A new research paper reframes the simulation hypothesis, asking whether reality could be simulated and what science can test.

For years, the idea that reality might be a sophisticated computer program has drifted from late-night dorm debates into mainstream culture and serious philosophy. Now a new wave of theoretical work ...

The simulated universe theory implies that our universe, with all its galaxies, planets and life forms, is a meticulously programmed computer simulation. In this scenario, the physical laws governing ...

The simulation hypothesis—the idea that our universe might be an artificial construct running on some advanced alien computer—has long captured the public imagination. Yet most arguments about it rest ...

Gravity used to be the most down-to-earth of ideas, the thing that kept apples falling and planets in line. Now a growing ...

Just Elon Musk's name is enough to evoke an emotional response in many people, ranging from hope and glee in some to anger and disgust in others. But how about existential dread? It's true that one of ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...

The simulations will be used by astronomers to test the standard model of cosmology. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The world's ...

Physicists have long struggled to explain why the universe started out with conditions suitable for life to evolve. Why do the physical laws and constants take the very specific values that allow ...

Artificial intelligence is taking a leap forward with new tools that take us well beyond writing essays and summarizing documents. While large language models (LLMs) are adept at text and visual ...

Elon Musk and others find it plausible that our experiences result from events in a computer simulation, just like the characters in the Matrix movies. An alternative view, supported by both common ...