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Are entangled particles connected via another dimension? The short answer? Extra dimensions do potentially solve certain quantum quandries, but I don't believe entanglement is one of them.

First, despite scientific advancements, there is still tons of mystery left in the universe. Mystery breeds awe, and awe is good for the soul. Overestimation of our mastery can breed self congratulatory instincts which can lead to pride and ruin. I say this because I think sometimes the impersonal venue of writing answers such as this can sound arrogant whereas nothing could be further from the truth. Many science folks and math folks I know have deep humility and joy of wonder and mystery.

In light of the above, I commend the book Warped Passages by Lisa Randall (see details below). Lisa, a leading contemporary theoretical physicist, has perhaps thought more, and contributed more than anyone else on the possible role of extra dimensions. She captures the joy and wonder of advanced scientific work in a way few others can emulate. And she is very laymen friendly.

In her book she outlines how cutting edge scientists think about extra dimensions and why they might be they key to mysteries yet unsolved.

I will give what I consider the simplest example: The black hole paradox. This is a true paradox in the sense of logical inconsistency. If things get very close (barring other influences such as charge, etc.) the attractive force of gravity pulls them closer and closer until they collapse into nothingness. Of course we ignore gravity when we work on (day to day) quantum theory and it is pretty easy to show that at scales needed to, say, build a cell phone, or a quantum computer, we can safely ignore “spontaneous black hole catastrophes”.

The informed reader will note a stunning parallel with the ultraviolet catastrophe which led to quantum theory. This term, discussed elsewhere, refers to the fact that using Maxwell’s equations and classic mechanics, we get spontaneous infinite energies and annihilation at high frequencies from everyday noise. In other words, the physics of the day predicted the universe should be self destructing instantly and should not exist!

So we have two theories, quantum and gravity, that if combined create total destructive nonsense. So what is a physicist going to do? Even those proclaiming “shut up and calculate”, such as myself (at times), this is bad stuff. How can I shut up and calculate when my calculations lead to utter nonsense violating both experimental measurements and different calculations?!

Lisa and others have proposed extra dimensions to resolve this. These dimensions must be warped, something she goes at great length to explain. In her theory, these warped dimensions swirl around and bleed off gravity but don't affect other forces, thereby resolving the “quantum catastrophe”. This theory is, in principal, testable experimentally but involves energies beyond even the LHC, best that I can tell.

Surprising as it sounds to laymen, scientists don't care much about quantum weirdness. Why? Because consistency, not intuitive appeal, is the standard physicists seek. Quantum without gravity is weird but consistent so you can shut up and calculate. Add gravity and you can't even do that!

Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions is the debut non-fiction book by Lisa Randall, published in 2005, about particle physics in general and additional dimensions of space in particular.

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abltsandwich said:

Every bit of knowledge mankind needs is in The Bible.  We're treading on thin ice, best be weary lest we burn our wings.

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musiclover420 said:

abltsandwich said:

Every bit of knowledge mankind needs is in The Bible.  We're treading on thin ice, best be weary lest we burn our wings.

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