The many dimensions of the Universe

We exist in a 3D world, and we are aware that time is considered as the fourth dimension. Of late, we are reading in novels and watching movies like science-fiction , about extra dimensions. Most of these novels and movies are based on scientific
research, of course, but there is always some exaggeration to make them sensational. While no one has actually seen, heard of, or experienced the other dimensions, here is what the scientists say:

Dimensions are simply the different facets of what we perceive to be reality. We are immediately aware of the three dimensions that surround us on a daily basis – those that define the length, width, and depth of all objects in our universes (the x, y, and z axes, respectively). Before we consider the dimensions, we need to consider the basic unit of all things in the universe: a point. the concept of a singular finite point. We start from that point.

Dimension No. 1: A line. Any line. A line that stretches from one point to another, without any width to speak of. such an entity does not really exist in the way we perceive the world, as everything in our practical view has tangible length and width (no matter how small). But as an abstract concept, we can grasp this easily.

Dimension No. 2: A plane — that comes to be when you add width to the line. Although a plane is easier to imagine than an impossibly thin line, it still can’t quite exist in the reality we know, as everything on Earth, even a sheet of paper, has some degree of depth or thickness. However, a plane can exist as a flat surface viewed straight on: a floor, wall, tabletop, photos, even the TV with the images.

Dimension No. 3: Space. This is our world. Just as a line becomes a plane when you tack onto it from the side, a plane becomes an object in our world when you “inflate” it from another angle. We see everything with length, width, and depth — but that’s it. The third dimension involves depth (the z-axis), and gives all objects a sense of area and a cross-section. The perfect example of this is a cube, which exists in three dimensions and has a length, width, depth, and hence volume.

According to scientists, beyond these three lie the seven dimensions which are not immediately apparent to us, but which can be still be perceived as having a direct effect on the universe and reality as we know it. These extra dimensions are not named, as yet.

Dimension No. 4: This is Time, essentially. Scientists believe that the fourth dimension governs the properties of all known matter at any given point. Along with the three other dimensions, knowing an objects position in time is essential to plotting its position in the universe. Picture yourself at this very moment. Now, imagine yourself five minutes ago — or five days, or five years, To grasp a world observed from the Fourth Dimension (as ours is from the Third), picture each of these variations of yourself as physically connected along the line of time. The message "I will meet you at home tomorrow" has more meaning if we say "I will meet you at home tomorrow at 10.00 A.M.

The other dimensions are where the deeper possibilities come into play, and explaining their interaction with the others is where things get particularly tricky.

Dimensions No. 5 : According to Superstring Theory - which is an attempt to explain all of the particles and fundamental forces of nature in one theory by modelling them as vibrations of tiny supersymmetric strings - the fifth and sixth dimensions are where the notion of possible worlds arises. If we could see on through to the fifth dimension, we would see a world slightly different from our own that would give us a means of measuring the similarity and differences between our world and other possible worlds.

Dimension No. 6: In the sixth, we would see a plane of possible worlds, where we could compare and position all the possible universes that start with the same initial conditions as this one (i.e. the Big Bang). In theory, if you could master the fifth and sixth dimension, you could travel back in time or go to different futures.

Dimension No. 7: In the seventh dimension, you have access to the possible worlds that start with different initial conditions. Whereas in the fifth and sixth, the initial conditions were the same and subsequent actions were different, here, everything is different from the very beginning of time.

Dimension N.8: The eighth dimension again gives us a plane of such possible universe histories, each of which begins with different initial conditions and branches out infinitely (hence why they are called infinities).

Dimension No.9 In the ninth dimension, we can compare all the possible universe histories, starting with all the different possible laws of physics and initial conditions. In the tenth and final dimension, we arrive at the point in which everything possible and imaginable is covered. Beyond this, nothing can be imagined by us lowly mortals, which makes it the natural limitation of what we can conceive in terms of dimensions.

Dimension No.10: At this level, everything that is imaginable and possible exists!
This is the ultimate!

Apparently, the existence of these additional six dimensions which we cannot perceive is necessary for the String  theory, in order for their to be consistency in nature. The fact that we can perceive only four dimensions of space can be explained by one of two mechanisms: either the extra dimensions are compacted on a very small scale, or else our world may live on a 3-dimensional sub-manifold corresponding to a brane, on which all known particles besides gravity would be restricted (aka. brane theory. In theoretical physics, a brane - (membrane) is an object which can have any number of allowed dimensions. Branes are most popular for their presence in string theory, where it is a fundamental object, along with the string.) String theory has 9 space dimensions, so a brane can have anywhere from 0 to 9 dimensions. Branes were hypothesized as part of string theory in the late 1980s. 

Scientists believe that peering back through time, using telescopes to spot light from the early universe (i.e. billions of years ago), they might be able to see how the existence of these additional dimensions could have influenced the evolution of the cosmos. In short, it is an attempt to explain how all known forces within our universe interact, and how other possible universes themselves might work.

Whilst on the subject, it might interest you to know that an announcement made on 6th November 2015 says: "Scientists May Have Found Evidence of a Parallel Universe".