*

Offline Fortuna

  • *
  • Posts: 2979
    • View Profile
False Vacuums
« on: June 28, 2015, 09:28:38 PM »
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_vacuum

TLDR: A ball rolling down a hill will tend to settle into the lowest energy state. If it perches itself on an outcropping of rock, for example, it is in a false ground state. Meaning, it only appears to be in its true ground state. An earthquake could dislodge it and it would continue tumbling down to its true ground state, or state of lowest energy. A false vacuum state is the same thing, but with the universe. Basically, if we are currently in a false vacuum state, a burst of tremendous energy could send it tumbling down to its true vacuum state, thereby obliterating the known universe.

Also, it's not clear which state our universe is in. It could be in a true vacuum state, or a prolonged false vacuum state. So, the ball rolling down the hill could have settled into a space where no force has been able to dislodge it.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2015, 10:10:11 PM by Hollocron »

Thork

Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2015, 09:41:07 PM »
And what will make the tremendous burst of energy? A distraught Deity, horrified at the actions of His finest creation, dropping a toaster in His bath?

*

Offline Fortuna

  • *
  • Posts: 2979
    • View Profile
Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2015, 09:47:04 PM »
And what will make the tremendous burst of energy? A distraught Deity, horrified at the actions of His finest creation, dropping a toaster in His bath?

Primordial black holes, particle collisions, galaxies merging, I don't know.

Rama Set

Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2015, 12:14:10 AM »
From what I understand a vacuum energy of zero would make for a more stable universe than the current one, aside from the calamitous event that would precipitate the tumble.

*

Offline xasop

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 9776
  • Professional computer somebody
    • View Profile
Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2015, 12:16:11 AM »
While this is interesting and everything, there's really no way to predict or stop it from happening, and since we'll be obliterated if it does we'd never know what hit us. So it's kind of pointless to worry about it.
when you try to mock anyone while also running the flat earth society. Lol

*

Offline Tau

  • Zetetic Council Member
  • **
  • Posts: 911
  • Magistrum Fallaciae
    • View Profile
Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2015, 12:50:06 PM »
The only think I can think of that would realistically be able to do this would be a collision with another universe, and that assumes the multiverse theory is true.
That's how far the horizon is, not how far you can see.

Read the FAQ: http://wiki.tfes.org/index.php?title=FAQ

Rama Set

Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2015, 12:52:24 PM »
The only think I can think of that would realistically be able to do this would be a collision with another universe, and that assumes the multiverse theory is true.

A collision with another universe would likely be a bit of a non-event. At that scale they are mostly empty space and would probably just pass through one another with little interaction.

*

Offline Tau

  • Zetetic Council Member
  • **
  • Posts: 911
  • Magistrum Fallaciae
    • View Profile
Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2015, 12:56:04 PM »
The only think I can think of that would realistically be able to do this would be a collision with another universe, and that assumes the multiverse theory is true.

A collision with another universe would likely be a bit of a non-event. At that scale they are mostly empty space and would probably just pass through one another with little interaction.

I believe the theory holds that universes are like bubbles in the multiverse and that they have a somewhat palpable exterior, albeit in a higher dimension.
That's how far the horizon is, not how far you can see.

Read the FAQ: http://wiki.tfes.org/index.php?title=FAQ

Rama Set

Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2015, 01:03:34 PM »
The only think I can think of that would realistically be able to do this would be a collision with another universe, and that assumes the multiverse theory is true.

A collision with another universe would likely be a bit of a non-event. At that scale they are mostly empty space and would probably just pass through one another with little interaction.

I believe the theory holds that universes are like bubbles in the multiverse and that they have a somewhat palpable exterior, albeit in a higher dimension.

Oh maybe. I always took that to mean that they are a region of space undergoing expansion and quantum fluctuation amidst even larger regions of inactive space. I'm gonna look it up.

*

Offline Tau

  • Zetetic Council Member
  • **
  • Posts: 911
  • Magistrum Fallaciae
    • View Profile
Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #9 on: June 29, 2015, 01:08:15 PM »
The only think I can think of that would realistically be able to do this would be a collision with another universe, and that assumes the multiverse theory is true.

A collision with another universe would likely be a bit of a non-event. At that scale they are mostly empty space and would probably just pass through one another with little interaction.

I believe the theory holds that universes are like bubbles in the multiverse and that they have a somewhat palpable exterior, albeit in a higher dimension.

Oh maybe. I always took that to mean that they are a region of space undergoing expansion and quantum fluctuation amidst even larger regions of inactive space. I'm gonna look it up.

Yeah I think there's like bubbles. It's all weird and I don't exactly have a degree in cosmology, but I saw a video by Neil Degrasse Tyson about it and he made it seem like that
That's how far the horizon is, not how far you can see.

Read the FAQ: http://wiki.tfes.org/index.php?title=FAQ

*

Offline Fortuna

  • *
  • Posts: 2979
    • View Profile
Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #10 on: June 29, 2015, 08:55:07 PM »
The only think I can think of that would realistically be able to do this would be a collision with another universe, and that assumes the multiverse theory is true.

But you're not a cosmologist.

Rama Set

Re: False Vacuums
« Reply #11 on: June 29, 2015, 11:50:36 PM »
The only think I can think of that would realistically be able to do this would be a collision with another universe, and that assumes the multiverse theory is true.

But you're not a cosmologist.

Way to read the whole thread bro.