The idea that our universe might be nothing more than an elaborate computer simulation has been a favorite theme in science fiction for decades. Yet new research from UBC Okanagan suggests that not only is this concept implausible – it is mathematically impossible.

Dr. Mir Faizal, an Adjunct Professor at UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, and his collaborators, Drs. Lawrence M. Krauss, Arshid Shabir, and Francesco Marino, have shown that the underlying fabric of reality operates in a way no computer could ever replicate.

Their study, published in the Journal of Holography Applications in Physics, doesn’t just dispute the idea of a simulated universe like The Matrix. It goes further, demonstrating that the cosmos itself is built upon a kind of understanding that lies outside the reach of any algorithm.

The Simulation Hypothesis Meets Mathematics

“It has been suggested that the universe could be simulated. If such a simulation were possible, the simulated universe could itself give rise to life, which in turn might create its own simulation. This recursive possibility makes it seem highly unlikely that our universe is the original one, rather than a simulation nested within another simulation,” says Dr. Faizal. “This idea was once thought to lie beyond the reach of scientific inquiry. However, our recent research has demonstrated that it can, in fact, be scientifically addressed.”

The team’s findings rest on the evolving understanding of what reality truly is. Physics has moved far beyond Isaac Newton’s view of solid objects moving through space. Einstein’s theory of relativity replaced that classical model, and quantum mechanics transformed it yet again. Now, at the forefront of theoretical physics, quantum gravity proposes that even space and time are not fundamental elements. Instead, they arise from something deeper – pure information.

The Hidden Realm Beneath Reality

Physicists describe this informational layer as a “Platonic realm,” a mathematical foundation more real than the physical world we perceive. According to the new research, it is from this realm that space and time themselves emerge.

However, the scientists demonstrated that even this information-based structure cannot fully describe reality through computation alone. By applying advanced mathematical principles, including Gödel’s incompleteness theorem, they proved that any consistent and complete model of existence requires what they call “non-algorithmic understanding.”

To grasp this idea, imagine how a computer works – it follows a set of defined instructions step by step. Yet, some truths exist that cannot be reached by following any sequence of logical operations. These are known as “Gödelian truths,” and while they are real, they cannot be proven using computation.

Where Computation Fails

Consider the statement, “This true statement is not provable.” If it were provable, it would be false, contradicting logic. If it cannot be proven, then it is true, which means any logical system attempting to prove it is incomplete. In either case, computation alone falls short.

“We have demonstrated that it is impossible to describe all aspects of physical reality using a computational theory of quantum gravity,” says Dr. Faizal. “Therefore, no physically complete and consistent theory of everything can be derived from computation alone. Rather, it requires a non-algorithmic understanding, which is more fundamental than the computational laws of quantum gravity and therefore more fundamental than spacetime itself.”

Why the Universe Cannot Be Simulated

If the underlying rules of the Platonic realm seem similar to those governing a computer simulation, could that realm itself be simulated? The answer, according to the researchers, is no.

“Drawing on mathematical theorems related to incompleteness and indefinability, we demonstrate that a fully consistent and complete description of reality cannot be achieved through computation alone,” explains Dr. Faizal. “It requires non-algorithmic understanding, which by definition is beyond algorithmic computation and therefore cannot be simulated. Hence, this universe cannot be a simulation.”

Co-author Dr. Lawrence M. Krauss notes that the implications of this finding extend deep into the foundations of physics. “The fundamental laws of physics cannot be contained within space and time, because they generate them. It has long been hoped, however, that a truly fundamental theory of everything could eventually describe all physical phenomena through computations grounded in these laws. Yet we have demonstrated that this is not possible. A complete and consistent description of reality requires something deeper – a form of understanding known as non-algorithmic understanding.”

Reality Beyond Algorithms

As Dr. Faizal summarizes, “Any simulation is inherently algorithmic – it must follow programmed rules. But since the fundamental level of reality is based on non-algorithmic understanding, the universe cannot be, and could never be, a simulation.”

For years, the simulation hypothesis was regarded as untestable, confined to the realms of philosophy and speculative fiction. This new research, however, anchors it firmly in mathematical and physical theory – delivering what may be the final, definitive answer to one of science’s most intriguing questions.