A new theory suggest interacting parallel worlds are not just a science fiction concept, but actually do exist.
The idea suggests nearby worlds influence each other through the power of repulsion; these findings could have serious implications for quantum physics, Griffith University reported.
Quantum theory works to explain how the universe interacts on a microscopic scale, but it often demonstrates inexplicable phenomena that defy the laws of cause and effect.
"I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics," American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman once said.
But this newly-developed "Many-Interacting Worlds" approach could provide a new perspective on this field.
"The idea of parallel universes in quantum mechanics has been around since 1957," said Professor Howard Wiseman of Griffith's Centre for Quantum Dynamics. "In the well-known "Many-Worlds Interpretation," each universe branches into a bunch of new universes every time a quantum measurement is made. All possibilities are therefore [realized] -- in some universes the dinosaur-killing asteroid missed Earth. In others, Australia was [colonized] by the Portuguese."
The researchers proposed that: the universe is really just one of a "gigantic number" of worlds; all of these worlds are equally real, and exist continuously through time; and all quantum phenomena arise from the force of repulsion between neighboring worlds.
"The beauty of our approach is that if there is just one world our theory reduces to Newtonian mechanics, while if there is a gigantic number of worlds it reproduces quantum mechanics," said Michael Hall from Griffith's Centre for Quantum Dynamics. "In between it predicts something new that is neither Newton's theory nor quantum theory."
The "ability to approximate quantum evolution using a finite number of worlds" could also help shape molecular dynamics, which would provide insight into chemical reactions.
"These are great ideas, not only conceptually, but also with regard to the new numerical breakthroughs they are almost certain to engender," said Professor Bill Poirier, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Texas Tech University.
The findings were published in a recent edition of Physical Review X.
