h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Theoretical Physics, Eh?

My my. Fascinating.

Righto. What do you know about Quantum Mechanics / Physics / Computing / Et cetera. I am astounded by it and love to hear what others think about it.

i find it facinating more than knowing a lot of stuff about it, if you visit this researchers space http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/U234603 he has some really interesting aritcles about quantum mechanics and computing, i think he has left h2g2 or gone on holiday cause he hasnt dont anything for like 2 weeks.


i love all of it, only problem is im only 15 so havnt done a lot of physics and only really now the parts involving english words not so much about how they work mathematicaly and stuff, but soon i will, i love parallel universe, quantum computers actually use them to funtion, did you know that? they can do billions of calculations at the same time by doing them all in differnt parallel universes then brining the data back to us.

another thing i love, is how a particle can be in two places or posses to states at the same time unless it is viewed, that is the most amazing thing i thnk.

Mine Gott.

Another 15 year old who loves Quantum Physics....

Yes. I too am in the Same Predicament.

However, there is a book which can Assist an many ways.

Recommended to me by a Teacher who sadly is now Deceased (though, according to Quantum Mechanics, I can't prove that). It is called The Whole Schebang: A State of the Universe(s) Report by Timothy Ferris.

Fascinating stuff. Tought me a lot.

Now, I assume that they have yet to Create the Quantum Computer? What a Fascinating yet rather Disturbing Event that would be indeed.

If you have heard of Schrodinger's (I can never seem to Recall the manner in which that is Spelt: Pfui.) Cat, what are you Thouths and Opinions upon it?

actually they have made a basic computer, cant find any imformation on it though, the cat thing is pretty weird as well, i have heard a bit about it

They made a Quantum Computer but it doesn't work? Tells me that there aren't any Parrallel Universes.

Pity.

I still think there are.

Ay. The Cat in the Box.

Poor Cat. Wouldn't want to be it.

i didnt mean the computer didnt work, it did, you just misunderstood me

Ah yes? Quite!

How so? What was the Computation it was Commisioned to Fulfil? How did it Succede in this? How Long did the Results take?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/A1115146 read through that, if you have questions ask them in the peer review at the bottom, i dont know that much on the topic

Fascinating.
That is the Only Appropriate Word that come to my mind.
Extremally Fascinating.

Good day. It was me that wrote the Quantum Computing article. And the reason for my being away for two weeks was because I was on holiday in foggy Cornwall. I have now assured myself that future holidays will only be one week in length, to reduce the risk of Internet withdrawal symptoms.

Quantum physics is one of the most incredibly and inherently flabbergasting subjects, the one that gives rise to the infinite parallel universe theory. I was thinking about parallel universes last night, and I came to the conclusion that if every single possibility is played out, then there must therefore be a universe where advanced civilisations have developed mind-reading technology. There must also be a universe where such a civilisation is probing the thoughts of people from Earth right now...

However, since we have not had any contact from such civilisations it might be the case that this happens to be the universe where no such mind-reading takes place.

According to quantum physics, there is a small probability that at this moment a small carnivorous gibbon will spontaneously appear on top of my computer monitor, shout "I am a ferret", dance around on my desktop for no less than thirty seconds, and then remove its stopwatch with a third arm and throw it through my dining room wall.

However, the probability is miniscule.

Have you heard of the DeciReal scale?

no i have not, would you like to explain?

what would you say to my idea that we are a parallel universe? there was a universe the started at the big bang and from that parallel universes broke off, and we are just one of them.

The DeciReal scale is also known as the Hawking Reality Scale and it determines how 'distorted' reality is.

Reality as we know it is 0dR meaning that it is in no way fragmented. The decireal scale increases exponentially, which means that a reality ten times more fragmented than 0dR is 10dR, and one that is 100 times more fragmented is 20dR; 1000, 30dR; and so on.

From what I have read, here are some examples:

Very close to 0dR - Something strange but improbable, e.g. Microsoft going out of business.

0.3dR - Your neighbour is wearing fingernail polish that blinks from red to orange.

15dR - A man's pet gerbil suddenly acquires extra bedding material.

60dR - A gerbil knocks on my door and asks for some extra bedding material.

I would probably consult a friend to ask if I was going insane at this point.

90dR - Some extra bedding knocks on my door and asks for a gerbil.

Eight hours of 90dR can damage your brain.

110dR - A truck load of cotton wool is deposited through my chimney, and even though it is blocked, it comes through, sprouts wings and explains its quest to find uncomfortable gerbils.

120dR - I suddenly find that I am in fact a gerbil, and my eyeballs clone themselves and travel down my trachea singing 'Jingle Bells' when it is only August (or is it June?)

140dR - Would cause immediate mental damage, possibly rendering you unconscious because it is totally incoherent with any of your ordinary experiences.

Parallel universes could be rated on this scale according to how close they are to this universe's reality. And yes, I agree with your theory that this is a parallel universe.

But, if every possiblity is played out in a Parallel universe, that would mean that If I that I can think a Universe into being, simply by asking myself if it is possible to have a stable J/Psi particle....

Then, of course, there is the question, Where is this Universe?

the same as every other parallel universe, living along side us without us knowing it.

I often visualise parallel universes as the square planes that make up a cube. The planes are universes that are 'stacked' up on top of each other, and 2D people that might inhabit them would never know that other universes were right next door.

Have you read 'The Universe Next Door?'

no i have not, any good?

i would say your idea is better for explaining parallel universes but mine is more practicle and more realistic as i have read it in several differnt places before

'The Universe Next Door' is by Marcus Chown, one of the correspondents of New Scientist. It is not just about parallel universes, but ten other mind-stretching ideas in science.

It is very good. There is a parallel universe where it isn't.