Physicists present evidence that the universe is not a computer simulation. Credit: Amanclos / CC BY 2.0 / Flickr
A team of physicists has presented new mathematical evidence that challenges the long-debated idea the universe might be a computer simulation. The findings argue that the nature of physical reality cannot be replicated by any algorithm, undermining one of science fiction’s most persistent theories.
Led by Dr. Mir Faizal, adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, the study shows that the foundation of the universe operates on principles beyond the reach of any computer system, regardless of its sophistication.
This conclusion, the researchers say, effectively rules out the possibility of our universe being created or run as a simulation on an advanced civilization’s supercomputer.
The paper, published in the Journal of Holography Applications in Physics, explains that space and time are not fundamental features of reality. Instead, they emerge from a deeper level of existence based on pure information.
This concept, known as the Platonic realm, is where the laws of physics originate and where even space-time begins to form.
Information, not algorithms, lies at the core of reality
Faizal and his co-authors — Dr. Lawrence M. Krauss, Dr. Arshid Shabir and Dr. Francesco Marino — argue that while this information-based structure may appear computational, it cannot be fully described by algorithmic processes.
They reached this conclusion using established mathematical frameworks, including Gödel’s incompleteness theorem, which shows that some truths cannot be proven through logic alone.
Krauss stated that physical laws do not exist within space and time but rather give rise to them. He said the hope that all physical phenomena could eventually be explained through computational rules is no longer viable. The team’s work, he said, shows that a more fundamental, non-computational form of understanding is necessary.
Why the universe cannot be a computer simulation
To clarify, Faizal explained that computers operate by following logical sequences of steps. But certain truths — known as Gödelian truths — cannot be reached through step-by-step logic.
For example, the statement “this true statement is not provable” creates a paradox for any formal system. If provable, it’s false; if unprovable, it’s true. This paradox proves the limitations of computation.
Since any simulation must follow algorithmic rules, and the deepest level of reality does not, the researchers concluded that the universe cannot be a simulation.
The simulation hypothesis has long been viewed as speculative and beyond the reach of scientific testing. By grounding their study in mathematics and physics, the researchers bring the discussion into the realm of science and offer what they describe as a definitive answer.
