Is Gravity Just a Data Trick? New Study Says the Universe Might Be a Giant Quantum Computer

In a striking new theory that could reshape how we understand the universe, a physicist has proposed that gravity may not be a fundamental force, but rather a by-product of computational processes—suggesting the cosmos may function like a massive quantum computer.

Dr Melvin Vopson, a physicist at the University of Portsmouth, introduced this theory in a groundbreaking study where he argued that gravity could be a result of the universe's attempt to compress and organise information. According to him, gravity may not just be a pull between masses but a manifestation of information dynamics at work in a digitally structured reality.

“My findings in this study fit with the thought that the universe might work like a giant computer, or our reality is a simulated construct,” Dr Vopson said. “Just like computers try to save space and run more efficiently, the universe might be doing the same. It’s a new way to think about gravity—not just as a pull, but as something that happens when the universe is trying to stay organised.”

Information, Not Force?

In this theory, gravity emerges from the way information about matter is stored and processed. Dr Vopson used the second law of information dynamics—a framework which he developed in previous research—to explain how space and time may be shaped by the universe’s need to optimise information flow.

He proposed that the universe behaves like a simulation, storing data about matter in tiny, discrete space cells, similar to pixels on a screen. These "elementary cells" serve as data storage units and hold binary values. If the cell is empty, it stores a "0", and if matter is present, it stores a "1".

“The process is identical to how a digital computer game, virtual reality application, or other advanced simulation would be designed,” Dr Vopson explained.

Gravity as Information Compression

According to the study, each space cell can host multiple particles. When particles are close enough, the computational system moves them together into a single cell to reduce the amount of stored information. This act of “compression” may be perceived as gravitational attraction.

“This triggers the attracting force because of the rule set in the computational system, requiring the minimisation of the information content, and by extension, a reduction of the computational power,” said Dr Vopson.

“Put simply, it is far more computationally effective to track and compute the location and momentum of a single object in space, than numerous objects. Therefore, it appears that the gravitational attraction is just another optimising mechanism in a computational process that has the role to compress information.”

Theory Built on Previous Research

Dr Vopson has previously published studies suggesting that information has mass, and that all elementary particles store data about themselves, much like DNA in biological cells. His work combines physics with information theory to explore the digital nature of the universe.

This latest theory raises deep philosophical and scientific questions, such as whether the universe is a self-organising simulation or a vast quantum computer running optimisation code.

Rewriting the Laws of Nature?

If validated, Dr Vopson’s ideas could radically change how physicists think about space, time, matter, and the fundamental laws that govern them. The concept that gravity is not a standalone force but a function of computational economy could open new directions in physics, cosmology, and digital theory.

It also feeds into larger debates about whether we live in a simulated reality, a topic that has gained serious traction among physicists and philosophers alike in recent years.

Though the theory remains to be tested and verified, it has already sparked wide interest in the scientific community for its bold reinterpretation of one of physics’s most mysterious forces.