Constraints on the universe as a numerical simulation

@article{Beane2014ConstraintsOT,
  title={Constraints on the universe as a numerical simulation},
  author={Silas R. Beane and Zohreh Davoudi and Martin J. Savage},
  journal={The European Physical Journal A},
  year={2014},
  volume={50},
  pages={1-9}
}
Abstract.Observable consequences of the hypothesis that the observed universe is a numerical simulation performed on a space-time lattice or grid are explored. The simulation scenario is first motivated by extrapolating current trends in computational resource requirements for lattice QCD into the future. Using the historical development of lattice gauge theory technology as a guide, we assume that our universe is an early numerical simulation and investigate potentially observable consequences… 
View on Springer
arxiv.org
42 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
2
Background Citations
11
Methods Citations
4

42 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

Lorentz Covariant Lattice Gauge Theory
Lattice gauge theory's discretization of spacetime suffers from a drawback in that Lorentz covariance is lost because the axes of the lattice create preferred directions in spacetime. Smaller and…
Superconformal Quantum Mechanics on a Quantum Computer
We investigate superconformal quantum mechanics (SCQM) on a quantum computer. We study the ground state of the mass deformed SCQM on a quantum computed using the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE)…
Conspiratorial cosmology - the case against the Universe
Based on the cosmological results of the Planck Mission, we show that all parameters describing our Universe within the \Lambda CDM model can be constructed from a small set of numbers known from…
A Universe Without Matter: The Processing of Information/Energy through Discontinuous Space Cells in Two Models; a Computer Simulation, or a Self-Replicating Substrate of Space Cells
Whether the universe is a computer simulation, or whether we wish to efficiently model our universe in a computer simulation, there would be benefits to modeling it in a fashion analogous to computer…
A lattice Maxwell system with discrete space–time symmetry and local energy–momentum conservation
The Termination Risks of Simulation Science
Historically, the hypothesis that our world is a computer simulation has struck many as just another improbable-but-possible “skeptical hypothesis” about the nature of reality. Recently, however, the…
Freak Observers and the Simulation Argument
The simulation hypothesis claims that the whole observable universe, including us, is a computer simulation implemented by technologically advanced beings for an unknown purpose. The simulation…
The Soft Shadow of Physical Reality
TLDR
A theory has been reproduced in this paper dictating the negation of the relative entropy persistent in the present to prevent their collapse as subject to increment of entropy while moving forward in time and decrement while moving backward in time.
A Bayesian Approach to the Simulation Argument
TLDR
This work has shown that if humanity does start producing such simulations, then this would radically shift the odds and make it very probable that the authors are in fact sims, and argued that since the hypothesis that such simulations are technically possible remains unproven, statistical calculations need to consider not just the number of state spaces, but the intrinsic model uncertainty.
A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos
Over the last forty years, scientists have uncovered evidence that if the Universe had been forged with even slightly different properties, life as we know it - and life as we can imagine it - would…
...
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 60 REFERENCES
The Topology and Size of the Universe from the Cosmic Microwave Background
We study the possibility that the universe is flat, but with one or more space directions compactified. Using the seven-year WMAP data, we constrain the size of the compact dimension to be L/L0 ≥…
Planck-scale Lorentz violation constrained by Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays
We investigate the consequences of higher dimension Lorentz violating, CPT even kinetic operators that couple standard model fields to a non-zero vector field in an Effective Field Theory framework.…
Limits on Lorentz violation from the highest energy cosmic rays
We place several new limits on Lorentz violating effects, which can modify particles' dispersion relations, by considering the highest energy cosmic rays observed. Since these are hadrons, this…
High-energy tests of Lorentz invariance
We develop a perturbative framework with which to discuss departures from exact Lorentz invariance and explore their potentially observable ramifications. Tiny noninvariant terms introduced into the…
Limits on a Lorentz- and parity-violating modification of electrodynamics.
TLDR
The Chern-Simons Lagrangian would rotate the plane of polarization of radiation from distant galaxies, an effect which is not observed, and the magnitude of the vector is 1.7 times the Hubble constant.
Uncertainty relation on a world crystal and its applications to micro black holes
We formulate generalized uncertainty relations in a crystal-like universe\char22{}a ``world crystal''\char22{}whose lattice spacing is of the order of Planck length. In the particular case when…
Living in a simulated universe
We explain why, if we live in a simulated reality, we might expect to see occasional glitches and small drifts in the supposed constants and laws of Nature over time. Of late, here has been much…
Confinement of Quarks
A mechanism for total confinement of quarks, similar to that of Schwinger, is defined which requires the existence of Abelian or non-Abelian gauge fields. It is shown how to quantize a gauge field…
First results from 2+1 dynamical quark flavors on an anisotropic lattice: Light-hadron spectroscopy and setting the strange-quark mass
We present the first light-hadron spectroscopy on a set of ${N}_{f}=2+1$ dynamical, anisotropic lattices. A convenient set of coordinates that parameterize the two-dimensional plane of light and…
Improved continuum limit lattice action for QCD with wilson fermions
...
...