Scientists may open new dimensions next year.

[Scythe404]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=325&objectid=10400645

This is pretty damn interesting indeed. The one comment that really caught me was: "It could be that there is a whole new universe a millimetre away from our heads but at right-angles to the three dimensions that are here."

So, are we a step away from the greatest discovery ever known, or are we about to unleash some horribly ironic sci-fi movie terror on ourselves?

[coheneran]

Lol, 10 to the -40 chance of destroying the Earth. That's still a chance right? I'm willing to put money on it that when this thing goes REALLY mainstream, it's gonna be delayed and postponed until 2012, when it will be switched on, and we will all be sucked into a black hole the size of a thumbtack.

[Samuel]

Sup other CERN LHC fred.

We're probably going to get some more hints towards figuring certain things out, and possibly throw some new particles into the mix. It's just a powerful accelerator, not a destroying the universe device.

[PerpetualBurn]

I love how this is one of the biggest advancements in technology ever known, but all the quotes are pointing out that they haven't go a clue what's going to occur when it gets switched on or, further down the page, whether it will even "behave properly".

10^-40 is a small enough chance for me.

[Mr. Ron]

10 to -40 huh?

Oh well, we've all had good lives....right?

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

use the word dimension and a lot of people get excited.

Regardless of the accuracy of string theory, i find the idea that there are only 3+1 dimensions highly unlikely

any gg to the scientists in question who are doing some aweosme work

[spitfirejunky]

Isn't this a repeat thread?

[Zesty Mordant]

I didn't actually think the thread title meant 'dimensions' literally.

[Chrizzle fo' Shizzle]

...it looks like Stargate

[RockAndRoll]

Lol, 10 to the -40 chance of destroying the Earth. That's still a chance right? I'm willing to put money on it that when this thing goes REALLY mainstream, it's gonna be delayed and postponed until 2012, when it will be switched on, and we will all be sucked into a black hole the size of a thumbtack.

I will bet you a billion dollars we don't.

[Otherside]

according to my smancy-pants calculations, there is a 10 to the -40 chance of him taking that bet



sucks for you

[Knifeboy]

What's wrong with the dimensions we have now?

[sexymuffin]

too many homsexuals :p

[AmericanWeiner]

What's wrong with the dimensions we have now?

When have the japanese ever lived in the real world?

Answer: Never. They make their own worlds.

[_R2D2_]

man that was interesting as ****. a whole other dimension just a millimeter away...

[RockAndRoll]

man that was interesting as ****. a whole other dimension just a millimeter away...

Well if they're right it would actually be several more dimensions.

[_R2D2_]

Well if they're right it would actually be several more dimensions.

yeah even more mind-boggling man!!

[LittlePound]

so if all of the dimensions are at a right angle to us, would that make them parallel to each other. So if these dimensions can be parallel to each other, why aren't they also saying that we could find dimensions parallel to us?

[Amit]

they aren't really right angles

lol littlepound in a physics thread

oh and apparently my girlfriend got to see this machine because her dad is one of the heads of theoretical particle physics at CERN or something =(

[RockAndRoll]

so if all of the dimensions are at a right angle to us, would that make them parallel to each other. So if these dimensions can be parallel to each other, why aren't they also saying that we could find dimensions parallel to us?

:lol: this actually made me laugh out loud.

They're at right angles in different dimmensions.

Height and Length are Both perpindicular to width and to each other, because the right angles are in different dimensions.

[LittlePound]

i was just curions. When it said right angles with us, i was thinking of our universe being in it's plane, and these other universes being perpendicular to it, i was wondering why we didn't have ones that were parallel to uor plane too

They're at right angles in different dimmensions.
So let me get this straight, These other dimensions aren't at right angles with our dimension, these dimensions are at right angles in other dimensions???

[Amit]

to be perpendicular to something you will always have to enter another dimension

[LittlePound]

interesting.

[RockAndRoll]

So let me get this straight, These other dimensions aren't at right angles with our dimension, these dimensions are at right angles in other dimensions???

The dimensions are all at right angles with each other, none of them are parallel.

[coheneran]

Then there can't be an infinite amount of dimensions. About 7? 8?

[AmericanWeiner]

Then there can't be an infinite amount of dimensions. About 7? 8?

If they're at right angles and none are parrellel, there an only be three. :thumb:

[coheneran]

If they're at right angles and none are parrellel, there an only be three. :thumb:

I asked my brother (who's a physics student), he said the generally accepted theory is that there are 11. Apparantly, the different dimensions affect the particle travelling between them, so in one it would grow bigger, in another smaller, and lets not forget time is a dimension. He also says that they're not straight-forward dimensions, and that some would theoretically be curled around each other etc.. It is all too complicated for me, I'll stick with the four normal dimensions.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

Then there can't be an infinite amount of dimensions. About 7? 8?

11 is the biggest number anyone's propsed so far with maths behind it.

If they're at right angles and none are parrellel, there an only be three.

The man in 2d world once said "If all dimensions have to be at right angles to another dimension, there can only be two."

[coheneran]

What angle is time at?

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

What angle is time at?

j degrees to the horizontal?

[TojesDolan]

they aren't really right angles

lol littlepound in a physics thread

oh and apparently my girlfriend got to see this machine because her dad is one of the heads of theoretical particle physics at CERN or something =(
He's going to get sucked into a pandemonium of interstellar sex, Amit.

Comfort her and do her el Bronco before anything happens. =[

Anyway, that should be interesting. It may fail blatantly though.

[RockAndRoll]

If they're at right angles and none are parrellel, there an only be three. :thumb:

Err no, the fact that they are perpindicular does not limit the possible number, each spatial dimension gives us a new direction in which something can be perpindicular.

[RockAndRoll]

11 is the biggest number anyone's propsed so far with maths behind it.

No I think they've proposed 24 and such, 11 is the most popular right now though.

[AmericanWeiner]

and there are only three spatial dimensions :)

[RockAndRoll]

and there are only three spatial dimensions :)

Err, no that's the whole point.

[AmericanWeiner]

Ok so why is everyone talking about right angles and perpendicular for non-spatial dimensions?

:confused:

[RockAndRoll]

Ok so why is everyone talking about right angles and perpendicular for non-spatial dimensions?

:confused:

The idea is that there are more than three spatial dimensions. These other spatial dimensions are perpendicular to other spatial dimensions, just as the three we are familiar with are perpindicular to each other.

[AmericanWeiner]

I suppose I fail to understand how movements in those other dimensions can't be represented by our dimensions...

But I guess that's why I'm not opening bubble universes

[RockAndRoll]

I suppose I fail to understand how movements in those other dimensions can't be represented by our dimensions...

But I guess that's why I'm not opening bubble universes

It can be a little difficult to wrap your head around, but just think of us like stick men on a piece of paper.

[AmericanWeiner]

:) I don't think I'm above the "humans-don't-know-****" rule I preach so much.

[Samuel]

I suppose I fail to understand how movements in those other dimensions can't be represented by our dimensions...

But I guess that's why I'm not opening bubble universes

No one can visualize higher spatial dimensions in what you could call an "accurate" way (whatever that means). We can project the ideas onto 3d, but it's not an accurate viewpoint.

If you're interested in the idea, look for a book called "Flatland" by Edward Abbott.

[sexymuffin]

if you're looking for an easier read, get "The Boy Who Reveresed Himself" by william sleater.

It's science fiction but gives you the basic ideas of multiple dimensions.

[Lufnoops]

Or you can watch Donnie Darko hehe... I keed.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

Or you can watch Donnie Darko hehe... I keed.

yeah wrong kind of dimensions punk ;)

[ITRIEDVOODOOONCE]

Read Slaughter House Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, interesting points on seeing in the fourth dimension.

[sexymuffin]

this is a different dimension then time. It's pretty unlikely time is the fourth dimension.

[drewhet]

what's the point of finding a new dimension? can't we just be content with what we have now?

[sexymuffin]

knowledge

[RockAndRoll]

what's the point of finding a new dimension? can't we just be content with what we have now?

:lol:! Research is pretty important stuff.

[hitchface2001]

I suppose the next step is to throw the Employee of the Month into the accelerator with a video camera and see where he ends up.

[bleep_bloop]

This is nothing new, they already have particle accelerators. If we do somehow find a new dimension it won't be like Stargate, it will probably be a little anomalie of energy that lasts .000000000014 nanoseconds.

[hitchface2001]

They'll just have to be really quick about tossing him in. He could help by hunkering down and getting ready to pounce.

Either way, its a cool idea. Juts hope that they don't end up falling into that 1 in 10 to the -40 chance of destroying us all.

[bleep_bloop]

That would have to be one fast employee of the month.

Dont worry they wont blow up the world.

[coheneran]

Will they suck it in to a mini black hole?

[Knifeboy]

I wonder how it would feel to be shot with a mini black hole... New weapon technology anyone?

[Mr. Ron]

I wonder how it would feel to be shot with a mini black hole... New weapon technology anyone?

Yeah, maybe in a few hundred years.

[PerpetualBurn]

I wonder how it would feel to be shot with a mini black hole... New weapon technology anyone?

Uh oh. The terrorists have hidden a 27km particle accelerator capable of destroying the world with a 1 in 10^40 chance should they leave it running for years!

This is going to be a great idea for my novel.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

Uh oh. The terrorists have hidden a 27km particle accelerator capable of destroying the world with a 1 in 10^40 chance should they leave it running for years!

This is going to be a great idea for my novel.

yeah? Cause dan brown will sue your ***

[PerpetualBurn]

What an awful writer that guy is.

[coheneran]

What an awful writer that guy is.

Yeah. It takes more than a religious conspiracy theory to be a thriller author.

[PerpetualBurn]

I would say that the story is good, and the ideas are good, but the quality of his language is bad.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

I never read thrillers anyway, but i read the da vinci code because everybody else had and it was a BAD BOOK with a BAD STORY and BAD WRITING

Science fiction > Thrillers

[coheneran]

I would say that the story is good, and the ideas are good, but the quality of his language is bad.

I think the book was very badly written. Not to mention that his theory's been put forward before, more eloquently, and that it was based on a list found in a church in France, and the list turned out to be faked by some radical dadaist or something 80 years ago.

[VomitStainedCretin]

I never read thrillers anyway, but i read the da vinci code because everybody else had and it was a BAD BOOK with a BAD STORY and BAD WRITING

Science fiction > Thrillers

Agreed, although Ive not read much apart from the Dune series.

[coheneran]

I prefer fantasy.

[Knifeboy]

Uh oh. The terrorists have hidden a 27km particle accelerator capable of destroying the world with a 1 in 10^40 chance should they leave it running for years!

This is going to be a great idea for my novel.

If there's a 10^-40 chance of destroying the world if they let it run for 20 years. Then they'd only have to let it run for 200000000000000000000000000000000000000000 years to destroy us all!.. Aaah!


I would say that the story is good, and the ideas are good, but the quality of his language is bad.

I tried reading the da vinci code, but after the first two chapters, the language it was written in was driving me mad.. It was like reading a pixie book

[stevensonmat2]

I figure if the machine does kill us all, itd be so quick we wouldnt know anyways.

[Trojan Kahn]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=325&objectid=10400645

This is pretty damn interesting indeed. The one comment that really caught me was: "It could be that there is a whole new universe a millimetre away from our heads but at right-angles to the three dimensions that are here."

So, are we a step away from the greatest discovery ever known, or are we about to unleash some horribly ironic sci-fi movie terror on ourselves?

What is the point of this whole thing anyways? Is there anything to gain from this?

[stevensonmat2]

Oh yeah, what do we have to gain from understanding the origin of our universe
and the existence of new dimensions? What a waste of money we could be using to build more churchs or set up prayer-booths in public schools.

[Trojan Kahn]

This wont even work, we cannot generate universal power that is beyond us by using man made materials.

[stevensonmat2]

Nothing is beyond man so long as we have a good power supply and the right mathematical formula. We have created fusion for christ sake! It wasnt sustainable but we've done it. And nothing is man made. We dont spawn materials from nothingness. Everything we have and use is made up from natural elements and chemicals.

[drewhet]

this wouldnt necesarily prove anything about our origins

[stevensonmat2]

Being able to study miniature big bangs would help us understand how our own unfolded.

[RockAndRoll]

ATT: Research in physics is important stuff!

[AmericanWeiner]

Agreed, although Ive not read much apart from the Dune series.

To be honest there are only a few more straight SciFi books worth reading once.

Actually, almost everything you read is going to pale in comparison to Dune.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

To be honest there are only a few more straight SciFi books worth reading once.

Actually, almost everything you read is going to pale in comparison to Dune.

Dune, and Foundation are my favourite SF series.

My favourite book of all time is Heller's "Catch 22"

[sexymuffin]

catch 22 had too much going on at once to be a fun read.

I'm a big vonnegut fan though. slaughterhouse 5 is a good sci fi novel.

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

catch 22 had too much going on at once to be a fun read.


you're just not msart enough

It was an explanation of the way in which soldiers had to use the darkest of comedy to deal with a truly desperate situation

like the dead man in yossarians tent

it's not funny that he's dead

but they are forced to make it into a joke




there's not much going on at all really

just a very dull war and a lot of missions

[stevensonmat2]

there's not much going on at all really

just a very dull war and a lot of missions

sounds like call of duty. what a crap game.

[Samuel]

What is the point of this whole thing anyways? Is there anything to gain from this?

There probably "wasn't much to gain" by studying blackbody radiation at the time.

To be honest there are only a few more straight SciFi books worth reading once.

Actually, almost everything you read is going to pale in comparison to Dune.

Seriously. Man, Dune is just awesome.

Did you like the rest of the series as much as you did the first book?

[Auberge le Mouton Noir]

Seriously. Man, Dune is just awesome.

Did you like the rest of the series as much as you did the first book?

I've got had no 6 delivered... can't wait to finish my current book so i can read it

[coheneran]

I haven't read Dune, but my favourite sci-fi novel (out of all the four I've read, two of them being Star Trek novels) is I, Robot. They should never have made that movie, it had absolutely nothing to do with the book.

[AmericanWeiner]

There probably "wasn't much to gain" by studying blackbody radiation at the time.



Seriously. Man, Dune is just awesome.

Did you like the rest of the series as much as you did the first book?

1 > 2 > 3 > 4

I think that's as far as I got before it just got stale and went from being dune to the same scenarios with different characters

[coheneran]

1 > 2 > 3 > 4

I think that's as far as I got before it just got stale and went from being dune to the same scenarios with different characters

So kind of like the Harry Potter books, except Harry Potter used the same characters for every book. Anybody like the following authors?

Terry Pratchett
Robert Rankin
Robert A. Salvatore

[Knifeboy]

Everyone likes Terry Pratchett.. If they think they don't, they really do without noticing it

[coheneran]

That's what I believe. What about Robert Rankin? He's a better parodier (word?) than Pratchett, but nowhere near as good a fantasy writer. A lot of his jokes are also more accessible.

As for Salvatore, well, I'm of the opinion that he's a better fantasy writer than Tolkien could ever be. Only people who haven't read about Drizzt could possibly think Legolas is cool.

[stevensonmat2]

Tolkien paints a pretty picture, but his books are way to dry to really enjoy. I much prefer reading the spin off books on the lore, culture and creatures of middle earth to his trilogy.

[eseer erre]

I think what's interesting about this is who gets to make the choice that it's worth risking it all for research.

Yes, I know the chance is small - for now.
*Cue dramatic music*

[stevensonmat2]

Yeah but whos going to stop them from doing this? I wouldnt.

[Dropsonde]

Oh I remember that photon or electron thing the swiss built

[eseer erre]

Yeah but whos going to stop them from doing this? I wouldnt.

Alright, let's say 50 years from now, a research group designs an experiment to find the GUT. But, in order to find it, the experiment runs a 5% risk of killing us all.
Is the experiment carried out? Do the scientests think it's worth it? Is the risk justifiable?

Do we get a say in the matter?

Personally, I think that's some interesting stuff.

[stevensonmat2]

Well were the risk that high im certain someone would step in or try to. Personally I dont have the means or the influence to stop something like that, so I couldnt really do much at all. What is the GUT?

[RockAndRoll]

Alright, let's say 50 years from now, a research group designs an experiment to find the GUT. But, in order to find it, the experiment runs a 5% risk of killing us all.
Is the experiment carried out? Do the scientests think it's worth it? Is the risk justifiable?

Do we get a say in the matter?

Personally, I think that's some interesting stuff.

I don't think they'd be allowed to run an experiment with a 5% risk of destroying the whole world.

[Samuel]

Grand Unification Theory.

Basically, the reconcilliation of gravitational physics with quantum physics.

EDIT: To Stevenson.

[eseer erre]

I don't think they'd be allowed to run an experiment with a 5% risk of destroying the whole world.

What stops them?

Yes, yes, something will almost certainly be in place to regulate it by then. But still, I think it's something to think about.

Further clarification on the GUT: It's essentially the Holy Grail of physics at the moment.

Yes, I know someone else said that. Hawkings, maybe?

[RockAndRoll]

What stops them?

Yes, yes, something will almost certainly be in place to regulate it by then. But still, I think it's something to think about.

I'm pretty sure the wworld at large would be keen on stopping them.

But I know what you mean.

[eseer erre]

I'm pretty sure the wworld at large would be keen on stopping them.

But I know what you mean.

Paranoid scenario: They don't tell the world.
Addition to scenario: One has white hair, a goatee, and mutters about being called "mad".

[stevensonmat2]

Well if they blew up the world and no one knew it was to happen we'd either have no idea it happened or would be in some crazy afterlife palace of gingerbread in the sky.

[eseer erre]

Well if they blew up the world and no one knew it was to happen we'd either have no idea it happened or would be in some crazy afterlife palace of gingerbread in the sky.

...I like gingerbread.

[stevensonmat2]

Haha I actually hate the stuff, that was my hell.

[eseer erre]

Haha I actually hate the stuff, that was my hell.

Which you'd get, for not liking gingerbread.