Thanks to the various Science Fiction media, the idea of “Alternate Universes” has become so ingrained in our society that scientific work has been done to determine the validity of this concept. The Many Worlds Theory is one interpretation of Quantum Mechanics that posits this possibility as true. There are also views that make claims that “higher dimensions” would be alternate realities (this viewpoint often uses the Many Worlds Theory as evidence). But today we are not going to talk about the validity of Alternate Universes, but rather the types of Alternate universes that are claimed to exist (amongst the many viewpoints).
There are many different types of Alternate Universes, each being called something slightly different. We have Parallel Universes, Alternate Universes, Alternate Timelines, Mirror Universes, Quantum Realities, Dimensions, Higher Dimensions, and Planes of Existence… to name some of the most common forms. We will go over each in turn, using the Many Worlds Interpretation to show were they would fit, and examples from various Science Fiction media of how they have been interpreted for our entertainment. All examples shown are Copyright of their original creators.
Higher Dimensions
First off, we need to understand the views of what The Many Worlds interpretation says. For this we will take a look at Higher Dimensions. In this view Alternate Universes exist as part of a Higher Dimension than us. Basically, where we live right now is a 4th dimensional space (according to this view of the theory. I’ll complain about this and the later dimensions more in: Views on the Fringe: Dimensions of Existence). The 1st dimension is length, the 2nd would be height, the 3rd is width and the 4th is space-time. From this point on you get into “Alternate Universes”.
The 5th dimension purportedly would allow us to view a single (seriously? Just one?) alternate universe that would be similar to our own, the 6th would be all alternate universes starting from a big bang identical in all ways to our own laid out a plane (or flat sheet), the 7th would include all variations of differences for starting conditions (not necessarily just a Big Bang), the 8th would be like the 7th but again just laid out on a single plane, with the 9th dimension we cover all universes that exist with different possible laws of physics, and the 10th covers all possible forms and types of universes that are conceivable and not.
Ok, so Higher Dimensions tries to add in all types of Alternate Universes. As such, we will be noting when an Alternate Universe (henceforth written as A.U.) type fits into this view, and at what Higher Dimension it would be at.
If you are interested in our views on how Alternate Universes work in a physical dimensional capacity (similar to Higher Dimensions in some ways) please read our upcoming article: Views on the Fringe: Cosmology of Multiverses.
Mirror Universes
Mirror Universes were popularized by Star Trek and it’s Mirror Universe (as depicted on the left). This type of Universe is always considered to be singular and in some way connected to our own. The fact that it is a singular A.U. puts this as a 5th dimensional universe according to Higher Dimensions. Mirror Universes are often depicted as being a “reflection” of the true universe (hence the name).
Due to this tendency to depict a Mirror Universe as “reflections of our nature” in popular culture, some claim that a Mirror Universe is the other side of the coin, with our universe being heads, and the Mirror Universe being tails. Due to these two facts, the majority of times a Mirror Universe is depicted in popular culture, we (the Prime Universe) are depicted as Good, whereas the Mirror Universe is depicted as Evil.
By definition though, the only requirements for a Mirror universe are: a.) adjacent to a Prime Universe; b.) same people and physics as the Prime Universe; c.) people in the two universes are identical, but there can be key differences, sometimes in morality, values, beliefs, or something more innocuous such as names, or locations are different.
Facet Universe
A lesser known A.U. type that is similar to a Mirror Universe. The Facet Universe is similar in most ways to a Mirror Universe except in one key point. A Facet Universe can be one of many others connected to a Prime Universe. Basically, where a Mirror universe can be seen as one side of a coin, a Facet Universe would be one side of a multi-sided object, like a die. That die could have 4, 6, 8, 10, 20, 100, or even thousands of sides (or Facets) on it. The number of Facets doesn’t matter… all that matters is that each Facet Universe is a variation on the Prime Universe in at least one major and obvious way.
Whereas a Mirror Universe is often depicted as a reflection of the Prime Universe, a Facet Universe is also a reflection, or reflections of the Prime. If we are the Prime Universe (Facet 1) then in Facet 2 our moral and ethical values may be different, but everything else would be the same. In Facet 7 it might be a physical change, like all brunettes are now Blonde, Blondes are now Redheads, and Redheads are now Brunettes. Facet 69 might be the gender bent Facet Universe where if you’re physically a man here, there you would be a woman and vice-versa. Basically, a Facet Universe will be identical to the Prime Universe in every way except one (or more) ‘facet(s)’ of life.
Technically speaking, while a Mirror Universe is a type of Facet Universe (Two Facets, heads and tails), a Facet Universe (being that there could be multiples of them connected to the Prime Universe) would be a 6th Dimensional Universe model according to Higher Dimensions, not a 5th Dimensional Universe model like a Mirror Universe is.
For more information regarding Facet Universes (and Mirror Universes) read my upcoming article: Views on the Fringe: Facet Universes
Parallel Universe
Up to this point the types of A.U.s we have been talking about all fall under the grouping of “Parallel Universe. A Parallel Universe is an A.U. that has a.) The same laws of Physics; b.) The same origins (I.e “the Big Bang”); c.) the same evolutionary steps; and d.) The same general history. The key difference here is d.) The same general history. A Parallel Universe would still have the same people as the Prime Universe (up to a point) and could have may of the same historical events (extinction of the Dinosaurs, eruption of Mount Vesuvius, WW II, 9/11, etc.) but not necessarily all historical events will line up.
For instance, in the Prime Universe (us) all those events I mentioned happened. There would be Parallel Universes in which one (or more) of those events didn’t happen. There could also be Parallel Universes where instead of embracing electrical technology, we embraced steam technology (i.e. a “steampunk universe”) or a Parallel Universe where we’ve developed our technology faster because they abolished the ‘fear of change’ inherent in so many people.
Each Parallel Universe can easily have it’s own Facet Universes (or Mirror Universe), but would not necessarily have the same number of Facet Universes (we just don’t know…). So, what makes a Parallel Universe different from a Facet universe? A Facet Universe has ALL of the same major historical events with the same outcomes, they just have a very slight and specific difference. A Parallel Universe on the other hand, has a glaring difference that is so strong that anything that happened after that missing (or added) event would no longer have the same outcome. For instance: if you go to a Parallel Universe where Hitler was never born… the Holocaust would not have happened. Because the Holocaust didn’t happen, there would have been millions more Jewish people in the world, not to mention the millions who would not have died in the war… each of them would have married and had (more) kids up to present time. Are you entirely certain that one of your ancestors would not have met and married one of these people instead of their spouse which produced the family line that allowed you to be born? There would be more people in the world, and marriages, business, and socio-economic standings would be vastly different, all because one thing was different in their history. Since the possibility that you (or your parents) would never have been born, this divides a Parallel Universe from a Facet Universe (which would still have you in it regardless). A Parallel Universe fits the definition of a 7th dimension according to Higher Dimensions.
For more information regarding Parallel Universes read my upcoming article: Views on the Fringe: Parallel Universes
Alternate Timelines
Now that we have talked about Parallel Universes we will take a look at Alternate Timelines. An Alternate Timeline is often Misconstrued as an A.U. (predominately as a Parallel Universe) but in actuality it is nothing of the sort. An alternate timeline is a trope used in fantasy and fiction writing concerning time travel to avoid (or circumvent) the inherent paradox issues that can be presented in such stories.
The difference between an Alternate Timeline (where somebody went back and killed Baby Hitler) and a Parallel Universe (where Hitler was never born) may seem academic… the end outcome would be the same basic universe… the main difference is that the Alternate Timeline requires outside intervention specifically from a Timeline where Hitler was born.
As an Alternate Timeline is a change in a Universe, not a different Universe, it would be considered a 4th dimensional universe according to Higher Dimensions (it requires travel through space-time… I.e. the 4th dimension… to happen, whereas travel to other universes does not require the ability to travel through space-time)
I will speak more about Alternate Timelines in my upcoming article series: Views on the Fringe: How Time Protects Itself
Quantum Realities
Ok, so now some of you would be wondering about Quantum Realities. Quantum Realities are a bit of a “sticky wicket” scenario. The basic postulation is: for breakfast you have your choice of what to eat: Pancakes and eggs, scrambled eggs and bacon, oatmeal, A sugary cereal, or a healthy cereal. Now the question is: does this choice create an Alternate Universe for each available choice? The answer? Ask Schrodinger’s Cat.
The problem arises in the amount of time the act resulting from the choice takes, and how noticeable the results of the choice are. If you were to choose one of the first two options, you would spend time cooking as well as eating. This might make it so that in those two choices you leave for work a few minutes later, and that few minutes of time difference might place you in a car wreck you would’ve missed if you had left earlier. Being in the wreck would cause a Parallel Universe because your choice caused a specific and noticeable change. If the wreck didn’t happen in any variation? No Parallel Universe! Instead you have a Quantum Reality… An A.U. which is so identical to your own it could take centuries (if ever) to realize there is a difference between the two. So what about the latter choices? These are important to the fringe theory of “Quantum Jumping”. If you choose any of these choices they will take about the same time. The difference is, the sugary cereal (being less healthy) may lead to weight gain and/or diabetes, whereas the healthy cereal or oatmeal could lead to weight loss and better health. By the end of the day though, what difference would be noticed? None. Again, this choice scenario leads to a Quantum Reality… there would be exceedingly little to no noticeable difference between it and the Prime Universe. This however is a compound issue in which a Quantum reality where you continually chose the sugary cereal will finally diverge into a Parallel Universe compared to one where you continually chose a healthier option. -- See “Quantum Jumping: a natural phenomenon?”.
Unlike an Alternate Timeline, a Quantum Reality is a type of Alternate Universe… it is simply a very close knit form of a Parallel Universe. As such, a Quantum Reality is a 7th dimensional universe according to Higher Dimensions.
I go more in depth on Quantum Realities in my upcoming article: Views on the Fringe: Parallel Universes. Also read my upcoming article: Quantum Jumping: a natural phenomenon?
Alternate Universe
Now we have reached the “catch all” of A.U.s… The Alternate Universe. Each of the types of A.U. listed prior to here still count as an Alternate Universe, because they all differ from the Prime Universe in a distinct way. So what makes an Alternate Universe NOT one of the previous types? In simplest terms: The Origin. What I mean by this is that every Alternate Universe will hold to the same basic Laws of Physics. They are all bound by time, have the same gravitational and quantum effects, and have some form of biological and technological evolution throughout. The main difference is how The Origin (aka the Big Bang) happened. In a Parallel Universe (and everything that is 7th dimension or lower in Higher Dimensions) we deal with A.U.s that have humans, have a planet Earth, and in many cases have a You in them. In this level of Alternate Universe though, none of this is necessarily true. Our Big Bang spread the materials out in the specific way needed for the Earth to form and for life to form and survive on our planet. In an Alternate Universe though, this may not have happened… Alpha Centauri might be the home of Humans (if we evolved at all). In our universe Klingons, Cylons, Orcs, Goa’uld, or any other fictional species, does not exist (so far as we know). However, the possibility exists, that in an Alternate Universe, each of these species does exist. Maybe in their universe they are like us and are unaware of other species or are alone in their universe, or the stories of Star Trek, Star Gate, Forgotten Realms, and Battlestar Galactica are real stories which the ‘creators’ simply wrote down what they glimpsed happening in their respective Alternate Universes. The idea of an infinite multiverse allows for this possibility, however slim this may be. So, next time you watch your favorite episode of Doctor Who, just imagine that what you are seeing actually happened in some impossibly far flung Alternate Universe. This level of Alternate Universe would fit the 8th dimensional type as described in Higher Dimensions.
Dimensions
These last two potential “A.U.s” might actually not be an A.U. at all. However, since they do fit into the Higher Dimensions theory we are going to talk about them here. The first of these is what we have termed “Dimensions”. The term “Dimension” here is not speaking about the physical dimensions (like Higher Dimensions does) but rather that the Dimensional laws (laws of Physics) are different.
Unlike an A.U., a Dimension need not follow our laws of physics, it would not even need to follow the basic concepts of reality itself. Basically, imagine a place where the entire universe consists of hair. The ground you’d walk on would be tight braids, the grass would be loosely flowing locks in the breeze, the wind itself would be a soft, downy fluff that presses against you. Even the “void” between planets that we know of as Outer Space could consist of hair. This is one written example of a different Dimension, though in Fiction there are many others. Star Trek Voyager introduced us to “Fluidic Space”, Babylon 5 gave us a glimpse of “Hyperspace”
In the Doctor Strange movie the titular character is thrust through many different Dimensions, including one which consists entirely of hands.
So what makes each of these fictional places different from an Alternate Universe? For one, as mentioned before, the laws of reality and laws of physics do not coincide with our own. For two, these places, even though shown in a fictional story, are shown as inherently dangerous to people from our Dimension (or universe).
These places would likely be exceedingly dangerous to us, as our reality and how we work physically may not be capable of working in these Dimensions, at times we wouldn’t even be able to exist in an alternate dimension. Some fictional interpretations (like Fluidic Space and Hyperspace) might be close enough in reality to our own that we can survive in an encapsulated construct (I.e. a spaceship). Now, I’m not talking about the entities within these dimensions… I’m talking about the dimensions themselves. Even when Voyager (from the tv show) traveled through Fluidic Space, one could see that upon their return the hull was damaged and being eaten by the Fluidic Space itself. In the Doctor Strange example it shows the “hand dimension” actively try and absorb the titular character and begin to affect him on the physical level to shift him so that he would fit the laws of the Dimension he was in.
A Dimension fits in as a 9th dimensional concept in Higher Dimensions.
For further information on Dimensions and how they are not Alternate Universes, please read our upcoming article: Views on the Fringe: Cosmology of Multiverses.
Planes of Existence
Our final type of Higher Dimension defined A.U.s is called a Plane of Existence. While, in the Higher Dimensions theory, this is a catch all to cover any type of A.U. not covered in the earlier dimensions, a Plane of Existence does fictionally and theologically have rules to cover the difference between them and other types of Universes.
While we here at D.E.C.I.D.E. view Planes of Existence as potentially being lower, or equal, in standing and difference as Dimensions, there is enough written work on the subject to separate the two and place Planes of Existence as the 10th dimension in the Higher Dimensions theory.
In fiction, primarily in fantasy, a plane of existence is often denoted as having a “primal” or “elemental” force that describes what the plane is. In the Ravenloft series, the entire series takes place in a Plane of Dread, with “Dread” being the primal force of the plane. In Dungeons and Dragons planes vary wildly, some are the building blocks of matter and form (fire, earth. air, water), while others are described as being the resting places of souls, as well as many other possibilities. The popular online game Everquest has planes of primal mental forces, such as the Plane of Innovation and the Plane of Knowledge.
Switching over to theology we have a number of potential Planes of existence, generally separated into “higher” and “lower” planes. Heaven, Nirvanna, Elysium, Arcadia, Olympus, Asgard and Valhalla are examples of “higher planes”… while Hell, The Netherworld, The Abyss, Hades, Tartarus, Abaddon, Avernus and Niflheim are examples of “lower planes”. A third subset exists which, while they are considered “lower planes”, they are more neutral in concept… these include, Purgatory, Limbo and Perdition.
Now, regardless of fantasy or theological planes, they do share characteristics. Firstly, travel to other planes cannot be done using technology. Secondly, the possibility exists that the planes connect to multiple (if not all) alternate universes.
Let’s examine this first point. In fantasy the only ways to travel to other planes are: via magic, by death, or a greater power pulls you there. Any media that describes the travel as traveling to another Plane of Existence does not use technology. Yes, Marvel Studios claimed that there is a technological component connecting Asgard to Earth, but even there Asgard is part of the main universe and can be reached by space ship, so it is not a separate Plane. In Theology, the only ways to reach other Planes is via death, or viewing it in a dream/vision. Again, no technology is ever used.
For the Second point, in Fantasy it is rarely (but occasionally) noted that one can travel from a Plane to one of many Prime Material Planes (different universes). Ravenloft specifically pulls people from anywhere in a multiverse. Theologically this is much clearer, though still potentially vague as the writings are centuries old… however in theological writings, many of the “afterlife” Planes of Existence specifically state “all your friends and family will be there” or “all men… “ or “men from all over…”. The fact that these writings consistently use the term “all” when other parts of the same writings imply that only those worthy/ judged worthy may enter, gives the implication that these Planes *may* pull from multiple universes to ensure that the “all” portion is fulfilled, while maintaining the punishment/unworthy for those who failed.
Now understand that literally ALL of this information is based on supposition and interpretation of individuals. There is NO definite proof that any form of alternate universe exists, though mathematically it is possible. Even with the mathematical possibility, we have absolutely no idea what an A.U. would be like, how dangerous being in one would be, nor how dangerous travel to one would be, let alone the methodology of such travel.
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