Difference Between The Universe And The Multiverse
The universe is not the static and eternal place that astronomers believed it to be only a century ago; rather, it is active, dynamic, and ever-changing. Galaxies collide, black holes devour matter, stars are born of interstellar debris, and stars die in unbelievably violent explosions.
Human beings are made of the very chemical elements forged in the hearts of ancient stars that have been blown into space during their violent death throes, only to combine again elsewhere in the galaxy. And the evolution of life on our planet may have been influenced by cosmic catastrophes—including an asteroid’s collision with Earth, radiation from a nearby supernova, or changes in the Sun’s brightness—and similar events may occur again in the future.
Does life exist elsewhere in our tumultuous universe? As speculative as this question may seem, there is one that is even more so: Does life exist in other universes, including those governed by physical laws different from our own?
According to modern cosmological theory, our universe may be just one of a vast collection of universes known as the multiverse. Universes may constantly bubble into existence, with some collapsing, but others persisting. In the relatively stable new universes—called pocket universes by American physicist Alan Guth—physical laws may differ from those in our universe. Even so, it may still be possible for subatomic particles in these new universes to coalesce into atoms and molecules, the basis of complex life forms.