- cross-posted to:
- science@lemmy.ml
- cross-posted to:
- science@lemmy.ml
A team of physicists led by Mir Faizal at the University of British Columbia has demonstrated that the universe cannot be a computer simulation, according to research published in October 2025[1].
The key findings show that reality requires non-algorithmic understanding that cannot be simulated computationally. The researchers used mathematical theorems from Gödel, Tarski, and Chaitin to prove that a complete description of reality cannot be achieved through computation alone[1:1].
The team proposes that physics needs a “Meta Theory of Everything” (MToE) - a non-algorithmic layer above the algorithmic one to determine truth from outside the mathematical system[1:2]. This would help investigate phenomena like the black hole information paradox without violating mathematical rules.
“Any simulation is inherently algorithmic – it must follow programmed rules,” said Faizal. “But since the fundamental level of reality is based on non-algorithmic understanding, the universe cannot be, and could never be, a simulation”[1:3].
Lawrence Krauss, a co-author of the study, explained: “The fundamental laws of physics cannot exist inside space and time; they create it. This signifies that any simulation, which must be utilized within a computational framework, would never fully >express the true universe”[2].
The research was published in the Journal of Holography Applications in Physics[1:4].
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What if our physics are just part of the simulation? What if actual physics are just obscured by the simulation and we just need to go deeper to simulate reality.
The very nature of unfalsifiability aside, I understand that we cannot currently make a plan to simulate the universe- we dont have the hardware for it. Am I missing anything more profound? This may well be over my head.
It seems they didn’t take into account the use of brainlet organoids as a meta-level source of nonalgebraic computational processing. We do in fact live in a timeline where we might simulate the universe on a giant swarm of microbrains.
If you’re interested in learning more here is the github for the FinalSpark Neuroplatform: https://finalspark-np.github.io/np-docs/welcome.html
And their core publication on their “Wetware” approach: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence/articles/10.3389/frai.2024.1376042/full
And here’s a pop-sci summary article with video: https://www.ericjkuhns.com/blog/startup-is-using-human-brain-cells-to-build-ai-yes-really
However, scientists have NOT ruled out the possibility that we are living in a scam universe set up to rip us off.
When God was reached out to for comment he tried to sell the reporter on his new crypto coin and repeatedly pretended not to hear the question.
This “theory” just came out recently, with the popularity of games and sci-fi movies.
We see virtual reality and we think “what if the world is virtual”.
I think it also became popular because we kind of want to believe it, just like a good sci fi movie.
I follow that logic as far as computers today could not simulate this reality. Computers in the far future? What if — and this is a complete ass-pull, so feel free to disregard it as such, but what if — 25,000 years in the future long after the world’s dead and moved on, someone pulled some information on the way we were and made a simulation of it, and you’re one of them, with no memories of life outside, experiencing what this ancient civilisation experienced?
So maybe science types feel they can rule out the explanation because computer science as they know it doesn’t have the capability. But what about alien tech? Future tech?
I’m not a huge fan of the “simulation” theory, but I think ruling it out because it exceeds what we can do now is a bit silly.
I don’t think they’re ruling out any possibility of other weird ways our universe exists–I think they’ve just ruled out that we’re in a much higher frame rate version of the Sims. Whatever reality is, it’s more “real” than a simulation as we understand it. We could still very well be a cosmic ant farm for a higher form of life, and our universe could be contained in an infinitely large fish bowl, but it’s at least not a bunch of 1s and 0s.
That being said, they’re making some common assumptions. If you want to get really critical, you have to do a Descartes, which turns out to not be very helpful.
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Never finished it. Did you just spoil FFX for me?
I always wanted to play FFX-2 because of that one video where Yuna does a concert and her eyes change at the end. I’m sure there’s something significant there but I’ve avoided spoilers this long. These days I don’t really care either way, but I could never get through FFX. Found it boring.
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Lame. “[…] using a theory of quantum gravity”. So… Maybe it’s a different theory? Have they looked if competing theories or not yet discovered ones rule out simulation?
It’s a non-story. I’m not sure why it’s getting so much traction. No, a human computer cannot make reality, but that adds nothing to our understanding of how the universe works. At the quantum scale we still don’t know what’s really happening, so it could absolutely be a simulation.
Yeah, that’s what got me confused. To my knowledge, we’re missing a unified theory and quantum gravity. So, the premise of this doesn’t exist. Maybe for a good reason. And even if it did, we do models to describe reality, that isn’t necessarily reality itself.
