The idea that our universe isn’t entirely real is a theory that dates back to beginnings of human civilization. Many societies held a belief at some level that human existence occurs in a state that is one of illusion or is based on a dream. We may experience time in a linear fashion, but it is a virtual reality experience.
The holographic theory of the universe is a principle that is based on string theories that are related to concepts of quantum gravity. It is an idea that the volume we comprehend in space can be thought of more as a regional boundary than an infinite space.
Think of it like this: when you look outside, your vision will come to a place on the horizon where you can no longer see beyond. You know something is there because you’re aware of matter that exists beyond the horizon, but you can’t physically see it. For the holography theory, the horizon would be a lower-dimensional boundary.
How Can Information Pass Through Boundaries?
“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.”
Newton’s Third Law of Thermodynamics has offered us the ability to create many new technologies. Because there is an equal and opposite reaction to every action, we are able to create movement. It’s how rockets go into space, cars are able to drive, and even how you’re able to walk. Without the holographic theory of the universe, the idea of having an equal and opposite reaction to every action doesn’t seem to hold true.
Take how your body reacts to pathogens. The immune system creates antigen-specific antibodies in order to combat the threat. This is the equal and opposite reaction. How does the body know which antibody to produce? Through the use of a communication network.
The idea of a communication network throughout the construction of space, time, and other dimensions also provides us with the ability to “pass through” the regional boundaries that the holographic theory of the universe sets up.
We often think of the universe being made up of energy and matter, but Jacob Bekenstein proposed in 2003 that these items are actually information. In 2016, Stephen Hawking suggested that information could escape from a black hole. If energy and matter are also information, then instead of these things being lost forever, it simply creates an equal and opposite reaction.
But does this prove that the universe is simply a simulation? A dream that we all are participating in, but don’t actually realize?
Is Our Perception of the Universe Based on Personal Perceptions?
We often think of the universe existing in at least three dimensions. If the holographic theory of the universe holds true, then it becomes possible to compress that space into a two-dimensional projection. This would allow us to accurately study the nature of the universe, though there would be personal perspective differences because we all perceive time in different ways.
This also means that if the universe is more like a simulation or matrix, there could be a limit on the amount of data it can store. There may be limits to its processing capacity. And this seems to be supported by the law of entropy.
Entropic law comes from the Second Law of Thermodynamics. It states that entropy within an isolate system will always increase over time. The exception to this is where the system is either in a steady state or it happens to be undergoing a reversible process.
So what does this mean for our universe? Let’s for a second assume that the expanding universe theory is correct. That starting from a “big bang,” our current universe was created. Research from Edwin Hubble in 1925 and confirmed by the Hubble Telescope suggests that the universe is actually expanding faster than expected. What if the universe was therefore undergoing a reversible process, much like you can install an app onto a tablet?
You could use the app as much as you wanted. The app could even save data to your device. The actions you take with the app are very real and can make tangible changes. But you can also delete the app at any time and have extra storage space in return. The same thing could be true for our universe, but on a much larger scale.
This is the foundation of the holographic theory of the universe. Maybe it is a giant supernatural simulation. Or maybe we’re all just information in the form of matter and energy. We might never know, but if we might be deleted at any time, it proves that living each day to its fullest extent should be a top priority for us all.