In quantum mechanics, there's uncertainty built into every physical process. Let's say an electron could go left or right at a junction. Before you check, you can't know where the electron is: you say the result is a superposition of electron-going-left and electron-going right.
When you measure the electron's position, you'll find it either went left or right, and depending on how you set up the experiment, it might be that half the time you do it, you'll find left-electron, half the time right-electron. How does each electron "decide" which way to go?
That question is what different interpretations of quantum mechanics try to answer. How do we go from probabilities to single answers? You start with a "wavefunction" that contains all possibilities and end with a data point: you could say the wavefunction collapsed to one result
In the Many Worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, the wavefunction never collapses. All possibilities happen, they just happen in different universes. If you measure "electron went left" you're not measuring the electron, you're ACTUALLY measuring which universe YOU'RE in.
So next time you are waiting for the result of some process or experiment, if the Many Worlds interpretation is correct, perhaps you're not, in fact, learning about something happening in the world, really. Perhaps what you're learning is what world you actually live in.
(If you want to read more and better things about Many Worlds, check out @seanmcarroll's book, Something Deeply Hidden: preposterousuniverse.com/somethingdeepl… or @FreelanceAstro's about the development of interpretations of quantum mechanics, What is Real?: hachettebookgroup.com/titles/adam-be…)

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More from @AstroKatie

1 Nov
You're never too young to learn about the ultimate fate of the cosmos!! 🤩 #EndOfEverythingBook
Update: I have been informed that 7 might be too young to learn about the ultimate fate of the cosmos. Please use the usual parental judgment when discussing cosmic apocalypses with your children.
My 3.5-year-old babynieces are pretty tough, though. I’m sure they can take it. Two 3.5-year-old girls in white sweaters and denim skirts si
Read 4 tweets
4 Oct
I took this photo of the Moon and Mars last night with my phone. It might not be the best photo but believe me when I say they were both GORGEOUS. Or better yet: don’t believe me — go out tonight and see for yourself! A very dark fuzzy image of the nearly full Moon rising over
Now is a great time to look at Mars. It’s unusually close to Earth in its orbit and (for the same reason) pretty much directly opposite the Sun. It’s as though it’s doing its best to be a mirror for the Sun shining back at us, so it’s very very bright. This is called #opposition.
Here’s a diagram of the positions of the planets right now from theplanetstoday.com. You can see that both the Moon and Mars are in the opposite direction as the Sun, so the Moon is close to full & Mars is bright and close. #MarsOpposition A diagram of the Solar System showing the Sun (labeled Sol),
Read 4 tweets
16 Sep
My book in title headings and epigraphs: a thread of appreciation for some of the writers who inspired me, and whose words were one way or another apocalyptically appropriate. #EndOfEverythingBook astrokatie.com/book
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Cosmos. Robert Frost, Fire and Ice. CHAPTER 1: Introduction to ...
Chapter 2: Big Bang to Now. @ann_leckie, Ancillary Justice. CHAPTER 2: Big Bang to Now....
Read 11 tweets
14 Sep
💥 Life on Venus? 😮

Quick thread with links to more info. First, the press release from @RoyalAstroSoc: ras.ac.uk/news-and-press…

Short version: a molecule was detected in the atmosphere of Venus that MIGHT have been produced by life. (It's unclear how else to produce it there.)
New York Times coverage by @shannonmstirone, @kchangnyt, & @overbye: nytimes.com/2020/09/14/sci…

"High in the toxic atmosphere of the planet Venus, astronomers on Earth have discovered signs of what might be life."
New Scientist coverage by @DownHereOnEarth: newscientist.com/article/225441…

"There are no known non-biological mechanisms of making the gas on Venus, so it may be being produced by alien microbes." [Paywalled article]
Read 15 tweets
7 Aug
Here's a thread of reviews of #EndOfEverythingBook -- because they've honestly all been really fantastic and it makes me SO HAPPY to see how much people are enjoying my book now that it's officially out there in the world! ✨📚✨
"'The End of Everything' is a pleasure. Mack’s style is personal and often funny ... I found it helpful — not reassuring, certainly, but mind-expanding — to be reminded of our place in a vast cosmos." -@nytimesbooks

nytimes.com/2020/08/04/boo…
"...like an animated discussion with your favourite quirky and brilliant professor. ... If you need a moment to be distracted from everyday life and journey to the deep cosmic future, I highly recommend 'The End of Everything.'" -@newscientist

newscientist.com/article/mg2473…
Read 10 tweets
30 Jul
Coverage of #CountdownToMars is on now! Less than 10 minutes to launch!!
1 minute!!
Liftoff! Man, that’s a fast rocket 🚀
Read 4 tweets

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