Do Doctor Strange’s multiverses have a scientific basis? This is what physics says.

AT Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Marvel again introduced the theme of the multiverse, which it has already introduced in other parts. From the first Doctor Strange movie to Spiderman: No Way Homewalked past Avengers: Endgame and love the series WandaVision D Loki. All superheroes inside Marvel Cinematic Universe, but they can travel to other realities through the newly released multiverse. But what is reality in this? Is there a scientific explanation for everything related to the multiverse? The truth is that with physical in hand yes. Although it also has large doses of fantasy.

In fact, there are several scientific explanations wonder multiverses. The most important is related to the quantum physics. Mainly because this is one of the existing explanations for the phenomenon. overlap.

This is the phenomenon behind the famous thought experiment. Shroedinger `s catsmall animal that alive and dead at the same time. It can be said that in one reality of the multiverse, the cat is alive, and in another it is dead. But why? Let’s look at it, starting with some basic concepts.

The phenomenon of superposition in quantum physics

Quantum physics is one that explains nature on very small scales, mostly including atomic and subatomic systems.

In this area of ​​physics, certain phenomena have been observed that are necessary for calculations, despite the fact that they are considered somewhat macroscopically impossible. This is what happens with superposition as you explained hypertext doctor Alberto Corbiphysicist and head of the department of physics in La Rioja International University. “A particle like an electron is, in principle, everywhere,” a physicist gives an example. “Right now there is non-zero probability that you and I share an electron.

This is something you need so that everything goes well when performing calculations. “The calculations take into account that the particle is on all possible sides, although most likely in the same place“, – explains Corby. “It is more likely that my electron will be in me.”

This is a simple example to understand how the quantum physics. It just proved that it is necessary for the calculations to come out. What is unclear is the reason. In fact, physicists don’t care much about the cause. According to a physicist interviewed for this article, it is common among them to use the phrase “shut up and count(“Shut up and calculate”), indicating that as long as the calculations are going well, there is no problem. But it is true that there are certain hypotheses about the reasons for this. overlap. And it is one of them, the most bizarre, multiverse. We see what is in our Universe, but in parallel there may be others in which the particles are in a different position.

Moreover, this applies not only to the positions of your particles, but also to their state. For example, for a uranium atom, calculations can be made taking into account the fact that it has decayed, and not not. Again, this could be explained in terms of the multiverse. In one it fell apart, and in the other it didn’t. So far, so good. But what about quantum physics? Marvel?

Marvel Multiverse and Schrödinger’s Cat

Thought experiment with Schrödinger’s cat was invented by a physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935 precisely in order to give a somewhat simpler explanation of quantum superposition.

In essence, the experiment describes a cat inside a closed box containing a vial of poison and radioactive particlesuch as a uranium atom. If it decays, a sensor that detects the radiation will activate breaking a vial of poison and the cat will die. If not, then the cat is alive.

As long as the box is closed, it is assumed that this is a perfect quantum system in which radioactive particle decays and does not decay and so the cat will be alive and dead at the same time. “In this experiment, a quantum event is transformed into a macroscopic one,” says Dr. Corby.

That is, quantum physics applied to a radioactive particle affects macroscopic system, which is a cat. If we extrapolate this to explain the multiverses, universes in which the cat is alive and others in which it is dead. What happens is that eventually when we open the box we see the result corresponding to the multiverse we are in.

Basically something like this what it does Marvel with two parts Doctor Strange and other films that talk about the multiverse. Bring the quantum into the macroscopic world. “They play that this quantum multiverse, which cannot be accessed macroscopically, we can suddenly do macroscopic, visible and tangible and we can get through it.”

This is the fiction of this whole story. We assume that the multiverse is the most fantastic hypothesis Of all those that serve to explain quantum superposition. And add the fact that they do not cease to be superhero movies and comics. You don’t need to think too much about it. If the physicists themselves don’t care about the explanation other than that the calculations fit, we shouldn’t think too much about whether it fits or not. This is fiction and therefore the best thing we can do is focus on enjoying the latest release. Doctor Strange in the multiverse of madness and other Marvel films. In this universe and in all others.