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A finite and smooth universe? Stephen Hawking's last paper

ack

ack

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Based on the string theory concept of holography, Hawking and Hertog now postulate that

In their new paper, Hawking and Hertog say this account of eternal inflation as a theory of the big bang is wrong. "The problem with the usual account of eternal inflation is that it assumes an existing background universe that evolves according to Einstein's theory of general relativity and treats the quantum effects as small fluctuations around this," said Hertog. "However, the dynamics of eternal inflation wipes out the separation between classical and quantum physics. As a consequence, Einstein's theory breaks down in eternal inflation."

"We predict that our universe, on the largest scales, is reasonably smooth and globally finite. So it is not a fractal structure," said Hawking.

Their results, if confirmed by further work, would have far-reaching implications for the multiverse paradigm. "We are not down to a single, unique universe, but our findings imply a significant reduction of the multiverse, to a much smaller range of possible universes," said Hawking.
Click to expand...

https://phys.org/news/2018-05-multiversestephen-hawking-theory-big.html
https://www.sciencealert.com/stephen-hawking-s-last-physics-paper-theory-on-eternal-inflation-multiverses
https://arxiv.org/abs/1707.07702
[video=vimeo;267131639]https://vimeo.com/267131639[/video]
https://vimeo.com/267131639
 
Very cool, thanks for posting. From the first link, quoting Hawking:

"The local laws of physics and chemistry can differ from one pocket universe to another, which together would form a multiverse. But I have never been a fan of the multiverse. If the scale of different universes in the multiverse is large or infinite the theory can't be tested."

***

Precisely. Because of lack of testability, the usual multiverse hypothesis is not science, but philosophy dressed in scientific language. Which is also why, as a scientist (biochemist) who constantly works in the realm of testable hypotheses, I have never been able to subscribed to it.

For the same reason I also have a problem with string theory, which generally forms the basis for multiverse hypotheses. It's not testable.
 
Al M. said:
For the same reason I also have a problem with string theory, which generally forms the basis for multiverse hypotheses. It's not testable.
Click to expand...

String theory is... strange. Recall that thread years ago where we discussed that the sum of all positive number equals -1/12, using Riemann's zeta function? A sum used in string theory. I think the fundamental problem we humans have here is dealing with 'infinity'. Like would you believe that infinity - infinity can converge to pi? No? Watch this:

 
Look nobody knows everything off course but string theorie , seems to only work if you insert something really weird from the start and go from there.
It looks like more like making things difficult instead of the opposite , I watched the vid , never heard of Riemann before .
The guys/women working at cern are not really interested in it , but are more interested in proving the standard model through actual research
I get the same impression when audiophiles experience (large ) soundimprovements over fuses or some mystical items inserted in the system, nobody can prove the opposite either , so it stays a mistery for ever.
 
andromedaaudio said:
Can i then ask a fairly logical question?
What is beyond those limited amount of universes?
Click to expand...


In the truest sense of the word, NOTHING.


The vacuum of empty space is not nothing, it is the vacuum of empty space.

Likewise, there is NOTHING beyond the confines of the universe.

The dictionary definition of "nothing" is WRONG. They spend a lot of time defining it, but the more they define it, the more "something" nothing becomes.

Verily, "nothing" is undefinable and undefined in the same sense as the square root of negative 1.
 
Even within the existing material world they haven't got a clue , they don't know what speeds up the expansion of the universe , meaning the force driving galaxy clusters apart let alone what is in the vast vacuum of space , that there are an infinity number of other galaxacies seems much more likely to me.
At least just as likely , why limit that to a certain number
 
"Some of the more concrete predictions of the theory can be studied by looking through data from our advanced space telescopes. Professor Hertog has suggested that by listening for primordial gravitational waves we might be able to hear proof of his and Mr Hawking's last finding: if the universe has really been expanding, those ripples in spacetime should be too big for us to hear, but if the final paper is correct then we should hear the proof as those disturbances go past."
_____

° https://sputniknews.com/world/201805031064105769-universe-big-bang-hawking/

"Now we're saying that there is a boundary in our past," co-author Thomas Hertog of the Belgian university KU Leven said in a press statement.

"When we trace the evolution of our universe backwards in time, at some point we arrive at the threshold of eternal inflation, where our familiar notion of time ceases to have any meaning," Hertog said.

"I think the key point about our model is not so much that constant density surfaces in the universe are finite, but rather that the variation in the multiverse is restricted."

The paper, published in the Journal of High Energy Physics, has been made free to download.
 
ack said:
String theory is... strange. Recall that thread years ago where we discussed that the sum of all positive number equals -1/12, using Riemann's zeta function? A sum used in string theory. I think the fundamental problem we humans have here is dealing with 'infinity'. Like would you believe that infinity - infinity can converge to pi? No? Watch this:

Click to expand...

That was fun to watch, thanks!
 
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