The multiverse is a hypothesis that seeks to address the fundamental question of why we exist at all. Yet rather than offering definitive answers, it tends to raise further questions.
Is one universe not enough for us? For several decades, there have been theories suggesting that the Universe may not be the entirety of existence. Although the idea of the multiverse has been present for many years, it was only in the 1990s that it began to gain serious attention and moved from cultural narratives into scientific literature.1 Put simply, the multiverse refers to a collection of all possible universes, assuming they exist. What exactly does this idea propose, and can it truly be considered a credible scientific theory that might remove the need for God as the Creator of our Cosmos?
Where did the concept of the multiverse come from?
The observable Universe is known to be extraordinarily vast. Astronomers estimate its current radius at approximately 46.5 billion light-years, giving it a diameter of around 93 billion light-years.² It is believed that, over the course of 13.8 billion years, the Universe has expanded to this scale as a result of initial cosmic inflation. Yet what lies beyond the boundary of the visible Universe? Is there a definitive edge marking the end of spacetime, or does spacetime continue beyond what we can observe? This is among the questions the theory of the multiverse seeks to address.
Another question arises. Our Universe appears to be finely tuned for the existence of life, including intelligent life such as humans. The problem is that this did not have to be the case. The Universe could have come into existence with different cosmological constants or physical laws that would not have allowed for life. Why, then, does the only Universe we know permit it? Was it created by an intelligent being, such as God? For secular scientists, this possibility is not acceptable, so they look for other explanations. The theory of the multiverse, which suggests that our Universe came about randomly like many others but happened to have the right conditions for life, is a common proposal among scientists and science communicators seeking to resolve this question.
Types of multiverses
This is not, however, a uniform hypothesis. There are many multiverse proposals, ranging from the simplest to the most bizarre. Max Erik Tegmark, a Swedish-American physicist and cosmologist, proposed four main levels of the multiverse hypothesis.3
Level I
This concept is simply an extension of the known Universe into infinity. It relies on the assumption that the spacetime of the Universe is not globally curved but entirely flat, meaning that the Ω coefficient is exactly equal to 1. If spacetime extends infinitely, then in principle, anything becomes possible at a great enough distance, including the repetition of Earth itself. According to certain calculations, such a parallel Earth could exist at a distance of 10^10^118 metres from us. This is, of course, a distance beyond human comprehension.⁴
Level II
The next level follows from inflation theory, particularly the idea of eternal inflation. According to this view, beyond our Universe, which is referred to as a ‘bubble’, there exists an infinite, rapidly expanding region of empty space. From time to time, symmetry in this space breaks at the quantum level. A new bubble universe then forms, containing its own distinct set of dimensions and particles. Our Universe is one such bubble, and its particular combination of dimensions and particles allows life to exist.
Level III
At this level, we are dealing with parallel universes in the quantum sense. This results from interpretations of quantum mechanics which suggest that different outcomes of events continuously generate countless new universes. For example, when someone rolls a six-sided die, the act gives rise to at least six separate universes, each with a different result of the roll. According to this view, these universes, existing in infinite number, are located elsewhere or alongside ours, in the abstract domain of all possible quantum states.
Level IV
This level involves various mathematical universes. Tegmark argues that our Universe is a mathematical structure, meaning it consists of a set of mathematical formulas that describe the Universe and its physical laws. In this version of the multiverse, other universes are different mathematical structures, that is, sets of alternative mathematical formulas. For instance, in our Cosmos, planets follow elliptical orbits around stars, which can be described mathematically. In another universe, they might follow paths shaped like tied ribbons. Such universes would exist entirely outside our spacetime, which makes them seem abstract.
Other types of multiverses
These are the easiest multiverse models to imagine. Brian Greene, an American theoretical physicist, presents several other hypotheses. Most of them result from his work on string theory and its related developments, such as the brane multiverse or the cyclic multiverse, which should not be confused with the Big Bang cyclic model, although that is also considered a form of multiverse. One more idea involves a multiverse made up of universes simulated by highly advanced computers created by hypothetical extraterrestrial beings who have discovered a unified field theory, known as the theory of everything.5
The multiverse vs. scientific evidence
This reveals the remarkable range of scientific speculation concerning the multiverse. All these hypotheses, however, share a fundamental flaw: there is no empirical evidence to support them. What secular scientists have produced in this area consists largely of advanced mathematical models and interpretations of various quantum states. No universe beyond our own has ever been observed, nor has any hypothetical spatial medium between universes. Furthermore, we possess no means by which such observations could be made.
Despite the way the topic is sometimes presented in popular science media, the multiverse remains far from a scientifically verified hypothesis. In this respect, it occupies a position similar to that of the hypothesis of God: it cannot be tested or confirmed. George F. R. Ellis, a retired South African mathematician and physicist, summarised the multiverse hypothesis with the following words:
‘Scientists proposed the multiverse as a way of resolving deep issues about the nature of existence, but the proposal leaves the ultimate issues unresolved. All the same issues that arise in relation to the universe arise again in relation to the multiverse. If the multiverse exists, did it come into existence through necessity, chance or purpose? That is a metaphysical question that no physical theory can answer for either the universe or the multiverse.’6
In other words, whether parallel universes exist or not, we are unlikely ever to know through the scientific method. The subject lies largely beyond the scope of science and belongs more to the realm of metaphysics. The only evidence available concerns the existence of our own Universe, although supporters of simulation theory may even call that into question.
Multiplying entities beyond necessity
Moreover, the multiverse hypothesis is criticised for multiplying entities beyond necessity, which runs counter to the principle of Occam’s Razor. This principle, often invoked by atheists to dismiss belief in God as an unnecessary being, applies even more strongly to the multiverse hypothesis. In attempting to explain why we exist, it proposes the existence of an immense number of universal or universe-like entities that cannot be subjected to empirical investigation.
Finally, as Ellis pointed out, the question of the naturalistic origin of our Universe can be turned into a question about the origin of the hypothetical multiverse. This resembles the question often raised by atheists: ‘Where does God come from, or who created Him?’ The difference is that, unlike the multiverse, God does not require a naturalistic explanation for His origin. According to the Bible, God is a personal being who accounts for His own existence. It also states that He exists outside time, meaning He has always existed, without beginning and without end.⁷ If the multiverse exists, it would have specific physical features that we could in theory study, provided we had the ability. God is not physical, so if the multiverse exists, He would exist beyond it as well.⁸
So far, among all the possible universes that may exist, the only one we know of is our own. This Universe allows for life, even though from a naturalistic point of view it did not have to. There is also no evidence that life in our Universe is a physical or metaphysical necessity. If it were, we would expect the Cosmos to be full of extraterrestrial life. Despite ongoing efforts to find it, we have no evidence for that either.
The multiverse – a conclusion
Even if it cannot be proven that God exists, His existence remains the most reasonable explanation. Did God create other universes beyond our own? We do not know. He did not have to, but He certainly could have. The secular idea of the multiverse explains nothing and only raises further questions about why we exist. Only the existence of a personal, loving God, greater than the Universe or even the possible multiverse, gives a meaningful answer to the question of our origin.
By the way, we recommend reading the articles:
- Christianity and the Discovery of Exoplanets
- The Origin of the Moon: Coincidence or Design?
- What is ‘The Overview Effect’?
- Saturn’s Rings as Evidence of a Young Solar System
- What Do Astronauts Have To Say About God?
Footnotes
- Ellis, G.F.R. (2011) ‘Does the Multiverse Really Exist?’, Scientific American, 305 (2), August, p. 39. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26002750?mag=the-real-science-of-the-multiverse&seq=1
- Sottosanti, K. (2024) ‘Observable universe’, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 7 March. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/observable-universe
- Tegmark, M.E. (2003) ‘Parallel Universes’, Scientific American, 288 (5), May, pp. 40–51. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26060282?mag=the-real-science-of-the-multiverse
- The number 10^(10^118) refers to 10 to the power of 10^118, i.e., a number with 118 zeros. For comparison, 10^(1000) would be the same as 10^(10^3). Meanwhile, the number of particles in the visible Universe is estimated to be about 10^80.
- Greene, B. (2011) The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws. New York: Vintage Books.
- Ellis, G.F.R. (2011) ‘Does the Multiverse Really Exist?’, p. 43.
- The Bible, New King James Version, 1982, Psalms 90:2; 2 Peter 3:8.
- ‘What Do “Fine-Tuning” and “Multiverse” Say About God?’ (2019) Two Books, 8 May. Available at: https://www.dwieksiegi.pl/co-o-bogu-mowi-dostrojenie-oraz-wieloswiat.html
© Source of main image: Leonardo.ai.
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