXAMPLES. They or all WRONG (of right then I just lucked out). I wanted to show the kind of info I wanted (what I didn't want was data I wouldn't understand or could not grasp or picture). I wanted things I could visualize. So, all of this in my OP: ------------------------------------------- Some 'completely made up' examples of what I'm looking for: (Molecular Level) * If an iron molecule were 1 inch in diameter, each molecule would be 2 inches apart. (Atomic level) * if the average size of atoms within an iron molecule were 1 inch in diameter the average distance between atoms within an iron molecule would be 5 inches. (Sub-atomic level) * If the atomic nucleus of an atom were one inch then the average distance that an orbiting electron would be 27 ft. * If a proton were one inch in diameter then the distance between a proton and a neutron would be 5 inches * if proton were 3 feet across then it would have 2 quarks which would be .5 inches across and would be on average 1 foot apart. * if an atom were the size of the solar system then a sting would be the size of a tree (this one I heard somewhere) -------------------------------------------- Are only EXAMPLES of what I am looking for, nothing more. I do not know any of this -- it is what I'm seeking. Thanks! And sorry for outsmarting myself, lol! Rusty

Hi! I've heard that the quantum world is mostly empty space. I need a way to visualize how much and, at different levels. In thinking about this I immediately hit the 1st problem; of what substance, in what state and at what temperature. Then, at the molecular, atomic or sub-atomic level? So how about this... in the following I am always talking about a solid (not gas, liquid or plasma) at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. I'll take anything any body knows as long as its using somekind of a comparative scale. Some 'completely made up' examples of what I'm looking for: (Molecular Level) * If an iron molecule were 1 inch in diameter, each molecule would be 2 inches apart. (Atomic level) * if the average size of atoms within an iron molecule were 1 inch in diameter the average distance between atoms within an iron molecule would be 5 inches. (Sub-atomic level) * If the atomic nucleus of an atom were one inch then the average distance that an orbiting electron would be 27 ft. * If a proton were one inch in diameter then the distance between a proton and a neutron would be 5 inches * if proton were 3 feet across then it would have 2 quarks which would be .5 inches across and would be on average 1 foot apart. * if an atom were the size of the solar system then a sting would be the size of a tree (this one I heard somewhere) Do you kind of see what I'm looking for? fAny kind of information like the above on anything that anyone has would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! Rusty

Yes! This is it. Thanks! Rusty

Thanks for replying! So gravity is too weak to pull the plates together and so it was figured that it must be the virtual particle pairs popping in and out of existence that was pushing the plates together -- I guess some slight energy discharge of the VPPs leave behind? And there are less between the plates so that's why they are pushed together? It seems a bit strange to jump to the conclusion that the movement was caused by VPPs which are kind of far out there (if you weren't already convinced by education that they were there) doesn't it? Rusty

Hi! I read somewhere that two metal plates were placed parallel to each other and that after time these two plates moved slowly closer together. This test supposedly proved the existence of virtual particle pairs. Supposedly it was the pressure of the virtual particle pairs that was causing the plates to move closer together. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? If not I'll dig it up. At any rate this test always bothered me and it came to me why? Wouldn't gravity pull these two plates closer? Thanks, Rusty

So... in some universe I've already done the dishes? rusty

Hi, In quantum mechanics there is a... what?... I don't know so I'm hoping someone can help me... I'll say theory for now though this might be wrong. It says something like this 'If there is a probability that something can happen then, it does happen but in parallel universes.' I hope I've gotten that close enough to correct for someone to know what I'm talking about -- it's been 20 years since I really dug into quantum mechanics. First is this a prediction? a theory? or what? Second, does it have a name? Third has anything about this changed in the last 20 years? How likely is it that this really exists? Finally... gulp, does string theory have any impact on this? Anything you know are any of the questions you can answer would be greatly appreciated! I'm using this in my sci-fi book to (don't laugh too hard) explain Dark Energy. If this were to really exist can you imagine how incredable its expansion over time would be! Rusty

Hi! Has anyone put forward the thought that closed loop zero-mass strings (gravitons) not on our brane might leave their influence either as they passed through our brane, or from beyond this brane thereby accounting for gravity that we cannot find matter for (i.e. Dark Matter)? Or, put another way, that Dark Matter is the apparent missing strength of gravity? Thanks, Rusty

This sounds correct. As much as I love M-Theory, until CERN or others spot a vanishing Graviton or some other proof/conformation for these theories is found, the opinion of this humble science fan/sci-fi writer is that science must remain rigid to the principles that have gotten us this far. Especially with something suppose to explain everything. (Note: I'm probably about 2 years behind the edge of affairs related to string theory) Rusty

Thanks for replying and for the link! I think 'intros' are the problem and why I'm asking questions which make no sense, lol. I need to graduate to intermediate level. Rusty

I was joking. ;-)