An intriguing and somewhat bizarre discussion is ongoing among scientists. Could it be that our universe is not alone? Was there a 'mirror-like universe' before the Big Bang, where time flowed in the opposite direction from ours, and antimatter was predominant? Imagine standing before a mirror, but your reflection is a blurred or completely opposite version of yourself.
This idea was first presented in 2018 by three physicists – Latham Boyle, Kieran Finn, and Neil Turok. They published a paper in the renowned journal 'Physical Review Letters'. Now it is once again trending on social media. The three scientists suggest that the universe is CPT-symmetric.
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What is CPT Symmetry?
In physics, CPT symmetry is an essential rule. It means...
C (Charge):
Transform particles into their opposite charge counterparts (such as electrons to positrons).
P (Parity):
Flip left and right, like viewing in a mirror.
T (Time):
Reverse the direction of time.
Even after these transformations, the laws of physics remain the same. However, our universe moves forward in time and has more matter, less antimatter, which makes it seem as though CPT symmetry breaks.
Source: aajtak
The Idea of the Mirror Universe
Scientists propose that the universe is not singular but part of a pair. Our universe and its 'mirror' – the anti-universe. The Big Bang is the focal point between these two.
In our universe, time moves forward, and matter is abundant.
In the mirror universe, time goes backward, and antimatter is predominant.
This pair completes CPT symmetry, much like how viewing your inverted reflection in a mirror makes the entire picture balanced.
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Why is This Idea Special?
This model promises to unravel many of the universe's biggest puzzles...
Matter-Antimatter Imbalance:
The Big Bang should have created equal amounts of matter and antimatter, which would annihilate each other. Yet, our universe is filled with matter. The abundance of antimatter in the mirror universe provides a balance.
Dark Matter:
This invisible substance comprises a big part of the universe. The model suggests that heavy right-handed neutrinos (a type of particle) might be dark matter.
Source: aajtak
What Evidence is There?
Currently, there is no direct evidence. It is a theoretical concept, mathematically elegant. Neil Turok continues to discuss it, like in articles published around 2024-2025. He argues that it simplifies the understanding of the universe. However, many scientists remain skeptical.
They argue it's just a good story but not proven by observation. Experiments on neutrinos in labs like CERN could test this – such as whether neutrinos are massless. If future experiments validate this model, our understanding of the universe would be completely transformed. We would learn that our universe is not solitary, but part of a vast mirror.
