Well I actually did appreciate that the locale was South Africa. An occasional reminder that New York and Los Angeles are not the entire world.
I agree with you to an extent here. There are a number of multiverse theories that are connected through math to well tested physics. That's what theoretical physicists do, with the hopes of finding ways to test these theories as they more fully understand their ramifications. An example is the Higgs particle, part of theoretical work in theoretical particle physics. Then, the CERN super collider was built with the capability to verify whether that particle actually exists. On the other hand, there are multiverse ideas coming from other sources, such as science fiction, etc. I'll add that research done in universities is mostly done through grant applications for money coming from our government. Also, the CERN super collider is advancing particle physics, and that was built in Europe when America refused the plans to do it in Texas. Of course, the cost of that was high - about the cost of the New England Patriots football team. In other words, way too high for American tastes.
Yes, that. Also they have their own aesthetic and 'mood', which was unfamiliar (and perhaps why it was difficult to warm to).
