"Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh
What is hidden in the stars and the swirls of planets?
What is hidden in the stars and the swirls of planets?
Twice in my recent adult life, I have come across a new subject that has opened a different world for me. A few years ago, I became interested in opera. I even wrote a blog entry about this new found interest, "The case for trying something new".
Recently, I discovered a world that is literally "out of this world," another reality in quantum physics and string theory. For a scientist this doesn't sound so foreign, but for this English major, it is. I've never had a physics class in my life and in college took only minimal math. I've preferred fiction, fantasy, poetry. Now I'm downloading articles about parallel universes.
It all started when I saw a television interview with Brian Greene about his latest book,
The Hidden Reality, Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos. I'm still reading the book and admit to reading some paragraphs several times and understanding only about a third of what I read, but I persevere. My curiosity is so pique`d by the hidden reality he describes that I can't quit.
The theory of parallel universes satisfies my English major need for fantasy and poetry. My reading tells me that while the theory has not been proved conclusively, it has not been disproved. Brian Greene puts forth the idea, prevalent in physics, that the universe is growing larger creating many universes and many worlds. Some are copies of our own universe and galaxy. It is possible there are many duplicates of you and me in those universes.
I think one reason I find this theory so compelling is that when I was a child I had the thought that somewhere there was another planet with another me who was doing the exact same thing I was doing, at the same time. I never told anyone of this fantasy, but I never forgot it. Even if you are not a "physics person," I recommend Greene's book. With a little doggedness, you can read it, understand some of it and like the universe, expand your mind.
The theory of parallel universes satisfies my English major need for fantasy and poetry. My reading tells me that while the theory has not been proved conclusively, it has not been disproved. Brian Greene puts forth the idea, prevalent in physics, that the universe is growing larger creating many universes and many worlds. Some are copies of our own universe and galaxy. It is possible there are many duplicates of you and me in those universes.
I think one reason I find this theory so compelling is that when I was a child I had the thought that somewhere there was another planet with another me who was doing the exact same thing I was doing, at the same time. I never told anyone of this fantasy, but I never forgot it. Even if you are not a "physics person," I recommend Greene's book. With a little doggedness, you can read it, understand some of it and like the universe, expand your mind.
Hmmm. Interesting. I'll check it out.
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