The Briefing Room

General Category => Science, Technology and Knowledge => Space => Topic started by: bigheadfred on August 11, 2020, 12:47:45 am

Title: Physicists Are Studying Mysterious ‘Bubbles of Nothing’ That Eat Spacetime
Post by: bigheadfred on August 11, 2020, 12:47:45 am
The universe might be on track to eat itself from the inside out

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/939g5p/physicists-are-studying-mysterious-bubbles-of-nothing-that-eat-spacetime (https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/939g5p/physicists-are-studying-mysterious-bubbles-of-nothing-that-eat-spacetime)

A spontaneous hole in the fabric of reality could theoretically end the universe, but don't worry: physicists are studying the idea for what it can teach us about the cosmos.

By Carly Minsky
March 5, 2020

Luckily for us, physicists studying the phenomenon, called “spacetime decay”, believe this is very unlikely. Still, the possibility is interesting enough to explore in mind-boggling detail, covering “bubbles of nothing” in spacetime, hidden extra dimensions, and a hypothetical observer hitching a ride on the outer surface of our universe.

The idea that in specific scenarios the universe would be entirely destroyed by an expanding bubble of nothing has been around since 1982, when theoretical physicist Edward Witten introduced the possibility of the universe eating itself in a paper in Nuclear Physics B journal. He wrote: “A hole spontaneously forms in space and rapidly expands to infinity, pushing to infinity anything it may meet.
Title: Re: Physicists Are Studying Mysterious ‘Bubbles of Nothing’ That Eat Spacetime
Post by: bigheadfred on August 11, 2020, 12:54:39 am
On a more local level a spontaneous hole in the fabric of reality could theoretically end Portland.
Title: Re: Physicists Are Studying Mysterious ‘Bubbles of Nothing’ That Eat Spacetime
Post by: Smokin Joe on August 12, 2020, 08:10:23 am
LOL! I have a name for them!

 :raise hand:


sitcoms...
Title: Re: Physicists Are Studying Mysterious ‘Bubbles of Nothing’ That Eat Spacetime
Post by: sneakypete on August 12, 2020, 11:44:21 am
Scientists are going to study soap operas?

They must be made of sterner stuff than me.
Title: Re: Physicists Are Studying Mysterious ‘Bubbles of Nothing’ That Eat Spacetime
Post by: bigheadfred on August 12, 2020, 12:45:01 pm
Quote from: sneakypete on August 12, 2020, 11:44:21 am
Scientists are going to study soap operas?

They must be made of sterner stuff than me.

Sign of the times.

Searching for something that isn't there.
Title: Re: Physicists Are Studying Mysterious ‘Bubbles of Nothing’ That Eat Spacetime
Post by: rustynail on August 12, 2020, 12:51:28 pm
God let slip a space fart?