Is Our Universe Just a Computer Simulation? Insights from a Leading Physicist

We often think of gravity as a fundamental force, a constant in our universe. But what if it’s more than that? What if gravity is just a sign of a deeper truth: that the universe operates like a giant computer?

This idea draws on recent research published in the journal AIP Advances. Instead of seeing gravity as a force pulling objects together, I propose it could be an outcome of what I call the second law of infodynamics—a principle governed by information, rather than just physics alone.

This concept may sound like science fiction, but it’s rooted in data and theory. It resembles how computers work, where efficiency is paramount. Just as a phone app reorganizes data to save space, maybe the universe does something similar. Information theory, developed by Claude Shannon, explores how we store and communicate information. It’s increasingly influencing physics, driving new understandings of our universe.

In my 2023 paper, I applied this theory to suggest that information “entropy”—a measure of disorder—remains constant or decreases in a closed system. This contrasts with the second law of thermodynamics, which states that physical disorder always increases. Taking a simple example, think of a cooling cup of coffee. The energy in the coffee moves toward equilibrium, reducing entropy as the molecules even out in temperature. Initially, those molecules hold maximum information entropy because they are at various energy levels. Once settled, they become similar, sharing the same energy.

When considering how particles spread out in space versus combining under gravity, we see that clustering reduces information disorder. Gravity might not be a force but merely a way the universe optimizes information organization.

Visualize space as a grid of tiny informational cells, similar to pixels on your screen. Each cell contains essential information about particles. When these particles coalesce, the overall information becomes simpler. This tendency toward minimal information might just mirror how the universe behaves, maintaining simplicity and efficiency.

Interestingly, if you compute the numbers, this informational tendency aligns perfectly with Newton’s law of gravitation. My research builds on previous work on “entropic gravity,” but it connects information dynamics to gravity, suggesting that our universe functions almost like a cosmic computer running on software that prioritizes efficiency.

While we still lack concrete proof that we’re living in a simulation, the patterns we observe hint at a fascinating reality where the universe may indeed operate like a vast computational process.

Melvin M. Vopson, Associate Professor of Physics, University of Portsmouth

This article is adapted from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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