Information in the
Holographic Universe: Overview / The World as a Hologram
By Jacob D. Bekenstein
- An astonishing theory called the holographic principle holds
that the universe is like a hologram: just as a trick of light allows a fully
three-dimensional image to be recorded on a flat piece of film, our seemingly
three-dimensional universe could be completely equivalent to alternative quantum fields and
physical laws "painted" on a distant, vast surface.
- The physics of black holes--immensely dense concentrations
of mass--provides a hint that the principle might be true. Studies of black holes show that,
although it defies common sense, the maximum entropy or information content of any region of
space is defined not by its volume but by its surface area.
- Physicists hope that this surprising finding is a clue to
the ultimate theory of reality.
|