Do parallel universes exist?

Could it be that while you are currently reading this gallery you are also performing on a stage in front of thousands of fans? Or taking a leisurely stroll on a beautiful beach with your partner? Could you be living in a parallel universe?

No, this is not a science fiction book, nor is it the plot of 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'. According to some scientific theories, infinite versions of you may exist in infinite parallel universes.

To speak of infinite parallel universes would be wrong in itself because the word "infinite" is used in this context to denote a huge number that is impossible for the human mind to calculate but is nevertheless finite. In short, it's a kind of 'poetic license' that perfectly reflects the greatness we're talking about.

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As we have already mentioned, there are indeed scientific theories that we may be living in parallel universes or a multiverse, and they are not as new as you might think.

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One of the earliest theories to address this issue is the 'Many Worlds Interpretation' proposed by American physicist Hugh Everett III, incidentally the father of Mark Oliver Everett (known as Mr. E), the frontman of the US band 'The Eels'.

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Dating back to 1957, Everett's interpretation of the many worlds "predicts the presence of branching timelines, or alternate realities in which our decisions play out differently, sometimes producing wildly different outcomes," according to a National Geographic scientific article about the famous theory.

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In the same article, we also read the words of University of Minnesota physicist James Kakalios: "Hugh Everett says, 'Look, there’s actually an infinite number of parallel Earths, and when you do an experiment and you get the probabilities, basically all that proves is that you live on the Earth where that was the outcome of that experiment,' But on other Earths, there’s a different outcome."

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What Everett means with his many Earths interpretation is that there are probably an infinite amount of versions of you living infinitely different possible lives that you could have lived had you made different choices. But the only reality you can perceive is the one you live in.

One of the questions that could arise from this intriguing theory is: Where are all the other versions of Earth, but more importantly... do they really exist?

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Scientists believe that other versions of Earth, where infinite versions of ourselves exist, exist in other dimensions that we don't have access to.

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According to the National Geographic article, Max Tegmark of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) refers to this type of multiverse as "a Level III multiverse , where multiple scenarios are playing out in branching realities."  A very similar idea to Everett's.

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Instead, according to Andrei Linde, a physicist at Stanford University, "Our understanding of reality is not complete, by far. Reality exists independently of us.”

Regarding the many worlds interpretation, in National Geographic Linde says: "In the many-worlds interpretation, you still have an atomic bomb, you just don’t know exactly when it’s going to go off,” adding, “you do not even know if, in some parts of the universe, atomic bombs are even possible in principle.”

But Everett's theory of many worlds is not the only one. Another very famous hypothesis that completely shook the entire scientific community between supporters and skeptics in the 1980s is string theory.

String theory began as a kind of theory about everything, an explanation of how Einstein's theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, one of the greatest torments of modern physics, could be reconciled. Two valid and proven theories, but they are incompatible with each other.

String theory, which cannot be verified experimentally, has set itself the ambitious goal of bringing together the two greatest scientific discoveries of the last century. But we haven't succeeded yet. In fact, enthusiasm for this hypothetical theory has waned since its inception.

String theory is at the heart of the work of physicist Michio Kaku, professor of physics at the City University of New York and author of 'The God Equation'.

In an interesting article he published in the New York Times, Kaku explains the famous theory in these words: "In physics, the concept of a multiverse is a key element of a leading area of study based on the theory of everything. It’s called string theory."

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"Subatomic particles are just different notes on a tiny, vibrating string, which explains why we have so many of them. Each string vibration, or resonance, corresponds to a distinct particle. The harmonies of the string correspond to the
laws of physics. The melodies of the string explain chemistry."

According to this idea, Kaku continues, "the universe is a symphony of strings. String theory, in turn, posits an infinite number of parallel universes, of which our universe is just one."

Of course, as with any theory, there are scientists who don't always agree, as in the case of Carlo Rovelli, an Italian physicist and essayist specializing in theoretical physics within the framework of the theory of loop quantum gravity founders he belongs. This theory also aims to unify Einstein's theory of relativity and quantum mechanics and make 'peace'.

Rovelli said in a video interview with Italian Youtuber and entrepreneur Marco Montemagno that he thinks string theory is "a beautiful theory, but it's wrong."

On the possibility of living in a multiverse, however, he says: "There are many scientists today who take the idea of other dimensions seriously and are studying them. It is a contentious and controversial issue. My personal opinion is that everything is possible, but I see no convincing evidence that there is another universe or dimension beyond the one we are in. I am not convinced. At the moment that seems to me just idle speculation."

And for now, it looks like Rovelli is right. The evidence supporting the idea of a multiverse is purely theoretical and in some cases philosophical, but it's nonetheless one of the most intriguing theories that modern physics has spawned, and maybe some of you in a parallel universe really are a famous rock star right now!

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