Janna Levin

String theory requires extra dimensions to make sense, but even if you feel very hostile towards string theory, there are lots of reasons to consider the viability of extra dimensions. And we think that they can trap little quantum energies in such a way that might align with the dark energy. The numerology is not perfect. It's a little bit subtle. It's hard to stabilize them.

String theory requires extra dimensions to make sense, but even if you feel very hostile towards string theory, there are lots of reasons to consider the viability of extra dimensions. And we think that they can trap little quantum energies in such a way that might align with the dark energy. The numerology is not perfect. It's a little bit subtle. It's hard to stabilize them.

String theory requires extra dimensions to make sense, but even if you feel very hostile towards string theory, there are lots of reasons to consider the viability of extra dimensions. And we think that they can trap little quantum energies in such a way that might align with the dark energy. The numerology is not perfect. It's a little bit subtle. It's hard to stabilize them.

It's possible that there are these kind of quantum excitations that look a lot like dark matter. It's kind of an interesting idea that in the Big Bang, the universe was born with lots of these dimensions. They were all kind of wrapped up in the early universe. And what we're really trying to understand is why did three get so big? Yeah. And why did the others stay so small?

It's possible that there are these kind of quantum excitations that look a lot like dark matter. It's kind of an interesting idea that in the Big Bang, the universe was born with lots of these dimensions. They were all kind of wrapped up in the early universe. And what we're really trying to understand is why did three get so big? Yeah. And why did the others stay so small?

It's possible that there are these kind of quantum excitations that look a lot like dark matter. It's kind of an interesting idea that in the Big Bang, the universe was born with lots of these dimensions. They were all kind of wrapped up in the early universe. And what we're really trying to understand is why did three get so big? Yeah. And why did the others stay so small?

Yeah, there is, actually. And people have worked on that. Is there a reason why it's easier to unravel three dimensions? Some people think about strings and brains wrapping up in the extra dimensions, causing a kind of constriction, but preferentially loosening up in three.

Yeah, there is, actually. And people have worked on that. Is there a reason why it's easier to unravel three dimensions? Some people think about strings and brains wrapping up in the extra dimensions, causing a kind of constriction, but preferentially loosening up in three.

Yeah, there is, actually. And people have worked on that. Is there a reason why it's easier to unravel three dimensions? Some people think about strings and brains wrapping up in the extra dimensions, causing a kind of constriction, but preferentially loosening up in three.

Sometimes we look at exactly models like that, which have to do with the origami being resistant to change in a certain way that only allows three to unravel and keeps the others really taut. But then there are other ideas that we're actually living on a three-dimensional membrane that moves through these higher dimensions. And so the reason we don't notice them isn't because they're small.

Sometimes we look at exactly models like that, which have to do with the origami being resistant to change in a certain way that only allows three to unravel and keeps the others really taut. But then there are other ideas that we're actually living on a three-dimensional membrane that moves through these higher dimensions. And so the reason we don't notice them isn't because they're small.

Sometimes we look at exactly models like that, which have to do with the origami being resistant to change in a certain way that only allows three to unravel and keeps the others really taut. But then there are other ideas that we're actually living on a three-dimensional membrane that moves through these higher dimensions. And so the reason we don't notice them isn't because they're small.

Maybe they're not small at all. But it's because we're stuck to this membrane. So we're unaware of these extra directions.

Maybe they're not small at all. But it's because we're stuck to this membrane. So we're unaware of these extra directions.

Maybe they're not small at all. But it's because we're stuck to this membrane. So we're unaware of these extra directions.

I think it is certainly mathematically possible on paper to imagine a higher dimensional universe with more than one membrane. If things are mathematically possible, I often wonder if nature will try it out. Yeah. Just how people get into the strange territory of talking about a multiverse.

I think it is certainly mathematically possible on paper to imagine a higher dimensional universe with more than one membrane. If things are mathematically possible, I often wonder if nature will try it out. Yeah. Just how people get into the strange territory of talking about a multiverse.

I think it is certainly mathematically possible on paper to imagine a higher dimensional universe with more than one membrane. If things are mathematically possible, I often wonder if nature will try it out. Yeah. Just how people get into the strange territory of talking about a multiverse.

Because if you start to say... One of the aspirations was, in the same way that we identified the law of electroweak theory of... matter, that it was a single description and exactly landed on the description that matched observations. People were hoping the same thing would happen for a kind of theory that also incorporated gravity.

Because if you start to say... One of the aspirations was, in the same way that we identified the law of electroweak theory of... matter, that it was a single description and exactly landed on the description that matched observations. People were hoping the same thing would happen for a kind of theory that also incorporated gravity.