Damn

We’ve never observed dark matter. It is a theory. It may not exist. We simply look at the data we have in the universe and there are missing pieces and... well we know SOMETHING goes there- so we call it dark matter. That or we are VERY wrong in one or more areas of our understanding of the fundamentals of physics... or there’s an invisible substance with mass which doesn’t interact with traditional particles or forces in any way we can really identify.

So such a thing as that you describe, we could either “observe” mathematically- by the fact our math doesn’t make sense even though it should- OR if it has no mass, cannot interact with matter or forces of physics.... then.... it effectively doesn’t exist. It cannot be seen. It cannot be touched. It cannot be measured. It would have no effect on the universe in our current understanding of physics- or we would have physics all wrong.

OF COURSE- there is an alternative. Such a thing could be merely the manifestation of an extra dimensional phenomenon. Something from a different dimension or existing in a dimension above our perception. Much the same as the user can see the browser controls, the programmer can see the code, the computer scientist can know how the hardware sees the code- but none can simply look and see the electrons making it all work- there could well be layers to our universe- layers that we do not see or perhaps cannot see.

So that which happens in these spaces may have some minute or even profound effect on our reality but not be readily observed- or is only observed via the known mechanisms that act as a “signature” of this event occurring “behind the curtain.” Is that the case? We cannot say it isn’t possible. This is science. We can say that it hasn’t been proven- and it’s unlikely we can do so with our current understanding as we cannot even yet observe or prove the existence of the dark matter that we are sure is out there.

In the same spirit we can say it is possible the universe is actually a giant turtle, possible every atom is a tiny universe like ours, every rock is actually alive but is a form of life we don’t recognize.... etc. etc.

@guest_ ... you really want to blow their minds? Tell them how the linear progression of time is actually in reverse (effect produces cause) and our little 4d brains evolved to observe it in reverse b/c that's easier for humans to comprehend. That makes us the lucky ones; the other 8 dimensions are still trying to stop time but cant interact with it because its outside their flux range.

Lol. Nice. I try to avoid time where possible here as it seldom seems to go over well with people- but that one is of course a solid theory- as is the theory that there really isn’t time at- that all events occur at a single point and time is just... a Metric which we use to break that down into bits of perception we can process. I also like the one that time and space are interchangeable concepts- that we are always moving and it is fact the idea of distance which is fictitious- but it is far easier on a biological level to perceive distance than time.

In that theory relativity and all the fun stuff with light speed etc etc is there but framed differently- our only conscious perception of time in this case comes from light- and so all we know of time and distance must be in relativity to it. Math as a construct gives us another tool to measure time which is where we get incongruities in perception- because we an observe things mathematically that cannot be measured readily in terms of light. But the idea of distance exists because we can’t intuitively measure the passage of time or the distances traveled even when standing at a “fixed” point in the universe- because we see the universe as moving from our perspective when what is being observed is simply movement through time!

And of course- we can grab this and that here- and wrap them up, stack them together- because for the most part the ideas aren’t mutually exclusive- merely the case that as you say- we are dealing with extra dimensional concepts that cannot fully be understood on a 3 dimensional level- so really we are discussing analogs of concepts in terms that we can relate to their understanding. Much as higher math is itself an abstract that doesn’t relate directly to that which can be observed or taken literally.

@inspectora- I like the cut of your jib.

Thanks, I dream in multiple dimensions so me and the gang share notes from one side to another. If you're ever in dimension 872, my alter self is named Jeremy and works on rig 59 in the Gulf inland sea where central Texas should be. He has a pretty detailed path mark for explaining I.D. space but it's too much for me. I envy the intellectually Twittered.

If I’m ever out that way I’ll look em up. I think that’s awesome to be able to dream cross dimensionally and recognize it. The quantum structures of the brain are quite impressive.