For over a century, the world of physics has been dominated by two monumental theories: Einstein’s general relativity, which describes gravity as the warping of space and time, and quantum mechanics, which governs the behavior of particles and fields. While both theories have proven to be exceptionally successful within their respective domains, they clash when applied together, particularly in the realms of black holes, dark matter, dark energy, and the origins of the universe.
In a groundbreaking exploration, a group of physicists, including myself, are investigating a novel approach to reconcile these contradictions. The concept revolves around treating information—not matter, energy, or even spacetime—as the fundamental building block of reality. This innovative framework is known as the quantum memory matrix (QMM).
The Quantum Memory Matrix: A New Perspective
At the heart of QMM is a compelling assertion: spacetime is not continuous but discrete, composed of minuscule “cells” as suggested by quantum mechanics. Each of these cells can store a quantum imprint of every interaction, such as the passage of a particle or the influence of forces like electromagnetism or nuclear interactions. Essentially, every event leaves a subtle alteration in the local quantum state of the spacetime cell.
This means the universe doesn’t just evolve; it also remembers. The story begins with the black hole information paradox. According to relativity, anything that falls into a black hole is lost forever. However, quantum theory posits that information cannot be destroyed.
QMM offers a resolution: as matter falls into a black hole, the surrounding spacetime cells capture its imprint. When the black hole eventually evaporates, the information isn’t lost; it’s already embedded in spacetime’s memory.
Unraveling the Mysteries of Dark Matter and Dark Energy
This mechanism is mathematically encapsulated by the “imprint operator,” a reversible rule ensuring the conservation of information. Initially applied to gravity, the framework was extended to other natural forces, including the strong and weak nuclear forces, which also leave traces in spacetime. The exploration continued into electromagnetism, with ongoing peer review of the findings.
The research led to a broader principle termed the geometry-information duality. In this paradigm, the shape of spacetime is influenced not only by mass and energy, as Einstein proposed, but also by the distribution of quantum information, particularly through entanglement. Entanglement is a quantum phenomenon where two particles remain interconnected, such that altering the state of one instantaneously affects the other, regardless of distance.
This shift in perspective yields profound implications. In a study under peer review, researchers found that clusters of imprints mimic the behavior of dark matter, an enigmatic substance constituting most of the universe’s matter. These imprints cluster under gravity, explaining the unexpectedly high speeds of galaxy orbits without the need for exotic new particles.
Another study explored how dark energy might arise. When spacetime cells reach saturation and can no longer record new, independent information, they contribute to a residual energy of spacetime. Remarkably, this contribution mirrors the cosmological constant or dark energy, which accelerates the universe’s expansion.
The size of this residual energy matches observed dark energy, suggesting that dark matter and dark energy could be two facets of the same informational coin.
A Cyclic Universe: The Next Frontier
If spacetime has finite memory, what occurs when it is filled? A recent cosmological paper, accepted for publication in The Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, proposes a cyclic universe, continually undergoing birth and death. Each cycle of expansion and contraction adds more entropy—a measure of disorder—to the cosmic ledger. When the bound is reached, the universe “bounces” into a new cycle.
Reaching this bound signifies that spacetime’s informational capacity (entropy) is maxed out. At this juncture, contraction cannot proceed smoothly. Instead of collapsing to a singularity, the stored entropy drives a reversal, initiating a new expansion phase, described as a “bounce.”
By comparing the model to observational data, researchers estimate the universe has undergone three or four cycles of expansion and contraction, with fewer than ten remaining. Upon completing these cycles, spacetime’s informational capacity would be fully saturated, leading to a final phase of slowing expansion.
This suggests the true “informational age” of the cosmos is approximately 62 billion years, far exceeding the 13.8 billion years of our current expansion.
Testing the Theory: From Cosmos to Quantum Computers
While this may seem purely theoretical, parts of QMM have been tested on contemporary quantum computers. Qubits, the basic units of quantum computing, were treated as tiny spacetime cells. Using imprint and retrieval protocols based on QMM equations, researchers achieved over 90% accuracy in recovering original quantum states.
This demonstrated two key insights: first, the imprint operator functions on real quantum systems; second, it offers practical advantages. By combining imprinting with conventional error-correction codes, logical errors were significantly reduced, hinting that QMM might not only elucidate cosmic mysteries but also enhance quantum computing technology.
QMM reimagines the universe as both a cosmic memory bank and a quantum computer. Every event, force, and particle leaves an imprint that shapes the cosmos’s evolution. It addresses some of physics’ deepest puzzles, from the information paradox to dark matter and energy, cosmic cycles, and the arrow of time.
Whether QMM becomes the definitive explanation or a stepping stone, it unveils a startling possibility: the universe may be more than geometry and energy; it is also memory. In that memory, every moment of cosmic history remains inscribed.
