Multiverse and Metaverse (as Buzzwords)

The Multiverse is a theoretical cosmology which postulates the existence of multiple universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. The different universes within the multiverse are often referred to as "parallel universes", "other universes", "alternate universes", or "many worlds". Quantum physicists assert that these alternative ‘worlds’ or self-contained, separate ‘realities’ exist, and are indeed real, and they coexist with our own.  The interesting thing about this idea is that there are multiple realities all occurring in the same continuous field of time, (that is simultaneously).  So that would mean that our current, past and future lives are all manifesting at the same time within the seperate realities of the parallel universes.

The Metaverse is a proposed technological utilization of the Internet as a single, universal and immersive virtual world that is facilitated by the use of virtual reality and augmented reality .  In current usage, the term metaverse refers to a network of "virtual worlds" being promoted by tech firms as a tool for social connection. Metaverse development is also linked to advancing the virtual reality technology due to satisfy the increasing demands of virtual reality gamers  for a mesmerizing immersion within it. Infernet security, account privacy, user addiction and user safety are some of concerns expressed by the internet community regarding the conception of this "metaverse" as it is being proposed, stemming from the problems which have already arisen out the misuse and hacking of social media platforms. Opposition to any one entity having a monopoly of the metaverse may also be inevitable thus prompting government intervention and oversight.

The Multiverse

Multiverse theory suggests that our universe, with all its hundreds of billions of galaxies and almost countless stars, spanning tens of billions of light-years, may not be the only one. Instead, there may be an entirely different universes, separated from our own. Indeed, there may be an infinity of universes, all with their own laws of physics, their own collections of stars and galaxies (if stars and galaxies can exist in those universes) and maybe even their own intelligent civilizations.

The Multiverse is the idea that our Universe, and all that's contained within it, is just one small part of a larger structure. This larger entity encapsulates our observable Universe as a small part of a larger Universe that extends beyond the limits of our observations. That entire structure of the unobservable Universe may itself be part of a larger space-time continuum that includes many other, disconnected Universes, which may or may not be similar to the Universe we inhabit.

"The Multiverse" is an extremely controversial idea, but at its core it's a very simple concept. Just as the Earth doesn't occupy a special position in the Universe, nor does the Sun, the Milky Way, or any other location, the Multiverse goes a step farther and claims that there's nothing special about the entire visible Universe.

"So multiverse or not,
we still have to come to terms with the origin of the laws of nature.
And the only viable explanation here is the divine Mind."

Antony Flew

The Metaverse

The Metaverse is an internet platform where you can experience a virtual existence as a part of your substantial existence.  It is a broad term, generally referring to shared virtual world environments which people can access via the internet. The term can refer to digital spaces which are made more lifelike by the use of virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality  (AR). 

Some people also use the word metaverse to describe gaming worlds, in which users have a character that can walk around and interact with other players. Many science fiction books and films are set in fully fledged metaverses; alternative digital worlds which are seemingly indistinguishable from the real physical world. But, for the moment this is still the stuff of science fiction.

To hear tech CEOs talk, the metaverse is the future of the internet. Or it's a video game. Or  it's an even more insidious version of Facebook. It's hard to say which they really mean. The term metaverse is often used so vaguely and by so many different entities in so different many ways, that these are perhaps deliberate attempts to cause confusion around the term in order to place each seperate entity in a dominate marketing position. 

Facebook has rebranded itself to Meta in order for CEO Mark Zuckerberg to be able to claim he "owns" the metaverse and rules over it. Ever since that move, the tech world has been engaged in hot discussions and debates about what this "Metaverse" is and how it is may change the Internet (and our realities) forever. Now, with Facebook (or Meta) taking this initiative, we may, for good or ill, see results quite soon.

How do we open a portal to another universe through the metaverse?  We don’t.  The metaverse creates that artificial universe digitally. The metaverse as such does not really exist, while at least theoretically, the multiverse does. 

“We need to win the fight against platform monopolies,
 because Apple and Google currently have rules in place
to prevent the metaverse from existing on the Google Play Store and on iOS.
They have rules that prevent web browsers from existing
as you’re only allowed to use their web browser.” 

Tim Sweeney