(September 15, 2012 at 4:08 pm)liam Wrote:In principle, it is possible for a two dimensional being to detect the existence of a third dimension, and even in principle understand what is transpiring in it.(September 15, 2012 at 2:06 pm)Ace Otana Wrote: If there is evidence for other universes and the like, then this theory needs to be rechecked.
Hopefully with advancing technologies, we'll have more data. So we can be more sure.
Is there not a fundamental issue with this idea of observing other universes, simply that they are not necessarily existing according to the same dimensions as ours? If there are other universes they are not bound by space and time, but it is equally possible (I presume) that they are bound by two unimaginable dimensions and as such escape our detection regardless of the technology we possess?
Take for example light. It is possible to imagine a two dimensional universe that would be sensitive to light. But light would exhibit some odd properties in a two dimensional universe. If would for example follow the inverse square law in two dimensional distances. But it would not be intuitive, nor easily explanation within the context of 2 dimensions, how light can spread out by a mere factor of two and yet lose strength by a factor of 4. It would require an assumption of propagation of light into a third, otherwise unseen dimension, to explain just how light could behave in two dimension the way it does.
In other words, messenger particles detectable in N dimensions can exhibit properties suggestive of it also occupying a higher, otherwise unseen dimension.
So this is how in principle, another universe occupying dimensions we are not otherwise sensitive to can nonetheless exert pervasive influence upon our 3 dimensional universe.
There are physicists who postulate that light and electromegnetic force are truly a 3 dimensional force in that it can only propagate along our three dimensions. Even if there is a forth dimension, it would not travel along that extra-dimension. Objects in any of our three dimensions can detect electromegnetic force. But if some extra-dimensional object does not share any of our three dimensions, it won't detect our electromegnetic forces.
There is also theories postulating that gravity in fact propagates in more than 3 dimensions. In other words, gravity spreads out over short distances much more than can be accounted for by 3 dimensions. This suggests through gravity, we can detect events that is not, even in principle, detectable through light. It also suggests the possibility that some extra-dimensional objects that does not share any of our dimensions can still detect gravity from our universe, and conversely, we can detect gravity from things that is otherwise totally not in our universe.