Comic books and physics

In DC Comics, the Multiverse is a continuity construct in which multiple fictional versions of the universe exist in the same space, separated from each other by their vibrational resonances. Each universe in this multiverse varies from the others, in either subtle or profound ways. The first such parallel world was introduced in 1961 in The Flash (1st series) #123, in the story "Flash of Two Worlds". Marvel Comics also employed the Multiverse concept in its stories and books.

Today, high energy physics scientists are studying theories of multiple dimensions in String Theory that may or may not include parallel universes. Brane Cosmology suggests a new theory for the creation of our universe that presents an alternative to the Big Bang theory and its basis depends on multiple dimensions.

DC Comics used the concept of multiple dimensions to explain the worlds of different superheroes in its various publications. In particular, the Earth of each universe has a different set of superheroes, or the life histories of its superheroes are different from those of others'. In several cases, characters from other publishers acquired by DC - previously established with a fictional universe of their own - have been assigned their own parallel universe within the Multiverse. The universes are identified by referring to the parallel Earths, known as "Earth-One", "Earth-Two", "Earth-Three", "Earth-X", and so forth. All of them are listed on Wikipedia's entry for Multiverse(DC Comics).

In theoretical physics, branes or p-branes are spatially extended objects that appear in string theory and its relatives (M-theory and brane cosmology). The variable p refers to the spatial dimension of the brane. That is, a 0-brane is a zero-dimensional particle, a 1-brane is a string, a 2-brane is a "membrane", etc. Every p-brane sweeps out a (p+1)-dimensional world volume as it propagates through spacetime.

D-branes are typically classified by their dimension, which is indicated by a number written after the D. A D0-brane is a single point, a D1-brane is a line (sometimes called a "D-string"), a D2-brane is a plane, and a D25-brane fills the highest-dimensional space considered in bosonic string theory. This sure sounds a lot like the comics' Earth-One, Earth-Two, etc.

Unlike more conventional views of creation in modern physics that are Ex nihilo, the incomplete M-Theory envision the entire observable universe as one of many super expanded 4 dimensional branes of an 11 dimensional existence. Branes of alternative universes exist "near us", but their number of dimensions or formulation of physical laws may differ from our own. It is believed that a collision of "universe branes" somehow compacted enough energy to cause the Big Bang.

Multiverse in science A multiverse (or meta-universe) is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes (including our universe) that together comprise all of physical reality. The different universes within a multiverse are called parallel universes. The structure of the multiverse, the nature of each universe within it and the relationship between the various constituent universes, depend on the specific multiverse hypothesis considered.

Multiverses have been hypothesized in cosmology, physics, philosophy, theology, and fiction, particularly in science fiction and fantasy. The specific term "multiverse", which was originally coined by William James, was popularized by science fiction author Michael Moorcock. In these contexts, parallel universes are also called "alternate universes", "quantum universes", "parallel worlds", or "alternate realities".

The possibility of many universes raises various scientific, philosophical, and theological questions.

Lisa Randall, Professor of Physics at Harvard University, In her book, Warped Passages, Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions, proposes that gravitational forces of other dimensions can be measured and documented.. Her video interview with Charlie Rose is available on Google Video here. She works on several of the competing models of string theory in the quest to explain the fabric of reality, and was the first tenured woman in the Princeton University physics department and the first tenured woman theoretical physicist at MIT and Harvard University.

The Large Hadron Collider

The search for proof of other dimensions may be found in the high energy collisions produced by the LHC, the most powerful machine on the planet..

Comic books in the classroom

Somewhere in a parallel universe, a mild-mannered physics professor named Jim Kakalios dons a cape and tights to battle the forces of evil. In our own dimension, Kakalios - an unabashed comic book enthusiast - teaches physics with the zest of a costumed crimefighter, illustrating his points with examples from the annals of superhero history.

In 2002 the superheroes moved to the head of his class. In an imaginative new freshman seminar, Kakalios uses concepts and characters from comic books to explore basic principles of physics, chemistry, and biology. The course Everything I Know About Science I Learned from Reading Comic Books attracted students from a wide variety of disciplines.

Robert Weinberg

A prolific writer, Robert Weinberg has written in the horror, science fiction, humorous fantasy, and suspense genres. Along with his fifteen novels, he is the author of over thirty short stories. Some of his more popular short fiction includes "The Skeptic" in Dark Destiny II from White Wolf; "The Apocalypse Quatrain" in the Secret Prophecies of Nostradamus from Daw Books; and "The Midnight El" in Return to the Twilight Zone from Daw. His short stories, "Endure the Night," "The Kwik-Mart Vampire," and "Ro Erg" have all been optioned for television. A collection of his short stories, Dial Your Dreams and Other Nightmares will be published in summer 2001 by DarkTales Press. Bob's work has been translated into fourteen languages including French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Hungarian.

Bob's first issue of Cable debuted in March 2000 as part of the "X-Men Revolution," a month when a number of well-known comic book writers and artists began or returned to work on a number of the X-Men titles. Cable was the 12th best selling comic book (out of over 300 titles published) in March, its highest ranking ever. Since then, sales have slipped somewhat but Cable remains among the fifty top selling comics every month.

To arrive at the edge of the world's knowledge seek out the most complex and sophisticated minds, put them in a room together and have them ask each other the questions they are asking themselves.

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