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The One-Electron Universe postulate is true - what simple change can I make to change the whole universe?

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The One-Electron Universe postulate is true - what simple change can I make to change the whole universe?

If universe has an end/boundary, what else exists after the boundary?What if we lived near a boundary of the universe?Can you just wait out the heat death of the universe?Lost in the multiverse: how to find home?What objects can be found in the universe when all the stars are gone?What would a world be like with cross dimensional contact?How small can the universe be while still appearing infinite?What would shake a galaxy and what would shake the universe?How to detect that the universe got mirrored?The mass of an economically feasible non-microscopic traversable wormhole

2

$begingroup$

The one-electron universe postulate, proposed by John Wheeler in a
telephone call to Richard Feynman in the spring of 1940, hypothesises
that all electrons and positrons are actually manifestations of a
single entity moving backwards and forwards in time. According to
Feynman:

“ I received a telephone call one day at the graduate college at
Princeton from Professor Wheeler, in which he said, "Feynman, I know
why all electrons have the same charge and the same mass" "Why?"
"Because, they are all the same electron!"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-electron_universe

The supposition is that there is only one electron. It stands to reason that if I could change that electron, I could change the properties of the whole Universe.

Assume that the postulate is true.

Question

Given foreseeable science, what properties of a single electron could be changed? In theory, could we change the charge? Could we change the mass?

hard-science universe

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

chasly from UKchasly from UK

18.4k778164

$endgroup$

This question asks for hard science. All answers to this question should be backed up by equations, empirical evidence, scientific papers, other citations, etc. Answers that do not satisfy this requirement might be removed. See the tag description for more information.

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  We need an Universebuilding.SE - Oh, wait, it's called Physics. You will get the inevitable - "no, it's not possible because we exist" answers.
  $endgroup$
  – Agrajag
  2 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Agrajag "Hardly ever sarcastic", eh?
  $endgroup$
  – Gryphon
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If the postulate is true, then you can’t change an electron. Because many of the electrons around you at present are the future forms of the electron you’re planning to change, thus proving that you didn’t change it.
  $endgroup$
  – Mike Scott
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I am almost certain that this hard science question uses the word "theory" with a meaning different from the meaning it has in hard sciences...
  $endgroup$
  – AlexP
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @chaslyfromUK Some are past, some are future. You’d expect a roughly 50/50 ratio on average.
  $endgroup$
  – Mike Scott
  1 hour ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 2 more comments

2

$begingroup$

The one-electron universe postulate, proposed by John Wheeler in a
telephone call to Richard Feynman in the spring of 1940, hypothesises
that all electrons and positrons are actually manifestations of a
single entity moving backwards and forwards in time. According to
Feynman:

“ I received a telephone call one day at the graduate college at
Princeton from Professor Wheeler, in which he said, "Feynman, I know
why all electrons have the same charge and the same mass" "Why?"
"Because, they are all the same electron!"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-electron_universe

The supposition is that there is only one electron. It stands to reason that if I could change that electron, I could change the properties of the whole Universe.

Assume that the postulate is true.

Question

Given foreseeable science, what properties of a single electron could be changed? In theory, could we change the charge? Could we change the mass?

hard-science universe

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

chasly from UKchasly from UK

18.4k778164

$endgroup$

This question asks for hard science. All answers to this question should be backed up by equations, empirical evidence, scientific papers, other citations, etc. Answers that do not satisfy this requirement might be removed. See the tag description for more information.

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  We need an Universebuilding.SE - Oh, wait, it's called Physics. You will get the inevitable - "no, it's not possible because we exist" answers.
  $endgroup$
  – Agrajag
  2 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Agrajag "Hardly ever sarcastic", eh?
  $endgroup$
  – Gryphon
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If the postulate is true, then you can’t change an electron. Because many of the electrons around you at present are the future forms of the electron you’re planning to change, thus proving that you didn’t change it.
  $endgroup$
  – Mike Scott
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I am almost certain that this hard science question uses the word "theory" with a meaning different from the meaning it has in hard sciences...
  $endgroup$
  – AlexP
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @chaslyfromUK Some are past, some are future. You’d expect a roughly 50/50 ratio on average.
  $endgroup$
  – Mike Scott
  1 hour ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 2 more comments

$begingroup$

The one-electron universe postulate, proposed by John Wheeler in a
telephone call to Richard Feynman in the spring of 1940, hypothesises
that all electrons and positrons are actually manifestations of a
single entity moving backwards and forwards in time. According to
Feynman:

“ I received a telephone call one day at the graduate college at
Princeton from Professor Wheeler, in which he said, "Feynman, I know
why all electrons have the same charge and the same mass" "Why?"
"Because, they are all the same electron!"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-electron_universe

The supposition is that there is only one electron. It stands to reason that if I could change that electron, I could change the properties of the whole Universe.

Assume that the postulate is true.

Question

Given foreseeable science, what properties of a single electron could be changed? In theory, could we change the charge? Could we change the mass?

hard-science universe

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

chasly from UKchasly from UK

18.4k778164

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

chasly from UKchasly from UK

18.4k778164

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

chasly from UKchasly from UK

18.4k778164

asked 2 hours ago

chasly from UKchasly from UK

18.4k778164

asked 2 hours ago

chasly from UKchasly from UK

18.4k778164

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

4

$begingroup$

This universe is fundamentally impossible, since some electrons have their worldlines terminated in a black hole. Without a full working model of quantum gravity, we can't make any firm predictions about what happens to such electrons, other than the singularity is likely to end their existence. The black hole will inherit the charge, mass and angular momentum, but lose all the electron-ness of the particle's information (no hair theorem).

You can also have electrons terminated in beta capture events (which turns a proton into a neutron and the electron stops existing).

So, there won't be anything you can change, because there won't be just one electron. The model is completely incompatible with current understanding of physics.

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

tylisirntylisirn

46923

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Not to mention that beta decay produces electrons (or positrons) de novo, guaranteed to have had no prior existence.
  $endgroup$
  – AlexP
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I like the phrase, "This universe is basically impossible", I must say I frequently think that. If I wasn't living in it I wouldn't believe it.
  $endgroup$
  – chasly from UK
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

$begingroup$

Whether the Wheeler postulate is true or not, under the known laws of physics, you can't change any of the properties of an electron. Mass, charge, spin, magnetic moment, etc. are all intrinsic properties. They are not mutable by any known (or even to the best of my knowledge hypothesized) mechanism.

As to the postulate itself, as pointed out in comments and in tylisrn's answer, there are strong reasons to not believe that the Wheeler postulate is true. In addition to problems with any mechanism that results in the creation or destruction of a lone electron or positron, the Wheeler postulate runs into difficulties in explaining the observed imbalance of matter and anti-matter. If a single electron is zipping backwards and forwards through time, we should see it moving backwards as often we see it moving forwards. This would imply equal numbers of electrons and positrons, which we simply do not observe.

share|improve this answer

edited 8 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

MacAMacA

314

New contributor

MacA is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

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4

$begingroup$

This universe is fundamentally impossible, since some electrons have their worldlines terminated in a black hole. Without a full working model of quantum gravity, we can't make any firm predictions about what happens to such electrons, other than the singularity is likely to end their existence. The black hole will inherit the charge, mass and angular momentum, but lose all the electron-ness of the particle's information (no hair theorem).

You can also have electrons terminated in beta capture events (which turns a proton into a neutron and the electron stops existing).

So, there won't be anything you can change, because there won't be just one electron. The model is completely incompatible with current understanding of physics.

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

tylisirntylisirn

46923

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Not to mention that beta decay produces electrons (or positrons) de novo, guaranteed to have had no prior existence.
  $endgroup$
  – AlexP
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I like the phrase, "This universe is basically impossible", I must say I frequently think that. If I wasn't living in it I wouldn't believe it.
  $endgroup$
  – chasly from UK
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

4

$begingroup$

This universe is fundamentally impossible, since some electrons have their worldlines terminated in a black hole. Without a full working model of quantum gravity, we can't make any firm predictions about what happens to such electrons, other than the singularity is likely to end their existence. The black hole will inherit the charge, mass and angular momentum, but lose all the electron-ness of the particle's information (no hair theorem).

You can also have electrons terminated in beta capture events (which turns a proton into a neutron and the electron stops existing).

So, there won't be anything you can change, because there won't be just one electron. The model is completely incompatible with current understanding of physics.

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

tylisirntylisirn

46923

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Not to mention that beta decay produces electrons (or positrons) de novo, guaranteed to have had no prior existence.
  $endgroup$
  – AlexP
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I like the phrase, "This universe is basically impossible", I must say I frequently think that. If I wasn't living in it I wouldn't believe it.
  $endgroup$
  – chasly from UK
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

This universe is fundamentally impossible, since some electrons have their worldlines terminated in a black hole. Without a full working model of quantum gravity, we can't make any firm predictions about what happens to such electrons, other than the singularity is likely to end their existence. The black hole will inherit the charge, mass and angular momentum, but lose all the electron-ness of the particle's information (no hair theorem).

You can also have electrons terminated in beta capture events (which turns a proton into a neutron and the electron stops existing).

So, there won't be anything you can change, because there won't be just one electron. The model is completely incompatible with current understanding of physics.

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

tylisirntylisirn

46923

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

tylisirntylisirn

46923

answered 2 hours ago

tylisirntylisirn

46923

answered 2 hours ago

tylisirntylisirn

46923

3

$begingroup$

Whether the Wheeler postulate is true or not, under the known laws of physics, you can't change any of the properties of an electron. Mass, charge, spin, magnetic moment, etc. are all intrinsic properties. They are not mutable by any known (or even to the best of my knowledge hypothesized) mechanism.

As to the postulate itself, as pointed out in comments and in tylisrn's answer, there are strong reasons to not believe that the Wheeler postulate is true. In addition to problems with any mechanism that results in the creation or destruction of a lone electron or positron, the Wheeler postulate runs into difficulties in explaining the observed imbalance of matter and anti-matter. If a single electron is zipping backwards and forwards through time, we should see it moving backwards as often we see it moving forwards. This would imply equal numbers of electrons and positrons, which we simply do not observe.

share|improve this answer

edited 8 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

MacAMacA

314

New contributor

MacA is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

3

$begingroup$

Whether the Wheeler postulate is true or not, under the known laws of physics, you can't change any of the properties of an electron. Mass, charge, spin, magnetic moment, etc. are all intrinsic properties. They are not mutable by any known (or even to the best of my knowledge hypothesized) mechanism.

As to the postulate itself, as pointed out in comments and in tylisrn's answer, there are strong reasons to not believe that the Wheeler postulate is true. In addition to problems with any mechanism that results in the creation or destruction of a lone electron or positron, the Wheeler postulate runs into difficulties in explaining the observed imbalance of matter and anti-matter. If a single electron is zipping backwards and forwards through time, we should see it moving backwards as often we see it moving forwards. This would imply equal numbers of electrons and positrons, which we simply do not observe.

share|improve this answer

edited 8 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

MacAMacA

314

New contributor

MacA is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Whether the Wheeler postulate is true or not, under the known laws of physics, you can't change any of the properties of an electron. Mass, charge, spin, magnetic moment, etc. are all intrinsic properties. They are not mutable by any known (or even to the best of my knowledge hypothesized) mechanism.

As to the postulate itself, as pointed out in comments and in tylisrn's answer, there are strong reasons to not believe that the Wheeler postulate is true. In addition to problems with any mechanism that results in the creation or destruction of a lone electron or positron, the Wheeler postulate runs into difficulties in explaining the observed imbalance of matter and anti-matter. If a single electron is zipping backwards and forwards through time, we should see it moving backwards as often we see it moving forwards. This would imply equal numbers of electrons and positrons, which we simply do not observe.

share|improve this answer

edited 8 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

MacAMacA

314

New contributor

MacA is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 8 mins ago

answered 1 hour ago

MacAMacA

314

New contributor

MacA is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered 1 hour ago

MacAMacA

314

New contributor

MacA is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered 1 hour ago

MacAMacA

314