What Is Life Like in Other Parts of the Multiverse? [Video]
In a clip from the NOVA miniseries "The Fabric of the Cosmos," Brian Greene and his fellow physicists ponder the implications of multiple universes
This year has been a painful one for fans of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, the perennial contender that has fallen to 0–10 on the season. Perhaps Hoosiers can take some small comfort in the thought of a world where star quarterback Peyton Manning is healthy rather than hobbled and the Colts are undefeated rather than winless. If the cosmological concept of the multiverse is correct, such a world could exist right now.
Some theoretical explanations for our universe's beginnings imply that big bangs are not rare—in fact, they are happening all the time, producing an infinite array of universes within a larger multiverse. Most universes would be very different from the one we inhabit, but with so many to choose from, some would resemble ours in every respect—or in almost every respect, except that the Colts remain dominant.
In another hypothetical universe Brian Greene is an orchestral conductor, not a theoretical physicist at Columbia University. See for yourself what that corner of the multiverse might look like in the clip below from Greene's NOVA miniseries, The Fabric of the Cosmos. The fourth and final segment of the series details the reasons why many physicists take the multiverse seriously—and why some fear that the idea verges on the supernatural. The episode "Universe or Multiverse?" airs November 23 on PBS.
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.
When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.
Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber
Thank you,
Jeanna Bryner, Editor in Chief, Scientific American
