Quote Originally Posted by Panda View Post
The universe exists because, well it just does. Its something we can see and feel and touch. Thats a fact. On the other hand, where it came from and where its going is beyond our current comprehension. We have got some pretty good working models about how it all works, but there are still lots of holes in all the theories from quantum physics to general relativity, despite the fact that they work well enough to enable us to get on with business.

All these advanced theories like "String Theory" and parallel universes, or other universes inside black holes are interesting theories, but just theories without any proof. They are just possibilities. And there must be an infinite number of possibilities out there limited only by the human imagination. Its a good thing that people are thinking about the eternal question and trying to prove their theories. One day one of them might just turn out to be right. They thought Copernicus was a nutter when he figured out the world wasn't the center of the universe. And Einstein opened up a whole new world in science with his out of the square thinking at the time.

So, I have an open mind on these multitude of new theories, but am sceptical until I see some verified and accepted scientific proof they got it right. I am sure they will figure it out one day, but doubt it will be in my lifetime. Pisses me off a bit as I would like to know before I go.
The way I see it is that in other areas of science, you come up with a theory
and you can prove it at least empirically through experimentation. Sometimes
you can even prove it mathematically. In theoretical physics on the other hand,
it is very difficult to prove anything, say weather the surface topology of a black
hole is smooth or not. This makes it easy for Theoretical physicists to have a big
wank about a theory that is built under conjecture after conjecture, which cannot
be verified anyways.

I suspect a lot of academic fraud goes on in this area.