CONTACT, 2005CONTACT, 2005

A Fountain of Universes ?

Carlo Séquin,

University of California, Berkeley

... an unusual challenge ...

My Mainstream WorkMy Mainstream Work

Geometrical design problems

““Science in Literature, Literature in Science”Science in Literature, Literature in Science”

A fan of science fiction

Interested in philosophical questions about our existence and the origin of the universe

No hard scientific answers …

But some visions and ideas that are best presented in a poetic format.

Inspiration for Philosophical ThoughtsInspiration for Philosophical Thoughts

Fred Brooks: “The Design of Design”Turing Award Lecture, Siggraph’00, New Orleans, July 26, 2000

Insights about the human design process

Importance of reflecting about that process

Try out new tentative designs ASAP.

Let users test new tools on real-world tasks.

This process will weed out bad designs.

(quite a Darwinian philosophy!)

A Key Philosophical IssueA Key Philosophical Issue

Conclusion of Brook’s Talk:

Tribute to “The Great Designer” who created our universe.

Awe of the intricate workings of the “machineries” we see in it:physical, chemical, biological laws.

Biological “machineries” may have evolved through trial and error,

but how did the physical constants get fine-tuned to make a working universe?

Anthropic PrincipleAnthropic Principle

Brandon Carter (Physicist) 1974, noted that physical constants must be within a very narrow range to enable life as we know it.

Thus the universe appears to be “fine-tuned” to the existence of life.

Weak Anthropic PrincipleWeak Anthropic Principle

S. Hawking, “A Brief History of Time” 1988:

In a very large universe, there may be a few isolated pockets where the conditions are suitable for the development of intelligent life.

The intelligent beings in these regions should then not be surprised that in their locality the universe satisfies the conditions needed for their existence.

Participatory Anthropic PrincipleParticipatory Anthropic Principle

Barrow & Tipler, 1986“The Anthropic Cosmological Principle”:

“An intelligent mind observing the existing universe collapses the wave function of all possible universes to the one universe that allows intelligent life to exist.”

(Mis)application of the concepts in the Copenhagen view of quantum mechanics.

Is Earth Fine-tuned for Life ?Is Earth Fine-tuned for Life ?

It is obviously teaming with life,and a very wide variety at that !

But life mostly just clings to the surface of the planet. There are 1021 m3 of earth that seem to be rather devoid of life !

Looking at the habitat for ONE species,we find further restrictions.

By diversifying, evolving life could invade larger portions of the planetary volume.

Is Our Universe Fine-Tuned for Life ?Is Our Universe Fine-Tuned for Life ?

Is our Solar System fine-tuned ? – really just one Planet bears life.

Is our Galaxy fine tuned ? – so far we know of only one star that has life around it. No SETI signals received yet.

Is our Universe fine tuned ? – if it means to make life at least possible,then – YES. – but if you were a cosmic engineer, couldn’t you design a universe that would be much more friendly to life ?

Universe “Design” by Mere StatisticsUniverse “Design” by Mere Statistics

Perhaps there is a huge number of universes,but most of them have:

-- no atoms

-- no stars

-- no planets

-- no reproductive mechanism

-- no life

-- no intelligence

-- no consciousness

-- no philosophical curiosity …

Who would notice these universes ? But occasionally the right conditions will appear !

Our Home is One of Many ...Our Home is One of Many ...

Earth used to be at the center ...

Earth is one of several planets

Our sun is like billions of other stars

Our galaxy is like billions of other ones

Are there billions of other universes?

What is the “machinery” that created them all ?

A Fountain of Universes ?A Fountain of Universes ? Poetic vision of the machinery that

spews out googols of universes …

triggered by the view of a water fountain ...

which in turn raised memories of a poem:

“Der Römische Brunnen”

by Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (1825-1898).

““Der RDer Röömische Brunnen”mische Brunnen”

Roman Fountain (Translation by C.H. Séquin)

High soars the jet, – then falls and fills

a bowl of marble to its bound,

which yields; – the rippled surface spills

into a second stony round.

This second overflowing urn

then fills a third, – its surface sways;

and each one takes and gives in turn,

– and flows – and stays.

C. F. Meyer (1825-1898)C. F. Meyer (1825-1898)

Der Römische Brunnen

Auf steigt der Strahl, und fallend giesst

Er voll der Marmorschale Rund,

Die, sich verschleiernd, überfliesst

In einer zweiten Schale Grund;

Die zweite gibt, sie wird zu reich,

Der dritten wallend ihre Flut,

Und jede nimmt und gibt zugleich

Und strömt und ruht.

Inspiration for a Poetic FormulationInspiration for a Poetic Formulation(Describe the origin of the universe in verses?)(Describe the origin of the universe in verses?)

V. V. Nabokov: “Pale Fire”

Vintage Books, New York (1989).

“Hypertext document” predating the Web

Structure:

Introduction

The 4 “Cantos” (1000 lines)

Extensive cross-referenced commentarylinked to line numbers in the cantosas well as to each other.

Organization of My PresentationOrganization of My Presentation

Four very short cantos as a sampling of a possible poetic description of some hypothetical machinery that creates googols (10100) of universes.

Present my commentaries beforehandto make understanding of the cantos easier(since you hear them only once).

Canto One:Canto One:

A More Powerful FountainA More Powerful Fountain

A more energetic water jet fountain

A wider variety of sculpted watery forms

More splatter, far-flung droplets

Canto One:Canto One: Jet Fountain Jet FountainRoman fountain

More energetic jet fountain

Canto One:Canto One: Fountain of Universes Fountain of Universes

Upward soars a silver jet

of liquid substance, blue and wet,

a central column, fanning out

in many branches from the spout;

then spreading into fragile sheets

and stretching into strings of beads.

The sculpture has suspended state,

then must revert, – disintegrate.

The lattice carved from silver streams

is punctured by the rising beams;

it twists and spreads and breaks apart,

– a million drops are flung afar.

They travel high and wide through space,

then fall to earth in many ways,

in soaring arches reach the ground,

retiring in the fountain’s pond.

Canto Two:Canto Two: The View From Within The View From Within

Try to imagine … What would it be like to experience the fountain

from within one of its droplets.

Verse Two: Can creatures in these droplets actually look out?

Perhaps their world is completely self-centered.

Later: Equate each drop with a whole universe-- implying a vast change in scale and time.

Some of these universes may be “interesting”-- with teaming life inside,

others may just be an “empty” drop of water…

Canto Two:Canto Two: The View From Within The View From Within

What would you see looking out … ?

Canto Two:Canto Two: The View From Within The View From Within

The liquid arch is more than H2O,

a mixture rich in mud and life.

Each drop, a tiny world of goo,

enjoys a parabolic ride.

Within each flying cubby-hole,

what views they might behold!

But can they see beyond their drop,

and recognize the fountain top?

On a scale much more constrained:

each drop defines a universe.

Life, completely self-contained,

knows nothing of the drop’s traverse.

Alone each world must take its ride.

Perhaps there is some life inside,

that marvels why it does exist;

– perhaps, it’s just a drop of mist.

Canto Three:Canto Three: Another Model ... Another Model ...

Fountain imagery may best describe the steady-state model of our universe.

Big Bang – currently the most plausible theory for the origin of our universe in its current form.

As to the expected end of our universe, there is evidence that it will expand forever and might end in an infinitely thinned-out, dark and cold state.

Canto Three

tries to make an analogy with fireworks.

Canto Three:Canto Three: Fireworks Analogy Fireworks Analogy

Fireworks picture

Canto Three:Canto Three: Fireworks Analogy Fireworks Analogy

Canto Three:Canto Three: Fireworks Analogy Fireworks Analogy

Countless pods of fire power

crisscross the chaos in the sky,

exploding too, just moments later,

creating one grandiose display.

Each tiny rocket is a barge

among a thousand points of light,

coasting through the void at large;

– dying cinders fill the night.

A sizzling plume of smoke and fire,

billows high into the night.

A blinding flash atop that spire

makes blazing suns of brilliant light.

Whirling patterns, shooting stars,

different colors fight their wars;

expanding, dancing fire rings,

whirl away on smoking wings.

How Many Drops / Sparks / Universes ?How Many Drops / Sparks / Universes ?

Fireworks: 102 - 103 rockets, 103 - 105 explosions per rocket, 105 - 108 sparks in the air.

A Medium Jet: 10m high, 10cm2 cross section, 4*107 mm3-droplets.

Very Large Jet: 150m high, 500 liters/sec, 5*109 mm3-droplets.

Our UniverseOur Universe

Many many galaxies …

… … with Many Many Stars !with Many Many Stars !

Really Large Numbers …Really Large Numbers …

Fireworks, 105 - 108 sparks in the air.

A medium jet, 4*107 mm3-droplets.

A very large jet, 5*109 mm3-droplets.

Our Universe, 1011 galaxies with 1011 stars, 1022 “droplets.” (1080 protons)

Hubble Deep FieldHubble Deep Field

Really Large Numbers !Really Large Numbers !

Consider

1022 parallel universes ...

or even

1080 parallel universes ...

... some of them have to hit a good combination of natural constants !

Canto Four:Canto Four: Structural Evolution Structural Evolution

Getting into really interesting questions…

Can interesting structure arise without the guiding hand of a designer?

If the physical laws are just right, can structure arise based solely on expected statistics?

How wide is the variety of generated worlds ?

How narrow is the range of laws that favors formation of structure … / … life ?

Canto Four:Canto Four: Structural Evolution Structural Evolution

Canto Four (1):Canto Four (1): Structural Evolution Structural Evolution

A spreading, whirling, broiling mass

of thinning dust and heated gas;

cooling drops of molten stone

in circling orbits all alone.

Comets crash – evaporate,

bring ice and water to the plate.

Sun and ice attack the crust,

grind the stone to sand and dust.

Swirls of dust and whirls of gas;

clusters form, attracting mass.

Space is warped and forces rise,

drawing clumps to their demise.

Pressure mounts, lets atoms fuse.

Some glow emerges, – first diffuse.

A point of light – a fire ball,

exploding fast, devouring all.

Canto Four:Canto Four: Structural Evolution Structural Evolution

Canto Four (2):Canto Four (2): Structural Evolution Structural Evolution

Glaciers grow and then retreat.

Volcanoes burst in giant plumes,

lightning strikes, producing heat,

mixing gases, blending fumes.

Atoms dance and build new matter,

joining pieces in a ladder;

a twisted double helix strand

lets life begin and make a stand.

A puff of wind – a few grains move,

another puff – they form some mounds;

a few more blows to form a groove,

and further ridges, and their bounds.

Dunes and valleys, mountains, canyons,

all channel water into flow

that carves away eroding bastions,

forming caves in rock below.

(My) Conclusions(My) Conclusions

Everything in our universe happens in very large numbers.

A very large number of universes makes it very likely that something interesting is going to happen in some of them.

How all these universes came about to be will remain an open scientific question.

Let’s enjoy the one we have !

Questions ? – Discussion !Questions ? – Discussion !