Google’s quantum team, led by Hartmut Neven, continues to make headlines for groundbreaking work in quantum computing. However, Neven’s recent musings about the multiverse—spurred by the impressive performance of Google’s quantum chips—reinvigorate a debate that feels more science fiction than science. The multiverse theory falls short when it comes to explaining reality.
Quantum Mechanics and State Collapse
Quantum mechanics is undeniably strange. Subatomic particles live in multiple states at once. An electron’s spin state, for example, is not just “up” or “down” but both “up” and “down” at the same time. The act of measuring its spin “collapses” the states into a single one. The multiverse theory posits that if we measure “spin down,” there’s a separate copy of our universe that has been created where an exact duplicate of ourselves has measured “spin up.” The theory states that every possible outcome of every subatomic particle’s state collapse actually happens—just not in this universe. Instead, the universe branches off infinitely, creating a parallel reality for each alternative possibility.
Occam’s Razor: Why Invent New Universes?
One of the guiding principles in science is Occam’s Razor: when presented with multiple explanations for a phenomenon, the simplest one is usually correct. The multiverse hypothesis violates this principle in spectacular fashion.
Quantum mechanical state collapse doesn’t mean every possibility needs a separate physical universe to resolve—it simply means that there are deeper layers of reality we do not yet fully understand. Why is it more reasonable to posit infinite universes than to accept that quantum collapse happens according to natural processes we can’t yet observe?
The Scale of the Problem: Absurdity at Every Turn
Think about what multiverse theory truly suggests. Every subatomic interaction—the countless quantum collapses occurring all the time—creates a separate, branching universe for each possibility. With the number of subatomic particles that exist (in a universe that may itself be infinite), the implications are staggering. An incomprehensible number of universes would emerge every moment. This seems far less plausible than accepting that quantum collapse occurs in ways we can’t yet observe. It’s as though we’re inventing infinite universes just to avoid wrestling with the mystery of this one.
History Repeats Itself—A Lesson from String Theory
We’ve seen this before. String theory promised a theory of everything, uniting physics at all scales. It was elegant, mathematically rich, and wildly imaginative—but decades later, it still lacks empirical proof.
The multiverse shares this same quality. It allows us to sidestep unanswered questions rather than explore them more deeply. The multiverse theory falls short not just in its vastness but also in its lack of scientific utility.
The Simpler, More Honest Approach
Our universe is complex, and quantum mechanics reveals mysteries we haven’t yet cracked. That doesn’t mean we need infinite branching worlds to explain quantum outcomes. Instead, we should embrace the unknown and look for deeper, hidden mechanics at play.
There’s something more scientific—and far more inspiring—about searching for answers within the universe we know exists. Progress in quantum physics will come not from escaping into multiverse speculations but from refining our understanding of this one universe.
The problems with multiverse theory are many: it’s conceptually extravagant, lacks direct evidence, and may distract us from grappling with the deeper workings of reality. Quantum computing may unlock new levels of understanding, but its complexity doesn’t require infinite worlds as an explanation. Instead of conjuring multiverses, let’s focus our curiosity, tools, and science on solving the puzzles of the universe we actually inhabit. Because one universe is already more than enough mystery to explore.
Jayson Adams is a technology entrepreneur, artist, and the award-winning and best-selling author of two science fiction thrillers, Ares and Infernum. You can see more at www.jaysonadams.com.