Essay Abstract

Many modern approaches to quantum gravity such as various string theories and loop quantum gravity implicitly contain a holographic principle which states that the universe is based on information encoded on two dimensional surfaces. If this is true the universe is undoubtedly digital and currently contains roughly 10^123 bits.

Author Bio

Joakim Munkhammar holds a double masters degree in mathematics and astrophysics and is currently a PhD student in Energy Systems at the department of solid state physics at Uppsala University in Sweden. He has published a number of scientific- and popular papers in theoretical physics as well as in pure and applied mathematics. He also operates a mathblog (applied math and theoretical physics as well) at mathinvest.wordpress.com.

Download Essay PDF File

  • [deleted]

Joakim: This is a very well-written look at the holographic principle -- thank you. I particularly enjoyed the diagram, which provided an "ah-hah" moment for me (although upon reflection, I may have preferred to see "information based physics" at the very bottom, with quantum gravity emerging upward).

One question of clarification: Does the number of bits, which for our universe you calculate as 10^123, encode the *total* amount of information in our present universe, or the *maximum* (i.e., potential) amount of information? It seems that a universe containing very little information could be encoded on a large surface with very little entropy, whereas a universe "saturated" with information would be encoded on a surface with maximum entropy. Perhaps ours in somewhere in between.

Best of luck in the contest.

    Karl: Perhaps the diagram is better suited as reversed so that quantum gravity is at the top. I will have to consider that estetic issue next time.

    As regards your question: The number of bits on the holographic screen is only dependent on the surface area of the screen. But it is correct as you say that this is the upper limit of information possible on the horizon, not necessarily the total amount within.

    21 days later
    7 days later
    • [deleted]

    Hello Joakim

    I am also supporter of the Holographic Universe

    http://www.fqxi.org/community/forum/topic/946

    All the best

    Yuri

    12 days later

    Dear Joakim,

    Fascinating essay! I like how you weave Shannon's information entropy with the holographic principle and quantum gravity. I enjoyed the quote from Shannon to von Neumann. Very interesting and thought-provoking!

    Best wishes,

    Paul

    Paul Halpern, The Discreet Charm of the Discrete

    Dear Joakim

    I like your paper.

    I have proposed a theory base on compact 4D which has been inspired to holography and AdS/CFT. Unfortunately I have only mentioned these aspects in my essay link but the full paper will be published soon on arXiv and you can find more details in ref[2] of my essay. Basically I have been able to encode the information of a physical system on the 4D compact boundaries. I show the full conistence with special and general relativity of the theory as well as the amazing correspondence to ordinary quantum mechanics and the Feynman Path Integral.

    • [deleted]

    Thanks for your kind words Yuri, Paul and Donatello.

    Donatello: Thanks for pointing out your paper, I will have a look at it. This paper might be of interest to you:

    http://arxiv.org/abs/1101.1417

    I wish you all good luck in the contest!

    /Joakim

    • [deleted]

    Joakim David Munkhammar,

    "Thermodynamic entropy was coined by Rudolf Clausius in 1865 as a measure

    of the "useless" energy in a thermodynamic process [15)"

    I don't have that book that you reference. Could you please quote him or show some direct evidence that he coined thermodynamic entropy as useless energy? Being familiar with his derivation, I find this very questionable. Your help would be appreciated?

    James

      My intent was for the line should be read the following way:

      "Entropy is a thermodynamic property that is a measure of the energy not available for useful work in a thermodynamic process and the name entropy was coined by Clausius"

      The emphasis is on the disability to do useful work, hence I wrote "useless" as opposed to "useful". I am not sure as to Clausius own words on the matter, I merely quoted a reference which states that he coined the name entropy.

      Sorry for the confusion and I hope this note cleared things up a bit.

      16 days later
      • [deleted]

      Gentlemens

      I wonder why you did not notice or do not want to notice the radical view that an independent investigator.Remember this name: name,Friedwardt Winterberg

      http://bourabai.narod.ru/winter/relativ.htm

      http://bourabai.narod.ru/winter/clouds.htm

      Yuri Danoyan

      15 days later
      • [deleted]

      The Compton wave of the particle is non-local due to Bell theorem. All these Compton waves interfere and create a tension which may be a vacuum energy. Lets assume each interference (relation between Compton waves) causes a Planck time dilation. If we sun all these time dilations we get known equation for gravitational time dilation.

      I am asking since 4 years on different physics forums : does the relation Planck length to Compton length mean something special to our Universe ?

      I have some simple calculations on my website:

      http://www.hologram.glt.pl/

      Gretings

      Write a Reply...