Universe Is Not a Computer Simulation, New Study Says

A team of physicists from Canada, the US, the UK and Italy have mathematically proven that our universe is built on an understanding that exists beyond the reach of any algorithm.

“It has been suggested that the universe can be modeled,” said Dr. Mir Faizal, a physicist at the University of British Columbia Okanagan.

“If such a simulation were possible, the simulated universe could itself give rise to life, which in turn could create its own simulation.”

“This recursive possibility makes it unlikely that our universe is the original one, rather than a simulation nested within another simulation.”

“This idea was previously thought to be beyond scientific research.”

“However, our recent research has shown that this problem can in fact be solved scientifically.”

“Our research is based on a surprising property of reality itself.”

“Modern physics has moved far beyond Newton's tangible 'things' bouncing around in space. Einstein's theory of relativity has replaced Newtonian mechanics. Quantum mechanics has again changed our understanding.”

The current cutting-edge theory, quantum gravity, suggests that even space and time are not fundamental. They arise from something deeper: pure information.

“This information exists in what physicists call the Platonic realm, a mathematical framework more real than the physical universe we experience. It is from this realm that space and time themselves arise.”

The authors demonstrated that even this information framework cannot fully describe reality using calculations alone.

They used powerful mathematical theorems, including Gödel's incompleteness theorem, to prove that a complete and consistent description of everything requires what they call non-algorithmic understanding.

“Think of it this way. A computer follows recipes step by step, no matter how complex they may be. But some truths can only be grasped through non-algorithmic understanding—understanding that does not follow from any sequence of logical steps,” they said.

“These Gödelian truths are real, but they cannot be proven by calculation.”

“Here is a basic example of the use of a statement: This true statement is unprovable.”

“If it were provable, it would be false, which would make logic inconsistent. If it is unprovable, then it is true, but that makes any system trying to prove it incomplete. Either way, pure computation fails.”

“We have demonstrated that it is not possible to describe every aspect of physical reality using the computational theory of quantum gravity,” Dr Faizal said.

“Therefore, no physically complete and consistent theory of everything can be derived from computation alone.”

“Rather, it requires a non-algorithmic understanding that is more fundamental than the computational laws of quantum gravity, and therefore more fundamental than spacetime itself.”

“Since the computational rules in Plato’s realm can in principle resemble the rules of computer simulation, couldn’t the realm itself be modeled?”

“No, but our work reveals something deeper.”

“Drawing on mathematical theorems related to incompleteness and indetermination, we demonstrate that a fully consistent and complete description of reality cannot be achieved through computation alone.”

“This requires non-algorithmic understanding, which by definition is beyond the scope of algorithmic computation and therefore cannot be simulated. Therefore, this Universe cannot be a simulation.”

According to the team, the findings have profound implications.

“The fundamental laws of physics cannot fit into space and time because they give rise to them,” said Origin Project Foundation researcher Dr. Lawrence M. Krauss.

“However, it has long been hoped that a truly fundamental theory of everything could eventually describe all physical phenomena through calculations based on these laws.”

“However, 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.”

“All modeling is inherently algorithmic—it must follow programmed rules,” Dr. Faizal said.

“But since the fundamental level of reality is based on non-algorithmic understanding, the Universe cannot and never can be a simulation.”

study was published in the June 2025 issue of the magazine. Journal of Applications of Holography in Physics.

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Mir Faisal etc.. 2025. Implications of the undecidability of physics for a theory of everything. Journal of Applications of Holography in Physics 5 (2): 10-21; doi: 10.22128/jhap.2025.1024.1118