Spacetime Memory: A Key to Understanding the Universe?

In summary: Paradox of Existence In summary, Stephen Hawking's excellent book, "Universe in a Nutshell", explains holography as a phenomenon of interference of wave patterns. Light from a laser is split into two separate beams, one bounces off the object and gets reflected onto a photo-sensitized plate. The other beam is reflected into a lens and collides with the reflected light of the object. When a laser is shone through the developed plate, a fully three dimensional image of the original object is created. According to conventional theories, the surface area of the horizon surrounding a black hole, measures its entropy, where entropy is defined as a measure of the number of internal states that the black hole
  • #1
Russell E. Rierson
384
0
Stephen Hawking's excellent book, "Universe in a Nutshell", explains holography as a phenomenon of interference of wave patterns. Light from a laser is split into two separate beams, one bounces off the object and gets reflected onto a photo-sensitized plate. The other beam is reflected into a lens and collides with the reflected light of the object. When a laser is shone through the developed plate, a fully three dimensional image of the original object is created.

According to conventional theories, the surface area of the horizon surrounding a black hole, measures its entropy, where entropy is defined as a measure of the number of internal states that the black hole can be in without looking different to an outside observer, who can only measure mass, rotation and charge. This leads to another theory which states that the maximum entropy of any closed region of space can never exceed one quarter of the area of the circumscribing surface, with the entropy being the measure of the total information contained by the system. So the theorists came to realize that the information associated with all phenomena in the three dimensional world, can be stored on its two dimensional boundary, like a holographic image.

Since entropy can also be defined as the number of states within a region of space, and the entropy of the universe must always increase, the next logical step is to realize that the spacetime density, i.e. the information encoded within a circumscribed region of space, must be increasing in the thermodynamic direction of time.

Spacetime = Memory storage?

A universal computation?

Intelligent design?
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
  • #2
You can invert the thought process. Shrink the surface area, such as with a collapsing black hole, and the entropy decreases. For example, a new theory to come out is that our universe was created by an explosion inside a black hole. This created a white hole, a hole that ejects or repells things, from which our universe emerged. Such a theory has the advantage of not having to postulate any intelligent design or other unfathomable and unobservable process.

Likewise, you can also interpret the results as merely showing that entropy and syntropy form a continuum. Like up and down, front and back--entropy and syntropy may simply describe something ultimately unfathomable by science-- the paradox of existence.
 
  • #3
With answers come questions. With new questions come questions. The question that arises in this has been brought up on PF before. What is information? Even though our language has evolved through time, starting with the early people such as the people in Mesopotamia, to make communication easier and better. It was developed to help us understand and also to preach different ideas and concepts. But now, it seems our language only seems to get in the way of things.
Paden Roder
 
  • #4
Since entropy can also be defined as the number of states within a region of space, and the entropy of the universe must always increase, the next logical step is to realize that the spacetime density, i.e. the information encoded within a circumscribed region of space, must be increasing in the thermodynamic direction of time.
I think that is the converse, I mean, the information of the universe is decreasing in time. The thermodynamical entropy of the universe is increasing but this only will lately lead to a state of high uniformeness, thus low information. Information entropy of the universe conversely to the thermodynamical, is decreasing in time, because information entropy measure the number of bits needed to describe something, and the universe is expected to be simpler progressively
 
  • #5
meteor: I disagree. I consider information as a measure of the amount of data required to accurately describe a situation. Though the system is statistically more uniform, there is overall more disorder and so more information is needed. But this sort of information does not IMHO equate to the information of any purposeful universal computer.
 
  • #6
spacetime memory

A recent popular science magazine contains an article related to this very subject. I have forgotten the magazine's name. It is also interesting to note ideas R.B. Fuller expressed regarding tetrahedrons and spheres.
 
  • #7
This popular science magazine was SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, August 2003.

Feature Article
August 2003 issue

PHYSICS

Information in the Holographic Universe
Theoretical results about black holes suggest that the universe could be like a gigantic hologram
By Jacob D. Bekenstein
 
  • #8
Article You Mentioned

Laserblue,

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?s=&goto=lastpost&threadid=7628

I just seen your post now and went and got the link from the other thread. It is very interesting indeed.

Sol
 

What is spacetime memory?

Spacetime memory is a concept in theoretical physics that suggests the fabric of spacetime is not completely smooth and can store information. It is based on the idea that the universe is made up of tiny "bits" of space and time that can hold data, much like a computer's memory.

How is spacetime memory related to the theory of relativity?

Spacetime memory is closely tied to the theory of relativity, specifically the concept of spacetime curvature. According to relativity, massive objects can bend the fabric of spacetime, and this curvature can potentially store information.

Can spacetime memory be tested or observed?

Currently, there is no experimental evidence for spacetime memory. However, some scientists are exploring ways to test and observe this concept, such as studying the properties of black holes or using gravitational wave detectors.

What implications does spacetime memory have for our understanding of the universe?

If proven to exist, spacetime memory could have significant implications for our understanding of the universe. It could potentially help explain the origins of the universe, how information is stored in black holes, and the nature of time itself.

Is spacetime memory a widely accepted concept in the scientific community?

Spacetime memory is still a relatively new and controversial idea in theoretical physics. While some scientists are exploring this concept, it is not yet widely accepted in the scientific community. Further research and evidence are needed to fully understand and support this concept.

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