A false vacuum is a theoretical bubble that can change the laws of physics if it collapses or an object crosses it. Earth may be in a false vacuum, and it could affect the charge of electrons and the types of particles that can exist. The many-worlds interpretation suggests that one world may survive while another may not. If a false vacuum were to form, the wall could move at the speed of light, but it may be too slow to observe. Observations may only be possible in a false vacuum, according to some cosmologists.
A false vacuum is a theoretical region of space that can exist as a type of bubble. Held together by surface tension, the walls of the false vacuum can expand by borrowing energy from the universe, a process called tunneling. If walls were to break, or an object crossed from one area to another, then the laws of physics could change. The bubble’s energy can also decay to a lower state, which can result in a change in the laws of physics for the objects within it. If the principles of physics and chemistry are different enough later, according to the theory, then everything could be destroyed or cease to exist.
The tunneling process can allow fake vacuum bubbles to grow very large over time. If these collapse, the effects may not be apparent, but they could also alter the charge of the electrons, as well as change the types of particles that can exist. Theorists think Earth may be in a false vacuum, and some theories suggest this could be an atypical shape of what allowed planets and stars to develop the way they did.
A variation on the concept, incorporating quantum mechanics, suggests that one world might survive while another might not; this is called the many-worlds interpretation. Many scientists do not believe in the false vacuum theory and try to disprove this concept as well. Another theory states that the universe has already fallen into what is called a low-energy vacuum state. In the future, a different one could form, which could cause the universe to collapse based on some interpretations.
Many physicists believe that if a false vacuum were to form, the wall could move at the speed of light. The gravitational pull could take the place of the current state of cosmic inflation, in which stars and galaxies typically move away from each other. However, the process may be too slow to observe for a reasonable amount of time. Some people believe that a particle accelerator could generate energy at a density high enough to cause a false vacuum to decay, but researchers say that since the energy of observed cosmic rays is much higher, such an event is unlikely.
Cosmologists often disagree as to whether observations are possible only in a false vacuum or whether they cannot take place in more general areas. The universe may be more typical, according to other beliefs. Science fiction has explored the concept of a vacuum bubble, and a book has portrayed a spaceship that can travel as fast as the edge of one and study it.
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