Is universe the ultimate computer? Scientist argues we’re just living in simulation

For more than 25 years, The Matrix has gripped audiences with the unnerving possibility that our reality may be nothing more than a grand illusion. Now, a physicist claims that idea may not be pure science fiction after all. 

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Universe the ultimate computer?

Dr. Melvin Vopson, an associate professor of physics at the University of Portsmouth, has put forward a bold new theory that redefines gravity—not as a cosmic force alone, but as a byproduct of digital information management. In his latest study, published in AIP Advances, Professor Vopson suggests that our universe may, in fact, be the ultimate computer, and that gravity is a tool used to keep its vast database in check.

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Universe compresses data like a giant computer

"The universe evolves in a way that the information content in it is compressed, optimized and organized – just as computers and computer code do," Dr. Melvin Vopson told MailOnline.

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Reimagining Gravity

In this framework, the familiar pull of gravity—whether felt on Earth or across galaxies—is likened to a computational function, pushing matter into a more compact, manageable state. Much like how digital systems compress files to save space, the universe may be clustering matter to streamline the information it holds.

"Hence, gravity appears to be another process of data compression in a possibly simulated universe."

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Gravity linked to a simulated universe

The notion of reality being a simulation isn't entirely new. Tech billionaire Elon Musk is among those who have publicly entertained the idea. But Professor Vopson brings a scientific dimension to the table, grounding the theory in physical laws and data compression principles.

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Information Entropy

His latest study proposes that gravitational attraction helps reduce what scientists call "information entropy"—a measure of disorder or information content in a given space. In other words, by pulling objects together, the universe may be tidying up its data.

"To put it simply, it is easier to compute all the properties and characteristics of a single object in space, rather than multiple objects," he explained. "That is why objects in space are pulled together."

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Our reality a simulated construct?

But Vopson’s thinking goes far beyond apples falling from trees. Gravity, he notes, is fundamental across the cosmos—binding galaxies, orchestrating orbits, and sculpting the architecture of the universe. If the universe is indeed simulated, then gravity may be a sign of the system’s attempt to minimize information complexity on a cosmic scale.

"My findings in this study fit with the thought that the universe might work like a giant computer, or our reality is a simulated construct."

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What study suggests?

Professor Vopson has already made waves in the field by proposing that information itself constitutes a new, physical state of matter—alongside solids, liquids, gases, and plasma. According to his earlier research, every elementary particle—the smallest known units of matter—stores information, akin to how DNA carries biological instructions.

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What is infodynamics?

In a previous paper, Vopson introduced the "second law of information dynamics" or "infodynamics," which directly challenges one of the bedrock laws of classical physics—the second law of thermodynamics. Unlike that law, which says systems tend toward disorder, infodynamics posits the opposite: information naturally evolves toward order.

"The second law of infodynamics requires the minimisation of the information content associated with any event or process in the universe," he said. "To put it simply, everything appears to evolve to an equilibrium state where the information content is minimal.

"Such behaviour is fully reminiscent of the rules deployed in programming languages and computer coding."

Vopson’s body of work paints a provocative picture - a universe not merely governed by gravity and motion, but driven by computational rules and digital logic.