Does Earth Exist in a Parallel Universe?
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VOICE OVER: Peter DeGiglio
WRITTEN BY: Aidan Johnson
Do parallel universes REALLY exist? Is this realist just one part of the MULTIVERSE? And how does our planet EARTH fit into that equation?
Does Earth Exist in a Parallel Universe?
As far as our understanding goes, Earth is unique. Thousands of exoplanets have been observed, and some are considered Earth-like, but none can quite match our little blue dot. Nevertheless, in the ongoing search for second planets that might come close, in recent times a new and intriguing avenue may have been opened up.
This is Unveiled, and today we’re answering the extraordinary question; does Earth exist in a parallel universe?
The general theory of parallel universes has taken hold in science fiction thanks to the massive creative flexibility that’s offered. If writers or directors want to change anything along this timeline, then parallel universes allow them to switch to another… and continue on from there. And then, of course, the various paradoxes in play can serve to shape an enthralling tale. What if the main character meets their alt-world doppelganger? What if that parallel person is also evil? What if war happens in one reality, but not in the other? What happens if the evolution of life itself unfolds just ever so slightly differently? The parallel world is always a place to experiment with fresh and bizarre ideas.
From a science fact point of view, however, does any of it ever check out? How accurate are the various concepts surrounding a multiverse? Does physics (or theoretical physics) genuinely allow for what, on the face of it, would appear to be magic? And, in particular, is the all too common trope of a world just like this one… but different ever really possible?
Well, an immediate and sizable problem is that no single parallel universe theory is unanimously accepted by the general scientific community. Such notions are usually considered to be fundamentally unscientific. They cannot (so far, at least) be validated via prediction, observation, or experimentation. Every imaginable parallel reality lies outside our observable universe, as we currently understand it. And none is falsifiable, either. We may suspect (even strongly suspect) that there are parallel worlds out there, but we do not know. And, almost always, the suggestion of parallel places fails the famed Occam’s Razor, as well, the philosophical principle that the hypothesis with the fewest assumptions is the one that should be preferred. Here, one singular universe is a much simpler assumption for reality… rather than a multiverse of infinitely many unobservable realms. Parallel worlds add unnecessary layers of complexity… and, so, the answer can never be a straight up, yes, Earth exists in a parallel universe.
Despite everything, though, multiverse theories have arisen from theoretical physics, and some do allow for second (and perhaps infinite) Earths, all existing beyond the cosmos as we know it. The Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, as often happens, is the bar-setter. Proposed in 1957 by Hugh Everett III, it suggests that every possible outcome of a quantum event is realized simultaneously. The quantum wavefunction contains all possible states for a system, and Many-Worlds is simply a way to interpret it. So whenever any event occurs, including an event as immeasurably tiny as a single particle splitting or combining… all possible outcomes happen along separate branches of reality. All of those outcomes then equally exist in the same overarching framework, the multiverse. And it’s only when we measure the outcome - or, more simply, observe it - that reality “collapses” into the single outcome and world that we observe as our everyday lives.
There’s often some misinterpretation here. For example, the theory can make it feel as though an entirely new universe is created every time a quantum event happens. As though there’s something, somewhere that’s just continually churning out all the new (but slightly different) stuff that’s just endlessly required. This is definitely impossible, however. An entire reality’s worth of matter can’t just materialize instantaneously. And then again, and again, and again, forever. Yes, the moment of creation for this universe - generally thought of as the Big Bang - is something of an issue here, because the Big Bang Theory does (kinda) suggest that in that one moment, 13.8 billion years ago, a universe really did spawn from nothing. But, still, science does not generally suggest that this same event is happening over and over again, in the background of our lives forevermore.
Instead, the Many Worlds Theory implies more that all the other, parallel realities that aren’t this one are encoded along a higher, even more fundamental structure (or mechanism) than just this cosmos. As such, although the branches of a tree comparison is accurate to a degree, there is never any crossover between the branches. The parallel worlds do not interact; they are not known to each other; they cannot impact one another. From a science fiction perspective, this is… not ideal, and is usually ignored. The overlaps are where the story happens, so writers will deviate from Many Worlds to make those overlaps happen. But the feeling remains that, really, all parallel worlds (if they do exist) are wholly isolated from all others.
Nevertheless, and although we could never travel there, it’s an idea that concludes yes, Earth should indeed exist in a parallel universe. And many, many times over. The changes between here and there could be infinitesimally small… or they could be inexplicably massive. One doesn’t have chocolate ice cream, one doesn’t have any ice cream. One doesn’t have human life, one doesn’t have any life at all. Whatever changes do take place are all rooted back in those same, endless splits and branches along the Many Worlds version of reality. Interestingly, it’s something that scientists and researchers hope to better understand over the coming years, via the uptake of quantum computing and general entanglement experiments. It’s again unlikely that we’ll uncover irrefutable evidence of parallel worlds, but these quantum pursuits should further flesh out the theories.
Many Worlds isn’t the only way to look at the question of parallel Earths, however. The holographic principle offers another, somewhat unnerving possibility. In short, the holographic principle proposes that everything we know and see and feel could, indeed, be a hologram. It’s a thought that originated through observations of black holes, and of Hawking Radiation. It’s held that black holes are capable of performing an (at one time) seemingly impossible feat, in storing information on their surface, as opposed to their interior. In 2D, rather than 3D. And so, if such a bizarre setup can be achieved, then could it also be happening elsewhere, and along higher levels of reality?
The holographic model of the universe broadly suggests that Earth, everything that’s on it, and perhaps even every observable thing that surrounds it, is a projection. In most respects, this makes life no more (or less) real for us, but it does rewrite all the rules and claims as to why we’re here, and what our purpose is. And, boiling all of reality down to what’s effectively a line of information that’s beamed onto a canvas, it might be assumed that such an Earth could be made (or rendered) time and time again. Picture the base point as something like a movie projector, and now imagine that there’s a miles long row of such projectors, all beaming out the same movie. In this - admittedly highly speculative - setup, the answer would again be yes, Earth should exist in a parallel universe. Similarly, though, good luck trying to travel to your life as played on one of the other screens. It isn’t likely to be possible.
Ultimately, the question has two answers. We do not have (and probably never will have) an inarguable means of demonstrating that other Earths exist, identical to ours, in parallel worlds. On the other hand, if you subscribe to the Many Worlds Interpretation or the Holographic Principle, if you believe that we live in a multiverse in general rather than a simple universe, then an identical Earth is often inevitable. What do you think is happening over there, at this moment? How is that other, unknowable place different, and how is it the same? Is there someone else who’s busily watching their fill of reality shifting YouTube videos?
For now, whether we’re all alone or one of many; whether we’re physically grounded or metaphysically projected, we are here on this Earth, and we should probably be making the most of it. The proverbial grass could well be greener on any theoretical replicant or quantum-facilitated neighbour that might be dwelling out there somewhere, over an impenetrable horizon. But, still, life here might be something that a hypothetical sister planet could also envy. There are reasons to be cheerful… and, hopefully, to avoid an existential crisis.
As far as our understanding goes, Earth is unique. Thousands of exoplanets have been observed, and some are considered Earth-like, but none can quite match our little blue dot. Nevertheless, in the ongoing search for second planets that might come close, in recent times a new and intriguing avenue may have been opened up.
This is Unveiled, and today we’re answering the extraordinary question; does Earth exist in a parallel universe?
The general theory of parallel universes has taken hold in science fiction thanks to the massive creative flexibility that’s offered. If writers or directors want to change anything along this timeline, then parallel universes allow them to switch to another… and continue on from there. And then, of course, the various paradoxes in play can serve to shape an enthralling tale. What if the main character meets their alt-world doppelganger? What if that parallel person is also evil? What if war happens in one reality, but not in the other? What happens if the evolution of life itself unfolds just ever so slightly differently? The parallel world is always a place to experiment with fresh and bizarre ideas.
From a science fact point of view, however, does any of it ever check out? How accurate are the various concepts surrounding a multiverse? Does physics (or theoretical physics) genuinely allow for what, on the face of it, would appear to be magic? And, in particular, is the all too common trope of a world just like this one… but different ever really possible?
Well, an immediate and sizable problem is that no single parallel universe theory is unanimously accepted by the general scientific community. Such notions are usually considered to be fundamentally unscientific. They cannot (so far, at least) be validated via prediction, observation, or experimentation. Every imaginable parallel reality lies outside our observable universe, as we currently understand it. And none is falsifiable, either. We may suspect (even strongly suspect) that there are parallel worlds out there, but we do not know. And, almost always, the suggestion of parallel places fails the famed Occam’s Razor, as well, the philosophical principle that the hypothesis with the fewest assumptions is the one that should be preferred. Here, one singular universe is a much simpler assumption for reality… rather than a multiverse of infinitely many unobservable realms. Parallel worlds add unnecessary layers of complexity… and, so, the answer can never be a straight up, yes, Earth exists in a parallel universe.
Despite everything, though, multiverse theories have arisen from theoretical physics, and some do allow for second (and perhaps infinite) Earths, all existing beyond the cosmos as we know it. The Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, as often happens, is the bar-setter. Proposed in 1957 by Hugh Everett III, it suggests that every possible outcome of a quantum event is realized simultaneously. The quantum wavefunction contains all possible states for a system, and Many-Worlds is simply a way to interpret it. So whenever any event occurs, including an event as immeasurably tiny as a single particle splitting or combining… all possible outcomes happen along separate branches of reality. All of those outcomes then equally exist in the same overarching framework, the multiverse. And it’s only when we measure the outcome - or, more simply, observe it - that reality “collapses” into the single outcome and world that we observe as our everyday lives.
There’s often some misinterpretation here. For example, the theory can make it feel as though an entirely new universe is created every time a quantum event happens. As though there’s something, somewhere that’s just continually churning out all the new (but slightly different) stuff that’s just endlessly required. This is definitely impossible, however. An entire reality’s worth of matter can’t just materialize instantaneously. And then again, and again, and again, forever. Yes, the moment of creation for this universe - generally thought of as the Big Bang - is something of an issue here, because the Big Bang Theory does (kinda) suggest that in that one moment, 13.8 billion years ago, a universe really did spawn from nothing. But, still, science does not generally suggest that this same event is happening over and over again, in the background of our lives forevermore.
Instead, the Many Worlds Theory implies more that all the other, parallel realities that aren’t this one are encoded along a higher, even more fundamental structure (or mechanism) than just this cosmos. As such, although the branches of a tree comparison is accurate to a degree, there is never any crossover between the branches. The parallel worlds do not interact; they are not known to each other; they cannot impact one another. From a science fiction perspective, this is… not ideal, and is usually ignored. The overlaps are where the story happens, so writers will deviate from Many Worlds to make those overlaps happen. But the feeling remains that, really, all parallel worlds (if they do exist) are wholly isolated from all others.
Nevertheless, and although we could never travel there, it’s an idea that concludes yes, Earth should indeed exist in a parallel universe. And many, many times over. The changes between here and there could be infinitesimally small… or they could be inexplicably massive. One doesn’t have chocolate ice cream, one doesn’t have any ice cream. One doesn’t have human life, one doesn’t have any life at all. Whatever changes do take place are all rooted back in those same, endless splits and branches along the Many Worlds version of reality. Interestingly, it’s something that scientists and researchers hope to better understand over the coming years, via the uptake of quantum computing and general entanglement experiments. It’s again unlikely that we’ll uncover irrefutable evidence of parallel worlds, but these quantum pursuits should further flesh out the theories.
Many Worlds isn’t the only way to look at the question of parallel Earths, however. The holographic principle offers another, somewhat unnerving possibility. In short, the holographic principle proposes that everything we know and see and feel could, indeed, be a hologram. It’s a thought that originated through observations of black holes, and of Hawking Radiation. It’s held that black holes are capable of performing an (at one time) seemingly impossible feat, in storing information on their surface, as opposed to their interior. In 2D, rather than 3D. And so, if such a bizarre setup can be achieved, then could it also be happening elsewhere, and along higher levels of reality?
The holographic model of the universe broadly suggests that Earth, everything that’s on it, and perhaps even every observable thing that surrounds it, is a projection. In most respects, this makes life no more (or less) real for us, but it does rewrite all the rules and claims as to why we’re here, and what our purpose is. And, boiling all of reality down to what’s effectively a line of information that’s beamed onto a canvas, it might be assumed that such an Earth could be made (or rendered) time and time again. Picture the base point as something like a movie projector, and now imagine that there’s a miles long row of such projectors, all beaming out the same movie. In this - admittedly highly speculative - setup, the answer would again be yes, Earth should exist in a parallel universe. Similarly, though, good luck trying to travel to your life as played on one of the other screens. It isn’t likely to be possible.
Ultimately, the question has two answers. We do not have (and probably never will have) an inarguable means of demonstrating that other Earths exist, identical to ours, in parallel worlds. On the other hand, if you subscribe to the Many Worlds Interpretation or the Holographic Principle, if you believe that we live in a multiverse in general rather than a simple universe, then an identical Earth is often inevitable. What do you think is happening over there, at this moment? How is that other, unknowable place different, and how is it the same? Is there someone else who’s busily watching their fill of reality shifting YouTube videos?
For now, whether we’re all alone or one of many; whether we’re physically grounded or metaphysically projected, we are here on this Earth, and we should probably be making the most of it. The proverbial grass could well be greener on any theoretical replicant or quantum-facilitated neighbour that might be dwelling out there somewhere, over an impenetrable horizon. But, still, life here might be something that a hypothetical sister planet could also envy. There are reasons to be cheerful… and, hopefully, to avoid an existential crisis.
