Many-worlds interpretation

The many-worlds interpretation (MWI) posits that every possible outcome of a quantum event actually occurs, but in separate, branching parallel universes. This interpretation eliminates the concept of wave function collapse, suggesting instead that the universal wavefunction evolves deterministically and continuously.

In MWI, the universal wavefunction is considered objectively real and evolves unitarily without collapse. Interactions between quantum systems lead to decoherence, which explains the subjective appearance of wave function collapse. Decoherence effectively segregates different outcomes into distinct branches of reality.

The MWI was first proposed by physicist Hugh Everett in 1957 and later popularized by Bryce DeWitt in the 1970s. It is one of the mainstream interpretations of quantum mechanics, alongside the Copenhagen interpretation and hidden variable theories like Bohmian mechanics. MWI provides an alternative perspective on the nature of reality and quantum events.