Astrophysical constraints on the simulation hypothesis for this Universe: why it is (nearly) impossible that we live in a simulation
2025/04/11 by F. Vazza · 10 voices
Physics and Astronomy · Computer Science · #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Computational Physics and Python Applications
paper · pdf · doi:10.3389/fphy.2025.1561873
Abstract
Introduction The “simulation hypothesis” is a radical idea which posits that our reality is a computer simulation. We wish to assess how physically realistic this is, based on physical constraints from the link between information and energy, and based on known astrophysical constraints of the Universe. Methods We investigate three cases: the simulation of the entire visible Universe, the simulation of Earth only, or a low-resolution simulation of Earth compatible with high-energy neutrino observations. Results In all cases, the amounts of energy or power required by any version of the simulation hypothesis are entirely incompatible with physics or (literally) astronomically large, even in the lowest resolution case. Only universes with very different physical properties can produce some version of this Universe as a simulation. Discussion It is simply impossible for this Universe to be simulated by a universe sharing the same properties, regardless of technological advancements in the far future.
Citations
Discussions
- Coup dur pour les tech bros, l’astrophysicien Franco Vazza a démontré qu’il est physiquement impossible que notre univers soit une simulation à l’intérieur d’un univers similaire arxiv.org/abs/2504.08 [bsky, 51 points, 5 comments]
- Why it is (nearly) impossible that we live in a simulation [hn, 27 points, 82 comments]
- "Astrophysical constraints on the simulation hypothesis for this Universe: why it is (nearly) impossible that we live in a simulation" arxiv.org/pdf/2504.08461 [bsky, 7 points, 2 comments]
- Why it is (nearly) impossible that we live in a simulation [hn, 6 points, 3 comments]
- Here's a really interesting paper by an astrophysicist, arguing that physical law conclusively disproves the claim that we're living in a simulated universe inside a computer: arxiv.org/abs/2504.08461 [bsky, 2 points, 1 comments]
- We probably don't live in a simulation because it's probably not compatible with physics [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]
- of this Universe as a simulation. On the other hand, our results show that it is just impossible that this Universe is simulated by a universe sharing the same properties, regardless of technological [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- “We investigate three cases: the simulation of the entire visible Universe, the simulation of Earth only, or a low resolution simulation of Earth, compatible with high-energy neutrino observations.” [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- #Science Selon une étude de Franco Vazza, une simulation de notre univers ne pourrait être réalisée que par un univers ayant des propriétés physiques très différentes des nôtres, et il serait impossib [bsky, 0 points, 1 comments]
- Why it is (nearly) impossible that we live in a simulation https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.08461 (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43899959) [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
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