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By Zoe Hsu
“Open your eyes.”
Right after the Ancient One stuttered those three words, she sent Doctor Strange spiraling into the multiverse. I marveled as he was hurled into space and through warped wormholes, neon spheres that emitted plasma and bright, colorful tunnels that never seemed to end. As I exited the movie theater, I could not stop thinking about that particular scene. I continued to wonder: what if the multiverse did exist? How could physicists ever prove its existence?
I immediately rushed home to my computer, my mind racing at the thought of this foreign topic. One video about parallel universes led to another about the Fermi Paradox, and three hours of YouTube videos later, Stephen Hawking was teaching me about black holes and time travel.
What compels me to learn about these theories is the escape from reality—literally. I love how the laws of chemistry and physics cannot exactly prove the existence of another version of myself in a parallel universe or what happens inside wormholes. Although Einstein and other scientists have developed mathematical equations in an attempt to explain such phenomena, the ideas are still theoretical. The mystery shrouding these ideas fascinates me and fuels my desire to find answers.
Although the movie was one of many factors that helped develop my interest in astronomy, attending one of Caltech’s Astro and Stargazing Lectures during my senior year ignited my passion even further. After waiting almost two hours in line to look at the moon, Jupiter and Saturn through telescopes, I could not help but wonder how many planets, galaxies and stars were yet to be discovered.
I have always been anxious that my lack of STEM extracurricular activities would deter me from pursuing a career in astrophysics. However, I realized that I did not have to be a chemistry or physics expert to major in the sciences; the investigative, communication and writing skills I have strengthened throughout high school are just as valuable for this career path. Plus, not everyone can say that they are a journalist, representative for the city and an astronomer.
I may never know if there really exists a multiverse or discover every single celestial body out there. But it doesn’t hurt to open our eyes and wonder.