Can planets in other universes have other shapes?

If it is true that our laws of nature may not apply in other universes, could it be that in those other universes the planets

square or at least other shapes?

Asker: kris, 25 years

Answer

If there are other laws of nature in ‘other universes’, then it is not clear a priori that there are stars or planets in those other universes!

In our universe, stars and planets were created as a result of the action of gravity. It is the same gravity that causes those stars and planets to be almost spherical. So beware of circular reasoning.

Ideas about other universes have grown from the observation that the constants of nature in ours assume values ​​that we cannot (yet?) predict from general principles, and also that if we change those constants a bit, it is usually the case that nothing interesting comes out. In other words, very many of those other universes just don’t form planets.

There are, of course, many possibilities. Few scientists are concerned with exploring a nearly endless parameter space to find results that may never be verifiable.

Can planets in other universes have other shapes?

Answered by

Prof. dr. Christopher Waelkens

Astronomy

Catholic University of Leuven
Old Market 13 3000 Leuven
https://www.kuleuven.be/

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