OK, it’s a dumb question, but I’m not too proud to ask.

Richard Feynman famously said, “I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics.”

He was one of the most brilliant physicists who ever lived, having written many accepted theories and hypotheses about quantum mechanics.

So, if Richard Feynman doesn’t understand it, I sure don’t. That’s why I don’t feel bad about not understanding yet another scientific mystery. (No, not women, enigmas that men never will understand). I’m referring to dark energy.

“Dark energy” is the name given to some unknown thing that seems to be making the universe expand at an accelerating rate.

It’s called “dark” because no one knows what it is. It’s called “energy” because it moves the universe.

If you think moving a car, a truck, or a train requires energy, think of moving the entire universe.

The mystery goes something like this. In the beginning of the universe, there was something possibly resembling an explosion called the “Big Bang,” where, in a short time, the universe went from something very tiny to something orders of magnitude bigger.

That took great energy because it had to overcome gravity and inertia.

However, it did overcome gravity, which led to an even greater mystery. In our experience, gravity eventually wins. Throw a ball into the air, and it will begin to slow and eventually fall back. Same with a bullet.

If you have a powerful enough gun, the bullet even can escape earth’s gravity and go on forever. But — and this is the important part — the bullet will begin fast, and as it rises, it will slow down.

Even though gravity weakens with distance, it will have taken energy from the bullet. Going fast enough, the bullet even may escape the earth’s gravity, but it always will slow down unless it receives additional bursts of energy.

For that reason, scientists had thought that after the “Big Bang,” the universe’s expansion would slow, perhaps after many billions of years, and even begin to reverse because of gravity and start coming back together in a “Big Crunch.”

Imagine the surprise when measurements seem to show that not only was the expansion not slowing, but it was speeding.

There seemed to be some repulsive force that overcomes gravity at greater distances.

While gravity declines with distance, the effect of “dark energy” seems to increase with distance. No one ever had seen such a force.

This is being studied by great minds with far more knowledge about the subject than I have, so with a dash of humility and a dollop of trepidation, I ask whether any of my readers can comment on this question: Every effect I’ve heard of seems to increase with decreasing distance. Gravity and magnetism are examples.

So, is it possible that so-called dark energy merely is gravity from other universes?

There has been much speculation about the possible existence of multiple universes. No proof of other universes exists, but for the moment, let’s say they might.

And if they do, they might have gravity, just like ours does.

And if they have gravity, that gravity might extend beyond the “borders” of the other universes, affecting adjacent universes.

And, if all those aforementioned “mights” exist, how would we know? What would be the effect on our universe by surrounding universes?

Could there be a gravitational effect whereby all universes would expand faster through time, as they pulled on each other?

Could our expanding-faster universe be evidence of multiple universes?

If you know anyone who is expert in these matters, please ask them to comment on this post.

I will be the first to admit I know even less about the subject than your loud-mouth neighbor knows about Monetary Sovereignty.

The difference is, unlike your loud-mouth neighbor, I recognize my ignorance, and wish to learn. Any thoughts?

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

Monetary Sovereignty Twitter: @rodgermitchell

Search #monetarysovereignty Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

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