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Researchers: Cosmic Cold Spot claimed as evidence for multiverse

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soap bubbles/Timothy Pilgrim

These people are really reaching. From Alison Klesman at Astronomy Magazine:

In a study led by Ruari Mackenzi and Tom Shanks at Durham University’s Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy and published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the group explores the possibility that a “supervoid” of space — an area lacking a significant number of galaxies and other matter — is responsible for the Cold Spot. Both regular matter and dark matter tend to clump together in space, forming structures such as clusters and walls in some areas, while leaving voids without much material in others. This effect is exacerbated by the expansion of the universe, and causes the CMB coming from the direction of a void to look different than CMB radiation that must travel through areas of space more densely populated on its way to Earth.

Even without a supervoid in the way, the team estimates a likelihood that the Cold Spot appeared by random chance as 1 in 50. According to Shanks, “This means we can’t entirely rule out that the Spot is caused by an unlikely fluctuation explained by the standard model. But if that isn’t the answer, then there are more exotic explanations.”

Good grief. One in 50 is hardly serious odds at all, as everyone knows. As the ID theorists would say, one must be up orders of magnitude for questions to even be raised.

But because the multiverse is not a concept in science but rather in naturalist philosophy, any argument may be thrown into its defense:

The multiverse describes a set of infinite universes, which includes the one in which we live. To date, no evidence has been found that the multiverse is more than science fiction, but researchers are continually pushing the boundaries of the observable universe to determine whether this concept is fact or fiction. While at the moment the Cold Spot is certainly not definitive evidence of a multiverse, it does indicate a problem in our standard cosmological model that may need addressing if the cause of the temperature fluctuation in this area remains unclear. More.

The defense, by the way can include arguments like this that admit that there is no evidence but provide any old discordant data as… well, as a way of keeping the nonsense alive.

Note: I (O’Leary for News) am starting a new series at Evolution News & Views on the way the needs of naturalist theory make confetti out of the disciplines of science.

See also: See also: 2016 worst year ever for “fake physics”?

Multiverse cosmology at your fingertips

and

The war on falsifiability in science continues

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Comments
KF, thank you for the link to the Cornell University website that deal with this subject. This whole thing still seems to be in quasi-speculative territory, doesn't it? IOW, has the final word on this been said yet? Could the whole enchilada be explained differently?Dionisio
May 3, 2017
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D, I dunno if this helps: http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/about-us/108-the-universe/cosmology-and-the-big-bang/dark-matter/658-what-s-the-difference-between-dark-matter-and-dark-energy-intermediate >>we believe the cosmos to be composed of roughly 0.03% heavy elements (anything other than hydrogen and helium), 0.3% neutrinos, 0.5% stars, 4% free hydrogen and helium, 25% dark matter, and 70% dark energy. Here is how we define them separately: Dark matter must exist to account for the gravity that holds galaxies together. If the only matter in the universe was matter we could directly detect, galaxies would not have had enough matter to have ever formed. The galaxies we observe today would fly apart because they wouldn't have enough matter to create a strong enough gravitational force to hold themselves together. Dark matter is also responsible for amplifying small fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background back in the early universe to create the large scale structure we observe in the universe today. Dark energy, which also goes by the names of the cosmological constant or quintessence, must exist due to the rate of expansion we observe for our universe. Not only is the universe expanding, but this expansion is also accelerating so the unknown 'anti-gravity' force at work is termed 'dark energy'. Some researchers are searching for an explanation that encompasses both dark matter and dark energy. One example of such a theory uses a form of energy called a scalar field (it is a field because it has magnitude, energy and pressure, but it is scalar so it has no direction). Things would certainly be easier if we didn't need to have separate theories to explain dark matter and dark energy. However, other researchers look at dark matter and dark energy as two separate problems. For example, many string theories use supersymmetric particles to explain dark matter and make no connection to dark energy at all.>> KFkairosfocus
May 3, 2017
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“Cosmic Cold Spot claimed as evidence for multiverse” Maybe in another universe the IS-OUGHT gap isn't as wide as in this world? Maybe in another world Eve responded to the serpent: "really? Ok, prove it to me." And Adam told his lovely wife: "well done, honey! Now, let's ask our Maker to deal with that serpent."? Maybe in another universe we stayed in Eden, hence the junk DNA and the myriad of diseases we have to face in this sinful world is not an issue at all? Maybe in a parallel universe everybody tests everything and holds what is good? Anyway, it's written that this current world isn't eternal. At the end of this age of grace every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Christ is the Lord of lords and King of kings. And we'll sing hallelujah and rejoice!Dionisio
May 3, 2017
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"Cosmic Cold Spot claimed as evidence for multiverse" Also a nice-looking picture could be claimed as strong evidence for a breathtaking view from the penthouse 360 balcony on a 27-story oceanfront beach condominium building in the middle of Siberia. Yes, appearances can be deceiving. Anything can be interpreted in many ways.Dionisio
May 3, 2017
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@1: dark matter? what's that? Apparently it's not an easy question, is it? Two days and no answer yet... At least can somebody quote the definition or point to a serious* scientific text that explains it well? I tried myself to no avail. (*) not pseudoscientific hogwashDionisio
May 3, 2017
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Both regular matter and dark matter tend to clump together in space [...]
dark matter? What's that?Dionisio
May 1, 2017
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