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Physicists Devise Test For Whether the Universe Is a Simulation

Posted by Soulskill on from the computer-end-program dept.

olsmeister writes "Ever wonder if the universe is really a simulation? Well, physicists do too. Recently, a group of physicists have devised a way that could conceivably figure out one way or the other whether that is the case. There is a paper describing their work on arXiv. Some other physicists propose that the universe is actually a giant hologram with all the action actually occurring on a two-dimensional boundary region."

17 of 529 comments (clear)

  1. What if they are right? by drwho · · Score: 4, Funny

    What will we do then? When will Zaphod eat the cake?

    1. Re:What if they are right? by Dyinobal · · Score: 4, Funny

      What do you do with unruly programs? The answer to that question is your answer.

    2. Re:What if they are right? by malacandrian · · Score: 5, Funny

      Declare them too expensive to replace, and build entire corporations that rely on them?

    3. Re:What if they are right? by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 5, Funny

      Declare them too expensive to replace, and build entire corporations that rely on them?

      Oh My God. The Universe is written in COBOL.

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    4. Re:What if they are right? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Its actually Practical Existence with Recursion Language.
                -- Your God

    5. Re:What if they are right? by menno_h · · Score: 3, Funny

      http://xkcd.com/224/
      I really should start posting my own words and not some other guy's cartoons.

      --
      AccountKiller
    6. Re:What if they are right? by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 4, Funny

      Can we just check to see if the virtual machine drivers are already installed in this universe?

      I find that having a good understanding of computers and technology really helps when trying to understanding the universe. There's a lot of comparisons to be made and metaphors to facilitate understanding.

      For instance, say the universe was was a car...

      That's ridiculous... everyone knows the universe is a cdr....

    7. Re:What if they are right? by SuperMooCow · · Score: 3, Funny

      I was drinking iced tea while watching The 13th Floor, does that count?

    8. Re:What if they are right? by Dragonslicer · · Score: 1, Funny

      For instance, say the universe was was a car...

      Okay...

      The universe was was a car.

  2. I hate those types of physicists by hack++slash · · Score: 5, Funny

    They never pass the joint around :(

    --
    To do something right, you often have to roll up your sleeves and get busy.
    1. Re:I hate those types of physicists by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 3, Funny

      I suspect they're too busy with their D&D game to think about sharing.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    2. Re:I hate those types of physicists by Jeremi · · Score: 3, Funny

      The many-words interpretation of quantum mechanics

      tl;dr

      --


      I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
  3. In other news by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    Recently, a group of physicists have devised a way that could conceivably figure out one way or the other whether that is the case.

    In other news, the group of higher-dimensional physicists who are running this universe a simulation figured out a way to falsify the results of the test.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  4. That explains why... by ixtapolapoquetl · · Score: 5, Funny

    When I ran into a wall yesterday, I thought I briefly saw a black wall with yellow lines...

  5. Re:this universe is nothing but fractal by Noughmad · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, we'll see turtles.

    --
    PlusFive Slashdot reader for Android. Can post comments.
  6. Re:The Evolution of Ducks by Black+Parrot · · Score: 3, Funny

    Perhaps you're unaware that homosexuality has been observed in other mammals too.

    But to bring this back on topic, we could speculate on whether you're a troll or a simulated troll, and devise clever methods to test our speculations.

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  7. I'm Sure... by Greyfox · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's probably just a 4th dimensional grad student's simulation designed to demonstrate how to create plutonium from hydrogen. Just code in a few state transitions, a few simple rules, cut some corners on how it handles too much mass in one place, slap a hard limit on speed in the simulation and let it run for a few billion years.

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?