How Many Dimensions Are Actually There? 11-Dimensional World and String Theory

by Bob Pershing
Learning Mind

What if there are more than three dimensions in our universe? String theory suggests there are 11 of them. Let’s explore this intriguing theory and its possible applications.

Since ancient days, humans have been familiar with the sense of 3-dimensionality of space. This idea was better understood after the theory of classical mechanics by Isaac Newton was presented about 380 years ago. This concept is now clear to everyone that space has three dimensions, meaning that for every position, there correspond three numbers with regards to a reference point that can direct one to the right location. In other words, one can define sequences of positions in three independent ways. This fact has its trace not only in physics but in other aspects of our life such as the biology of every living creature. For example, the inner ear of almost all vertebrates is composed of exactly three semicircular canals that sense the position of the body in the three dimensions of space. Eye of every human too has three pairs of muscles by which the eye is moved to every direction.

Einstein’s special theory of relativity further developed this concept through its revolutionary idea that time should also be regarded as a 4th dimension. This notion was a must for the theory to resolves inconsistencies of Newtonian mechanics with classical electromagnetism. Once a strange concept, after more than a century of its presentation, it is now a widely accepted concept in physics and astronomy. But still, one of the greatest mysteries and challenges of our era is the origin of the three dimensions of space, the origin of time as well as details of big bang why does space have three dimensions and not more? This might be perhaps the most difficult question of physics.

Higher dimensional space

The possibility of the existence of even higher dimensional space came about on pure theoretical work of physicists who were trying to find a consistent and unified theory capable of explaining gravity within the framework of quantum mechanics. Einstein’s general theory of relativity is a classical theory since it is valid only at large distances. It is capable of making its successful predictions such as retrogression movement of the planet mercury, bending of light beams passing by massive objects, black holes and many similar phenomena at large distances. However, it cannot be used at the quantum level since there is no quantum theory capable of explaining gravitational force.
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