Parallel Universes in Star Trek

[c0rnedfr0g]

"So there is an infinite number of parallel universes?" -- Fry
"No, just the one." -- Prof. Farnsworth

How many are there (in Trek, not real life)? There's the Mirror Universe and the Antimatter Universe.... are these both "parallel universes?" Are they not the same parallel universe?

 

[Mistral]

They are not the same. There are over 10,000 parallel universes known in the ST "universe" according to the STTNG ep "Parallels". At least, that's how many hails Lt. Crusher reports when the barriers(known as Planck's Constant) begin to break down and allow the universes to inter penetrate.

 

[JNG]

The number is (functionally) infinite by implication.

I don't equate the Planck constant to a "barrier" at all, but don't want to get off topic.

 

[dave_R_treker]

There are infinte number of universes. For every choice we make there is a universe where we make a different decison.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

There are infinte number of universes. For every choice we make there is a universe where we make a different decison.

i know, but in Trek they keep returning to the Mirror Universe... is this some kind of "special" parallel universe?

 

[Johnny]

There are infinte number of universes. For every choice we make there is a universe where we make a different decison.

i know, but in Trek they keep returning to the Mirror Universe... is this some kind of "special" parallel universe?

I'd guess that the first initial visit set some brain cells a buzzin in the mirror universe, if our side has better ships then why not steal them, etc...

...or maybe they just like their floral arrangments?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

There are infinte number of universes. For every choice we make there is a universe where we make a different decison.

i know, but in Trek they keep returning to the Mirror Universe... is this some kind of "special" parallel universe?

I would say so. The Mirror Universe seems to be unique in that there is no clear divergent point (if In a Mirror, Darkly is anything to go by, if there was a divergent point, it's something that would have happened before recorded history). But I think there seems to be a sort of "pull" between our universe and that universe that keep events tied together (even with bizarrely different personalities in people, little things like tables being damaged stay the same).

 

[captcalhoun]

and bear in mind, just because there were 285,000 Enterprises that appeared through the rift in Parallels, that's a minimum figure, given that there's probably at least 285,000 realities where the E-D wasn't present at that particular area, or didn't exist. and they also said, more Enterprises kept appearing...

 

[Mysterion]

There are infinte number of universes. For every choice we make there is a universe where we make a different decison.

i know, but in Trek they keep returning to the Mirror Universe... is this some kind of "special" parallel universe?

I would say so. The Mirror Universe seems to be unique in that there is no clear divergent point (if In a Mirror, Darkly is anything to go by, if there was a divergent point, it's something that would have happened before recorded history). But I think there seems to be a sort of "pull" between our universe and that universe that keep events tied together (even with bizarrely different personalities in people, little things like tables being damaged stay the same).

I suspect there are a number of universes similar to the main "mirror" universe we've seen in aired ST. This way we can account for the differences in the various off-screen portrayals (i.e. DC Comics, Diane Duane's novel Dark Mirror, etc.

 

[Mistral]

I referred to Planck's Constant incorrectly. It is the unique frequency that identifies the specific reality, not the barrier itself. If this question truly fascinates you I suggest a paper on The Many-worlds Concept by Dr. Everett, written as his thesis back in the late 60's/early 70's-its easily findable on the Net. He was the first to publish on the subject and although it took years for modern physics to admit he might have something valid they eventually came around. Interestingly, he's the father of E, the leader of the band The Eels, who are best known for their songs in the Shrek movies.

 

[Lonemagpie]

There are infinte number of universes. For every choice we make there is a universe where we make a different decison.

i know, but in Trek they keep returning to the Mirror Universe... is this some kind of "special" parallel universe?

I would say so. The Mirror Universe seems to be unique in that there is no clear divergent point (if In a Mirror, Darkly is anything to go by, if there was a divergent point, it's something that would have happened before recorded history). But I think there seems to be a sort of "pull" between our universe and that universe that keep events tied together (even with bizarrely different personalities in people, little things like tables being damaged stay the same).

Bear in mind that there's actually at least two of what we call "The Mirror Universe" - one that had cloaking devices in season 2 of DS9, and one that didn't get them until The Emperor's New Cloak...

 

[RandyS]

As stated in the TNG episode "Parallels", there are well over 285,000 different universes, of which we have seen ten, taking into account the seven that Worf visited in that episode, the Mirror universe, and the anti-matter universe Kirk visits toward the end of "The Alternative Factor".

And of course, the regular universe seen in all of Star Trek.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

As stated in the TNG episode "Parallels", there are well over 285,000 different universes, of which we have seen ten, taking into account the seven that Worf visited in that episode, the Mirror universe, and the anti-matter universe Kirk visits toward the end of "The Alternative Factor".

And of course, the regular universe seen in all of Star Trek.

+ the Abrams-verse

 

[Alidar Jarok]

i know, but in Trek they keep returning to the Mirror Universe... is this some kind of "special" parallel universe?

I would say so. The Mirror Universe seems to be unique in that there is no clear divergent point (if In a Mirror, Darkly is anything to go by, if there was a divergent point, it's something that would have happened before recorded history). But I think there seems to be a sort of "pull" between our universe and that universe that keep events tied together (even with bizarrely different personalities in people, little things like tables being damaged stay the same).

Bear in mind that there's actually at least two of what we call "The Mirror Universe" - one that had cloaking devices in season 2 of DS9, and one that didn't get them until The Emperor's New Cloak...

I would have just considered it a continuity error, but that's a good point.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I think the Mirror universe and the normal universe are somehow closely connected and act as two ends to a magnet so to speak but have no specific divergence point and instead from the moment of the big bang became opposite polaritys.

The 'parallel universes' as seen in that TNG episode on the other hand are universes created due to different divergence points but are of the same polarity as the normal universe. I believe the Mirror universe also has it's own 'parallel universes' caused by differences in divergence points but are also of a negative polarity.

So for example, if you were to go to one of these parallel universes and then attempt to jump to the mirror universe you wouldn't be in the same mirror universe as the one from your own universe.

An example being that the normal universe and mirror universe are connected to eachother by an anchor of some sort like this:

O-O

parallel universes are also anchored to their own mirror universes like so:

O-O O-O O-O O-O

But parallel universes aren't anchored to parallel universes, so when transporters go wrong etc etc that's why you end up going to the mirror universe and not one of the parallel universes.

Does everybody get me?

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

I think the Mirror universe and the normal universe are somehow closely connected and act as two ends to a magnet so to speak but have no specific divergence point and instead from the moment of the big bang became opposite polaritys.

The 'parallel universes' as seen in that TNG episode on the other hand are universes created due to different divergence points but are of the same polarity as the normal universe. I believe the Mirror universe also has it's own 'parallel universes' caused by differences in divergence points but are also of a negative polarity.

So for example, if you were to go to one of these parallel universes and then attempt to jump to the mirror universe you wouldn't be in the same mirror universe as the one from your own universe.

An example being that the normal universe and mirror universe are connected to eachother by an anchor of some sort like this:

O-O

parallel universes are also anchored to their own mirror universes like so:

O-O O-O O-O O-O

But parallel universes aren't anchored to parallel universes, so when transporters go wrong etc etc that's why you end up going to the mirror universe and not one of the parallel universes.

Does everybody get me?

sure, but wouldn't the Antimatter Universe (Lazarus!!) be of the opposite polarity?

 

[All Seeing Eye]

sure, but wouldn't the Antimatter Universe (Lazarus!!) be of the opposite polarity?

yes but that would be an opposite polarity in a different sense of the word, the anti-matter universes would be a completely different set of universes far separate from the parallel universes and mirror universes.

 

[Nebusj]

sure, but wouldn't the Antimatter Universe (Lazarus!!) be of the opposite polarity?

I think by the end of the contact with Lazarus's universe everyone was just happy not to deal with it anymore.

By the way, if they are truly ``parallel'' universes, shouldn't it be impossible to have a crossover --- a point of contact --- with them? Just to be a nuisance.

 

[Timewalker]

By the way, if they are truly ``parallel'' universes, shouldn't it be impossible to have a crossover --- a point of contact --- with them? Just to be a nuisance.

No more impossible than it is to cross from one parallel parking space to another if one's vehicle insists on doing so.