Government Researchers Think We May Be Living in a 2D Hologram

Just finished reading this story on Vice about US Gov Researchers believing we're living in a Matrix-like hologram. Glad to see the idea is being researched and not only that but they believe it's true. If the findings are in line with the theory it creates many more questions... Who made the hologram? Can a hologram of this scale naturally occur? What do you guys think the natural next steps are if we find this to be true? I for one have always believed there may be some truth to the hologram theory.

Operating with cutting-edge technology out of a trailer in rural Illinois, government researchers started today on a set of experiments that they say will help them determine whether or not you and me and everything that exists are living in a two-dimensional holographic universe.

It sounds completely off-the-walls insane, but the incongruities between Albert Einstein's theory of relativity and some of Max Planck's discoveries about the nature of matter can only be explained if we're living in a Matrix-style holographic illusion, according to Craig Hogan, director of the Department of Energy's Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics.

"For thousands of years, we have assumed that space is made of points and lines," he told me. "Maybe that is not right—it might be made of waves, the way that matter and energy are."

So how do they go about testing this?

In a lab called the Holometer, which uses ultra high-powered lasers, of course. Fermilab explained it better than I can in a release:

Now operating at full power, the Holometer uses a pair of interferometers placed close to one another. Each one sends a one-kilowatt laser beam (the equivalent of 200,000 laser pointers) at a beam splitter and down two perpendicular 40-meter arms. The light is then reflected back to the beam splitter where the two beams recombine, creating fluctuations in brightness if there is motion. Researchers analyze these fluctuations in the returning light to see if the beam splitter is moving in a certain way—being carried along on a jitter of space itself.

So, if the team detects movement, it's possible that the movement is being caused by space not being a completely set thing, in which case, we could be living in the Matrix. Hogan told me that, if we are indeed living in a hologram, "the basic effect is that reality has a limited amount of information, like a Netflix movie when Comcast is not giving you enough bandwidth. So things are a little blurry and jittery. Nothing ever just stands still, but is always moving a tiny bit."

Original Story: Vice Article

If they are looking for jitters and waves in a caravan...no problem there!

So, I wonder is this a progression from the intelligent design idea, or a devilish antithesis, kind of thinking out of the box while living in one.

Was anyone able to read the paper on Scribd? I just got blank pages.

Ty for posting this is very interesting.

But if its all a hologram, doesn't that mean the tools they are using to measure its existence are also holograms?

Good thread, OP. I think the "natural world" still exists, but is likely covered by something of a holographic 3D type of screen….an augmented reality, so to speak.
regards,
tetra

I've never understood how we could possibly know whether reality is real or "simulated". Even if we found out there're a limited number of discrete points in our universe, so what? If there're no discrete points, so what? I don't see the "point".

I realize they're trying to say if there're infinite points then it's not computable because you'd need a computer with infinite size. My problem with that's how do we know if our instruments aren't sensitive enough? Surely the creators of our simulation can determine which tools we have access to and which values they'll create, and thus have complete control over our conclusions.

originally posted by: defcon5
But if its all a hologram, doesn't that mean the tools they are using to measure its existence are also holograms?

It's holograms of turtles all the way down.

Then why is there even gravity? Why do we observe atoms and electrons getting excited in spherical patterns?

Who the hell made this research!?

Of course 'nothing stands still' atoms are always active, and when they are given energy they become more and more active. Boiling water doesn't happen because of a glitch in the 'Matrix' it's because of added energy. Same goes for photons.

And light can be 'jittered' in all different directions. If it hits something that has colour the spectrum becomes 'diluted'.
Even one of the earliest experiments conducted in modern science by Micheal Faraday shows that putting light through glass with electromagnetism can alter the way we see light, giving the illusion of seeing something out of sight.

a reply to: robbystarbuck

This is pretty cool OP. So basically we' may be stuck in a holographic simulation that appears to be a combined version of Sim-City, Sim-Earth, Civilization, Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. Makes sense to me.

Guess that's why I've always felt like Moriarty stuck in Data's holodeck version of Sherlock Holmes. Get me out of this place please!

I think people need to come up with wacky idea's so their department receives funding grants. I wonder if this "matrix" theory existed before the movie came about. I'm pretty open minded but this is to weird even for me.

Seriously. Was anyone able to read the paper? I want to read the paper!!

originally posted by: jonnywhite
I've never understood how we could possibly know whether reality is real or "simulated". Even if we found out there're a limited number of discrete points in our universe, so what? If there're no discrete points, so what? I don't see the "point".

I realize they're trying to say if there're infinite points then it's not computable because you'd need a computer with infinite size. My problem with that's how do we know if our instruments aren't sensitive enough? Surely the creators of our simulation can determine which tools we have access to and which values they'll create, and thus have complete control over our conclusions.

Absolutely, they do.
And if you believe that, along with the holographic, simulated,augmented reality, it then makes you wonder about participating in certain threads here. You can get caught up with the supposed "science" of things you've been indoctrinated with, and then argue from that standpoint, which may or may not be valid, consdering this information……but our indoctrination about "reality" is so complete, it's hard to overcome it.
tetra

I would like to urge members to read the wikipedia page on ' holographic universe '.
It may enlighten some as to what the physicists are talking about.
I would post a link, but I am on my phone and it is a pain in the butt.

originally posted by: Iamthatbish
Seriously. Was anyone able to read the paper? I want to read the paper!!

The scientist nasa guy is releasing a book about it, so not a scientific journal but a book trying to explain his theory about a programmer from the future?

It’s an idea that every college student with a gravity bong and The Matrix on DVD has thought of before, but Rich is a well-regarded scientist, the director of the Center for Evolutionary Computation and Automated Design at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and is currently writing an as-yet-untitled book about the subject, so we’re going to go ahead and take him seriously.

www.vice.com...


oh, this paper
www.scribd.com...

originally posted by: Bassago
a reply to: robbystarbuck

This is pretty cool OP. So basically we' may be stuck in a holographic simulation that appears to be a combined version of Sim-City, Sim-Earth, Civilization, Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. Makes sense to me.

Guess that's why I've always felt like Moriarty stuck in Data's holodeck version of Sherlock Holmes. Get me out of this place please!

I hate plugging my own threads but, in my signature, there is a link to "The Really Real World" and it's specifically about the Holomovement physics model and digital gaming. You'd get a kick out of it, I'm sure.

I've hear many complain when the Holo-whatever theories are used to explain otherwise unexplainable things (paranormal, metaphysics, etc) but it truly can. It also explains how we are going full circle in our evolution with our own technology.

Glad you guys are enjoying the topic. Some fun reading below!

String Theory & Holographic Principles

Are we living in a holographic universe?

originally posted by: weirdguy
I think people need to come up with wacky idea's so their department receives funding grants. I wonder if this "matrix" theory existed before the movie came about. I'm pretty open minded but this is to weird even for me.

The idea that reality is just an illusion goes waaaayyy back. This is just a modern scientific approach to the hypothesis.

originally posted by: jonnywhite
I've never understood how we could possibly know whether reality is real or "simulated". Even if we found out there're a limited number of discrete points in our universe, so what? If there're no discrete points, so what? I don't see the "point".

I realize they're trying to say if there're infinite points then it's not computable because you'd need a computer with infinite size. My problem with that's how do we know if our instruments aren't sensitive enough? Surely the creators of our simulation can determine which tools we have access to and which values they'll create, and thus have complete control over our conclusions.

You changed your post big time.
Anyway, what you have here is a droopy caravan/AKA the, 'Tardis'. Inside is area 51 full of LASERS, and interferometers, where you need not move a fecking muscle in case you cause a deflection, or a false reading. So you are frozen in time, if not frozen already in the fecking caravan. I'd rest my case..except I can't find it anymore.

a reply to: robbystarbuck

Interesting hypothesis. :-)

*hums a few Imagine Dragons songs*

originally posted by: weirdguy

originally posted by: Iamthatbish
Seriously. Was anyone able to read the paper? I want to read the paper!!

The scientist nasa guy is releasing a book about it, so not a scientific journal but a book trying to explain his theory about a programmer from the future?

It’s an idea that every college student with a gravity bong and The Matrix on DVD has thought of before, but Rich is a well-regarded scientist, the director of the Center for Evolutionary Computation and Automated Design at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and is currently writing an as-yet-untitled book about the subject, so we’re going to go ahead and take him seriously.

www.vice.com...

oh, this paper
www.scribd.com...

You get it, Vice dot com just invent the storyline their way. There is little real humour in the stories, but Rupert Nerdock seems to like that sort of stuff.