Laura Mersini-Houghton

Laura Mersini-Houghton
Portrait of Laura Mersini-Houghton
Mersini-Houghton in 2016
Born
Tirana, Albania
NationalityAlbanian, American
Alma materTirana University
University of Maryland
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Known forMultiverse, Origin of the Universe theory, Hawking radiation theory
SpouseJeff Houghton
ChildrenGrace Houghton
Scientific career
Fieldscosmology and theoretical physics
InstitutionsUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Doctoral advisorLeonard Parker

Laura Mersini-Houghton (née Mersini) is an Albanian-American cosmologist and theoretical physicist, and professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a proponent of the multiverse hypothesis and the author of a theory for the origin of the universe that holds that our universe is one of many selected by quantum gravitational dynamics of matter and energy.[1][2][3][4] She argues that anomalies in the current structure of the universe are best explained as the gravitational tug exerted by other universes.[5][6]

  1. ^ Fox, Killian (27 August 2022). "Cosmologist Laura Mersini-Houghton: 'Our universe is one tiny grain of dust in a beautiful cosmos' - Interview". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  2. ^ Catchpole, Heather (24 November 2009). "Weird data suggests something big beyond the edge of the universe". Cosmos. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  3. ^ Moon, Timur (19 May 2013). "Planck Space Data Yields Evidence of Universes Beyond Our Own". International Business Times. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  4. ^ Cauchi, Stephen (9 December 2007). "Into the void: a glimpse of our tiny place in the scheme of things". The Age. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  5. ^ Leake, Jonathan (19 May 2013). "Cosmic map reveals first evidence of other universes". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 23 November 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  6. ^ The News (19 March 2014). "Could Big Bang ripples prove the existence of a PARALLEL universe? Gravitational wave discovery paves the way for the 'multiverse'". National Headlines. Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.