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George Lawson on October 28, 2008, 1:31 PM

I am not a scientist or mathematician but have been very interested to read and hear the various theories circulating regarding the existence of other dimensions beyond the three we are familiar with.
I have only been able to try and conceive what these may be like by analysing what we understand about the existing known dimensions and how they relate to one another, and what could reasonably be extrapolated to other higher dimensions.
I have used conventional models of the existing dimensions:-
%u2022 0 Point (infinitely small)
%u2022 1 Line (infinitely long, narrow & thin)
%u2022 2 Sheet (infinitely long, wide and thin)
%u2022 3 Cube (infinitely long, wide and deep)

Comparing 0 and 1 dimensions we can see that within a 1 dimensional world there could be an infinite number of 0 dimensional points.
Comparing 1 and 2 dimensions we can see that within a 2 dimensional world there could be an infinite number of 1 dimensional lines.
Comparing 2 and 3 dimensions we can see that within a 3 dimensional world there could be an infinite number of 2 dimensional sheets.

It would therefore not be unreasonable to suggest that if there is a fourth dimension, possibly time, then there are potentially an infinite number of three dimensional worlds within it.

When mathematicians and physicists talk of 11 dimensions or more I am unsure as to whether they are talking of true separate dimensions, or instances of 3 dimensional worlds?

One of the conclusions from Einstein%u2019s theory of relativity is that mass, through gravity, can bend space & time.
If there are multiple 3 dimensional worlds within the fourth dimension of time, then
since we do not as a matter of course see other dimensions then there are three possible conclusions, either :-
%u2022 There are no other 3 dimensional worlds
%u2022 The adjacent 3 dimensional worlds are sufficiently well separated that distortions in ours does not cause them to coincide.
%u2022 That as mass distorts space & time in our world it also distorts other adjacent three dimensional worlds, bending them away such that they don%u2019t coincide.

The first of these possibilities would open the question as to what did exist in the rest of time, if it is a dimension.
The second would open the question as to what existed in the boundaries between dimensions, and what these constituted.
The third possibility is by far the most interesting, opening up a possible explanation as to why gravity appears to be far weaker in our dimension than we would expect. If it has to bend multiple other dimensions out of the way then this could be where its energy is really going. Distorting multiple 3D dimensions would absorb considerably more energy than distorting a single dimension.


This explanation may also lead to another line of thought around the nature of %u2018Black Holes%u2019. The excessive mass/gravitational pull of these objects may be due to the coincidence of mass in other adjacent dimensions combining with an existing mass in our dimension to create a massive distortion.


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