Science fiction becomes ... well, not so fictional

I found this article via Slashdot. Turns out I was right when I speculated that we exist in one (or more) of a multitude of parallel universes. I didn't believe the stuff about John Titor, but the idea that one could visit very "close" alternate timelines in the past seems somewhat rational. It's getting back to where you started that seems problematic. And the "difficulty" of changing the past isn't a difficulty at all, because you can never change your own timeline. Your timeline is always the timeline in which you never changed the past (at least as far as you or anyone you know, etc., etc., could ever know about).

Thinking (or trying to think) about the existence of alternate universes is really mind-blowing stuff, but it does now mean I can write a post-apocalyptic novel and not have to worry about the small fact that our own timeline wasn't destroyed (almost) by a worldwide war. Well, not yet, at least. If I understand correctly, John Titor predicted/reported (depending on what you believe) a nuclear war, or something, that broke up the U.S. and resulted in a much more fractured existence for folks. Hell, his whole story is a great plot for a novel. (And I am surprised not to have heard of the novelization of the John Titor experiment.) I am certain his story is a work of fiction.

So, if for example, I wanted nuclear war in 1979 so as to provide a suitable backdrop trope for my novel, then I can have it. Of course my novel isn't about time travel outside the "old-fashioned way" (i.e., moving forward one day at a time) but perhaps I can use the notion of infinite alternate universes to give my characters a little bit more uncertainty. That is, the universe they find themselves in isn't the one they thought they were in. Could be interesting.

I am excited that the theoretical mathematicians have shown that subatomic particles branch off into parallel universes (infinitely). Methinks they're right, so all we need to do now is figure out how to go visit these places.