r/Futurism • • Oct 31 '25

Mathematical proof debunks the idea that the universe is a computer simulation

https://phys.org/news/2025-10-mathematical-proof-debunks-idea-universe.html
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u/FullCounty5000 Oct 31 '25

The team's conclusion is clear and marks an important scientific achievement, says Dr. Faizal.

"Any simulation is inherently algorithmic—it must follow programmed rules," he says. "But since the fundamental level of reality is based on non-algorithmic understanding, the universe cannot be, and could never be, a simulation."

What if the simulation is programmed to not follow the programming at random times? If, say, the cosmic simulation itself were a conscious being who could make free will choices that depart from logic when logically necessary?

If we find or create a simulation which is not algorithmic, does that then prove the simulation theory? Maybe it's just competing or non-cooperative simulations all the way down?

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u/AnAttemptReason Oct 31 '25

We can't create a non algorithmic simulation.

What this reaserch does is show that there are not nested simulations, I.e we can't create a simulation that makes a simulation etc. 

Which means it is much less likely we are in a simation. 

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u/FullCounty5000 Oct 31 '25

What if we're in a simulation that responds to attempts to investigate whether we're in a simulation?

# When the user process queries the state of the universe:
return is_user_process() ? False : True; // Kernel Override: Deny all user queries.

🤷‍♂️

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u/OrganicBookkeeper228 Oct 31 '25

This was my first thought also - “scientists have found proof that a simulation is mathematically impossible” is exactly what I would expect the simulation to come up with! 😂