How many dimensions can science identify? What is a different dimension?

I’m aware of a philosopher being able to conceive of 10 dimensions. Watch that and get your mind blown!!

great link tonedef i was just looking for that when i saw the question :P

That’s a lot of questions, but I’ll do my best.

If I’m not mistaken (which I may be), those 12 dimensions you’re referring to are required by String Theory, not abstract mathematics.

The word dimension can refer to a few different things. It can mean the spatial dimensions of length, width, and hight. Mathematicians have come up with abstract concepts of higher spatial dimensions, and have even drawn hypothetical fourth dimensional shapes, the best known of which is the hypercube.

In science fiction and in colloquial usage, other dimensions refer to alternate universes. The many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics provides some basis for this idea, but it is often misunderstood (I don’t pretend to fully understand it myself). I don’t think it makes provisions for traveling between universes.

Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity also requires four dimensions – the three spatial dimensions and one of time.

10 dimensions, nothing more nothing less.

I prefer to think of dimensions as attributes. That way I don’t have to try to wrap my mind around the idea of additional spatial dimensions. It’s not about space. It’s about how space behaves, and what has to exist in order for space to behave that way.

Here is something for you to think about.  Imagine a two dimensional universe on the surface of a large sphere.  The inhabitants initially think that their universe is a plane that goes on forever. There are no local measurements that they can make to indicate otherwise.  But then someone travels far enough to get back to his starting point and they come to realize that their universe is the surface of a three dimensional object.  For more in this vein, get a copy of Edwin Abbot’s book Flatland, which is really a short 19th century satire on Victorian life.  Definitely a fun read.

Scientists do not know what the shape of our universe is.  It may go on forever or it may be the surface of a four dimensional object.  I am currently reading the book The Shape of Space, by Jeffrey Weeks.  It pursues the idea of possible four dimensional shapes and their surfaces.  It is written to be understandable by laymen.  It contains a number of exercises written to stretch your mind, with the answers provided in the back.

Here’s something I just wrote today regarding this topic.
http://www.fluther.com/disc/27086/whowhat-created-god/#quip291517

Do a search for Dr. Michio Kaku. He has several videos on YouTube, his books are required reading in many universities and he’s brilliant. He does a good job explaining concepts and is actually enjoyable to listen to. He picks interesting topics and does a fair job not being a typical lecturer. But don’t stop with one theoretical physicist. No one is ever 100% that’s why its called theoretical physics.