The Ultimate Guide to Different Kinds of Parallel Universes

By Nesma Nafea On Aug 9, 2014

How many times do you use the phrase “In a parallel universe, I would…” The theory of a parallel universe’s existence has loose ends and it could very well be true. So what if you could transport yourself to a parallel universe? Just sit back and close your eyes, let your imagination carry you to the kind of place you would like to spend time in, construct your ultimate universe behind your closed eyes.

William James, a 1980’s philosopher coined a theory about the “multiuniverse”; that theory suggests that a hypothetical set of multiple universes comprises everything that can possibly exist simultaneously. Not all physicists though believe that these universes exist. Even fewer believe that it would ever be possible to contact these parallel universes.

There are different levels to contacting parallel universes or transporting there:

Level 1: If you go far enough, you’ll find yourself at home

This level basically suggests that the space is big enough to embrace another planet exactly like our Earth and that everything is duplicated over there.

The existence of Level 1 parallel universes depends on two assumptions:

The universe is infinite (or virtually so).
Within an infinite universe, every single possible configuration of particles in a hubble volume takes place multiple times.

We wouldn’t know how to find this universe though because it’s so far away theoretically and no message we ever send over will ever reach them and will be lost into space.

Level 2: If you go far enough, you’ll find yourself in wonderland

In this level, regions of space are continuously undergoing an inflation phase. Because of this, the space between us and other universes is expanding rapidly, and they are therefore, completely unreachable.

So if you happen to travel faster than the speed of light and find yourself in a level 2 parallel universe, we have no idea what you might see there, hence, it’s a wonderland!

Level 3: If you stay where you are, you’ll run into yourself

Relying heavily on quantum physics, in which every single quantum possibility inherent in the quantum wave-function becomes a real possibility in some reality. When the average person thinks of a “parallel universe”, he’s probably thinking of Level 3 parallel universes.

Level 3 parallel universe is constructed of stuff a typical science fiction fan would think of, its events even happen as you’re reading this; they take place and time as our own universe, but still, you would never be able to reach them. You’re continuously in contact with level 3 universes — every second of your life, every decision you take, is causing a split of your “now” self into an infinite number of future selves, all of which are unaware of each other.

Level 4: Somewhere over the rainbow, over the blue skies even, there’s a magical kingdom

Level 4 is the strangest parallel universe. Mainly because it would follow fundamentally different mathematical laws of nature than our universe. Laws of science state that any universe that Earth mathematicians and physicists can work out on paper has a possibility of actually existing somewhere; and this is why level 4 universe is as magical as there could be, it hasn’t been worked out on paper yet.

Here at Scoop, these are some of the parallel universes we wish we could see if Level 4 existed.

1. One where batman existed