The concept of humans entering four-dimensional space is a captivating topic in science fiction, filled with mysteries and challenges.
Since scientists first proposed the idea of four-dimensional space, it has been like an enigmatic door, igniting curiosity and dreams in countless people. We live in a three-dimensional world, yet we are immensely curious and imaginative about higher-dimensional spaces. But does four-dimensional space truly exist? If it does exist, can humans enter four-dimensional space? What happens if we step into it?
The concept of four-dimensional space is not merely about adding a time dimension to three-dimensional space; it refers to a space with four independent dimensions. In mathematics, such a space is often referred to as an “Tesseract” or “four-dimensional Euclidean space.” If we consider length, width, and height as the three dimensions of three-dimensional space, then four-dimensional space adds a new dimension, commonly referred to as “hyperspace” or “the fourth dimension.” In four-dimensional space, an object can move in an additional dimension beyond the three familiar ones. This additional dimension is not a time dimension but rather a real spatial dimension.
In four-dimensional space, an object can move in an additional dimension beyond the three familiar dimensions.
This means that in four-dimensional space, we could have a completely different perception of motion and position compared to how we perceive them in three-dimensional space. The concept of four-dimensional space dates back to the 19th century when some mathematicians and philosophers began to think about spaces beyond three dimensions.
By the end of the 19th century, British mathematician Charles Howard Hinton systematically explored the concept of four-dimensional space in his book The Fourth Dimension. He proposed several methods that allowed readers to understand four-dimensional space through imagination, such as analogizing four-dimensional objects through projection and unfolding three-dimensional objects.
In the early 20th century, German mathematician David Hilbert and French mathematician Henri Poincaré, among others, conducted in-depth studies on multidimensional spaces. Mathematicians attempted to more accurately describe the properties and behaviors of four-dimensional space by constructing various mathematical models.
Four-dimensional Euclidean space is the most basic model of four-dimensional space. In this model, each point in space consists of four coordinates, which represent the position of an object along four mutually perpendicular axes, similar to the three-dimensional space we are familiar with. In addition to four-dimensional Euclidean space, another important model of four-dimensional space is Minkowski space. This model was proposed by German physicist Hermann Minkowski while he was studying the theory of relativity.
Four-dimensional Euclidean space is the most basic model of four-dimensional space. (Illustrative image).
Minkowski space treats time as the fourth dimension, which is integrated with three-dimensional space to form four-dimensional spacetime. This four-dimensional spacetime model provides the mathematical foundation for Einstein’s general theory of relativity. In Minkowski space, there is a close connection between time and space. The distance between two points depends not only on their spatial position differences but also on their time differences.
What would happen if humans could overcome current limitations and successfully enter four-dimensional space? Scientists have proposed several possible conjectures. After entering four-dimensional space, human perception and movement methods would undergo fundamental changes.
In four-dimensional space, we would not only be able to move forward and backward, left and right, up and down but also move freely in the fourth dimension. This would revolutionize our understanding of position and motion. For example, the movement of an object in four-dimensional space could cause it to suddenly disappear or appear, breaking our traditional notions of continuity.
Additionally, physical phenomena in four-dimensional space would be entirely different from the physical phenomena in our three-dimensional space. For example, gravity, the transmission of light, and the structure of matter would all change in four-dimensional space. The interactions of objects in four-dimensional space could be more complex. For instance, the transmission of light in four-dimensional space could create entirely new visual effects, and gravity could operate in entirely different ways.
Physical phenomena in four-dimensional space will be completely different from our three-dimensional space. (Illustrative image).
If humans could live in four-dimensional space, our buildings, transportation, social organizations, etc., would undergo shocking changes. Buildings would no longer be merely three-dimensional structures but rather four-dimensional designs that utilize the fourth spatial dimension to optimize usage and function. Vehicles would be able to move in four-dimensional space, drastically reducing the concepts of distance and time.
Of course, these are just conjectures from scientists. It is possible that four-dimensional space may not be as beautiful as we imagine. As soon as humans step into four-dimensional space, they may gradually turn to dust, leaving no trace in that world – entering four-dimensional space may require significant effort, and the price to pay could be the abandonment of the physical body, with only an invisible consciousness able to exist, but this remains uncertain.
Despite the many challenges of truly entering four-dimensional space, the theoretical exploration of its possibilities remains an intriguing topic. There are several key theories in modern physics that suggest the existence of four-dimensional space.
String theory is a theory that attempts to unify particle physics and general relativity, arguing that all fundamental particles are actually very small one-dimensional “strings” vibrating in multiple dimensions. An important feature of string theory is its prediction of the existence of higher-dimensional spaces.
According to string theory, the universe may have ten or more dimensions, including six or more hidden dimensions. These additional dimensions could be tightly curled at an extremely small scale, making them difficult to directly recognize in everyday life.
Brane theory is an extension of string theory. It posits that our three-dimensional universe is a three-dimensional brane embedded in a higher-dimensional space. This higher-dimensional space is referred to as “bulk space” and can include four or more dimensions.
This research helps us explore the concept of four-dimensional space at the cognitive and conscious level. (Illustrative image).
Brane theory provides an explanation for multidimensional phenomena, such as how gravitational waves propagate in multidimensional space. This means that higher-dimensional spaces are not just a mathematical hypothesis but may exist physically and influence our universe. Beyond discussions in physics, research in psychology and consciousness also offers new perspectives on understanding four-dimensional space.
Although these studies cannot directly take us into four-dimensional space, they can help us explore the concept of four-dimensional space at the cognitive and conscious level. Some psychologists and philosophers suggest that consciousness may be multidimensional. In other words, human consciousness is not confined to three-dimensional space and may somehow encounter or experience higher spatial dimensions.
By expanding our consciousness, we may be able to “enter” the fourth dimension in a non-physical way. While this perspective is still in the theoretical discussion phase, it presents an intriguing idea. As a concept filled with mystery and challenge, four-dimensional space not only stimulates the research enthusiasm of scientists but also ignites the infinite imagination of humanity.
Although humans currently cannot truly enter four-dimensional space, through ongoing research and theoretical exploration, we may uncover four-dimensional space in the future and bring new breakthroughs to human civilization.
