Why does the LIGO observation disprove higher dimensions?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I recently read this article which claims that last year’s LIGO observation of gravitational waves is proof that, at least on massive scales, there cannot be more than three spatial dimensions.
I don’t understand the physics fully, so could someone please explain this to me? I know it’s been theorized that gravity is relatively weak when compared to other forces because it leeches into other dimensions, and I think I understand how these observations disprove that, but how does this prove that there must be three and only three spatial dimensions?
gravity gravitational-waves spacetime-dimensions
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I recently read this article which claims that last year’s LIGO observation of gravitational waves is proof that, at least on massive scales, there cannot be more than three spatial dimensions.
I don’t understand the physics fully, so could someone please explain this to me? I know it’s been theorized that gravity is relatively weak when compared to other forces because it leeches into other dimensions, and I think I understand how these observations disprove that, but how does this prove that there must be three and only three spatial dimensions?
gravity gravitational-waves spacetime-dimensions
1
Perhaps this previous question I asked and the answer therein would provide a little illumination (the question is regarding the same paper): physics.stackexchange.com/q/428790
– enumaris
4 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I recently read this article which claims that last year’s LIGO observation of gravitational waves is proof that, at least on massive scales, there cannot be more than three spatial dimensions.
I don’t understand the physics fully, so could someone please explain this to me? I know it’s been theorized that gravity is relatively weak when compared to other forces because it leeches into other dimensions, and I think I understand how these observations disprove that, but how does this prove that there must be three and only three spatial dimensions?
gravity gravitational-waves spacetime-dimensions
I recently read this article which claims that last year’s LIGO observation of gravitational waves is proof that, at least on massive scales, there cannot be more than three spatial dimensions.
I don’t understand the physics fully, so could someone please explain this to me? I know it’s been theorized that gravity is relatively weak when compared to other forces because it leeches into other dimensions, and I think I understand how these observations disprove that, but how does this prove that there must be three and only three spatial dimensions?
gravity gravitational-waves spacetime-dimensions
gravity gravitational-waves spacetime-dimensions
asked 5 hours ago


DonielF
1216
1216
1
Perhaps this previous question I asked and the answer therein would provide a little illumination (the question is regarding the same paper): physics.stackexchange.com/q/428790
– enumaris
4 hours ago
add a comment |Â
1
Perhaps this previous question I asked and the answer therein would provide a little illumination (the question is regarding the same paper): physics.stackexchange.com/q/428790
– enumaris
4 hours ago
1
1
Perhaps this previous question I asked and the answer therein would provide a little illumination (the question is regarding the same paper): physics.stackexchange.com/q/428790
– enumaris
4 hours ago
Perhaps this previous question I asked and the answer therein would provide a little illumination (the question is regarding the same paper): physics.stackexchange.com/q/428790
– enumaris
4 hours ago
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
I’m the lead author of the paper. Thanks for being interested in the work! Your question is a good one. Really, our work can’t say anything about extra spatial dimensions if they’re not doing anything to gravity or light. As you correctly mention, we can only constrain higher dimensions where gravity is actually leaking into them.
If there are higher dimensions, but our physics experiments can’t see or hear them, are they really there? :p (this isn’t to say there might not be other ways of detecting extra spatial dimensions — but really, if they aren’t affecting physics in any measurable way, there’s not much we can say)
New contributor
kris is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
welcome, kris!!
– niels nielsen
6 mins ago
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
I’m the lead author of the paper. Thanks for being interested in the work! Your question is a good one. Really, our work can’t say anything about extra spatial dimensions if they’re not doing anything to gravity or light. As you correctly mention, we can only constrain higher dimensions where gravity is actually leaking into them.
If there are higher dimensions, but our physics experiments can’t see or hear them, are they really there? :p (this isn’t to say there might not be other ways of detecting extra spatial dimensions — but really, if they aren’t affecting physics in any measurable way, there’s not much we can say)
New contributor
kris is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
welcome, kris!!
– niels nielsen
6 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
I’m the lead author of the paper. Thanks for being interested in the work! Your question is a good one. Really, our work can’t say anything about extra spatial dimensions if they’re not doing anything to gravity or light. As you correctly mention, we can only constrain higher dimensions where gravity is actually leaking into them.
If there are higher dimensions, but our physics experiments can’t see or hear them, are they really there? :p (this isn’t to say there might not be other ways of detecting extra spatial dimensions — but really, if they aren’t affecting physics in any measurable way, there’s not much we can say)
New contributor
kris is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
welcome, kris!!
– niels nielsen
6 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
I’m the lead author of the paper. Thanks for being interested in the work! Your question is a good one. Really, our work can’t say anything about extra spatial dimensions if they’re not doing anything to gravity or light. As you correctly mention, we can only constrain higher dimensions where gravity is actually leaking into them.
If there are higher dimensions, but our physics experiments can’t see or hear them, are they really there? :p (this isn’t to say there might not be other ways of detecting extra spatial dimensions — but really, if they aren’t affecting physics in any measurable way, there’s not much we can say)
New contributor
kris is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I’m the lead author of the paper. Thanks for being interested in the work! Your question is a good one. Really, our work can’t say anything about extra spatial dimensions if they’re not doing anything to gravity or light. As you correctly mention, we can only constrain higher dimensions where gravity is actually leaking into them.
If there are higher dimensions, but our physics experiments can’t see or hear them, are they really there? :p (this isn’t to say there might not be other ways of detecting extra spatial dimensions — but really, if they aren’t affecting physics in any measurable way, there’s not much we can say)
New contributor
kris is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
kris is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 hours ago
kris
411
411
New contributor
kris is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
kris is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
kris is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
welcome, kris!!
– niels nielsen
6 mins ago
add a comment |Â
welcome, kris!!
– niels nielsen
6 mins ago
welcome, kris!!
– niels nielsen
6 mins ago
welcome, kris!!
– niels nielsen
6 mins ago
add a comment |Â
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fphysics.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f431010%2fwhy-does-the-ligo-observation-disprove-higher-dimensions%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
1
Perhaps this previous question I asked and the answer therein would provide a little illumination (the question is regarding the same paper): physics.stackexchange.com/q/428790
– enumaris
4 hours ago