SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Isotropy of the universe is the idea that the universe is the same in all directions, and is a founding principle of the laws of physics. However, that principle has been called into question by observations of galaxy cluster temperatures and luminosities.
https://scitechdaily.com/fundamental-principle-of-cosmology-cast-in-doubt-by-compelling-new-study/
"No matter where we look, the same rules apply everywhere in space: countless calculations of astrophysics are based on this basic principle. A recent study by the Universities of Bonn and Harvard, however, has thrown this principle into question. Should the measured values be confirmed, this would toss many assumptions about the properties of the universe overboard. The results are published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, but are already available online."
The paper (open access):
https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2020/04/aa36602-19/aa36602-19.html
Journal Reference (open access):
K. Migkas, G. Schellenberger, T. H. Reiprich, F. Pacaud, M. E. Ramos-Ceja and L. Lovisari. Probing cosmic isotropy with a new X-ray galaxy cluster sample through the L X – T scaling relation , 8 April 2020, Astronomy & Astrophysics.
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201936602
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 10 2020, @03:43PM (1 child)
There are an infinite number of ways it could affect the fermi paradox, matter asymmetries, etc. If we take, as a given, the lack of physical isotropy then whose to say what stays and what changes? So for instance on the fermi paradoxi, it may be the case that only relatively small regions of space actually have the physical conditions necessary for life to emerge, or even more chillingly perhaps to even exist. The current view is that of however many universes there are, the vast majority would be simply lifeless - tweak any of the universal constants in the slightest and you make 'us', in any form we're capable of conceiving, impossible. But if there's no physical isotropy then it may be the case that any given universe may be more than capable of evolving life, but only in very small sections. So life would be ubiquitous when considering different universes, but within those universes itself it would be unimaginably sparse.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Immerman on Friday April 10 2020, @05:10PM
We could only plausibly see alien civilizations within our own galaxy though, so things happening at intergalactic scales aren't going to matter to the Fermi Paradox.
And we've already established that life can exist in the Milky Way, and any changes in the properties of chemistry or nuclear physics which might affect life would be readily visible within the galaxy, and probably even across vast intergalactic distances.
Given that the vast majority of even the visible universe is theoretically unreachable without FTL, and the vast majority of alternate universes would need far more exotic sci-fi technology to reach, I don't think the frequency of life in the multiverse is terribly relevant to any observer, only the probability of life in their own immediate backyard. Especially since most of the theories that allow for even a few alternate universes practically demand that there be an infinite number. Faced with infinity, even the most vanishingly unlikely of circumstances will occur in infinite numbers.
Once the next island of life is beyond any hope of communication or travel, it doesn't really matter to anyone how far away it is.
Though I suppose if physical properties of the universe vary over space, then the prohibition against FTL could be just as regional - so it could be just us in our isolated-by-physics corner of the universe that it doesn't matter to.