So I get the first 4 (height, width, depth and time) but I’ve heard lots of scientists mention that there’s up to 12 or 14 or so dimensions on top of that?
In: Mathematics
Well math is math, and not reality.
So while yes, a point on a paper can only have (x,y) coordinates/dimensions, and a point in space can only have (x,y,z) (3) coordinates/dimensions, there is nothing stopping math people from adding more coordinates/dimensions.
The math part works fine, you can do all the thing with more coordinates that you could with 3.
Sure it doesn’t describe reality, but who cares, its math, not physics!
If we want to talk about physical dimension then consider that when it comes to modelling it can be useful to have non-spatial dimensions.
For exmple if you want to map a magnetic field you need to assign to every point how much the magnetic field tugs on thing that are in that point.
And since there arer 3 spatial dimensions, that means the field can tug on the thing in 3 directions, thus you gotta have 3 more dimensions.
If you do that for fundamental forces you get to large seeming numbers.
Ofc. the “theory of everything” is as far from as as it was to Lord Kelvin, so claims about the unverse having X dimensions are just claims – for now.
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