A little light reading - Physicists testing to see if universe is a computer simulation.Quoted below:Quote from: Yahoo NewsTitle:Whoa: Physicists testing to see if universe is a computer simulationWill you take the red pill or the blue pill?Some physicists and university researchers say it's possible to test the theory that our entire universe exists inside a computer simulation, like in the 1999 film "The Matrix."In 2003, University of Oxford philosophy professor Nick Bostrom published a paper, "The Simulation Argument," which argued that, "we are almost certainly living in a computer simulation." Now, a team at Cornell University says it has come up with a viable method for testing whether we're all just a series of numbers in some ancient civilization's computer game.Researchers at the University of Washington agree with the testing method, saying it can be done. A similar proposal was put forth by German physicists in November.So how, precisely, can we test whether we exist? Put simply, researchers are building their own simulated models, using a technique called lattice quantum chromodynamics. And while those models are currently able to produce models only slightly larger than the nucleus of an atom, University of Washington physics professor Martin Savage says the same principles used in creating those simulations can be applied on a larger scale."This is the first testable signature of such an idea," Savage said. "If you make the simulations big enough, something like our universe should emerge."The testing method is far more complex. Consider the Cornell University explanation: "Using the historical development of lattice gauge theory technology as a guide, we assume that our universe is an early numerical simulation with unimproved Wilson fermion discretization and investigate potentially-observable consequences."To translate, if energy signatures in our simulations match those in the universe at large, there's a good chance we, too, exist within a simulation.Interestingly, one of Savage's students takes the hypothesis further: If we stumble upon the nature of our existence, would we then look for ways to communicate with the civilization who created us?University of Washington student Zohreh Davoudi says whoever made our simulated universe might have made others, and maybe we should "simply" attempt to communicate with those. "The question is, 'Can you communicate with those other universes if they are running on the same platform?'" she asked.*** CLEARNET WARNING ***http://uk.news.yahoo.com/comment/sideshow/whoa-physicists-testing-see-universe-computer-simulation-224525825.html*** CLEARNET WARNING ***Links to the various proposals and theories are available in the article itself, if anyone is interested in reading the nitty-gritty.Crazy though! As strange as it may sound, I've always considered this a possibility; I mean why not? It is perhaps as likely a scenario as 'The Big Bang' theory (which, it must be noted, is so-called because it is indeed still just a theory!)What do you all think? Are we all living in a goo-filled pod controlled by a machine? Or do we all exist and interact within a simulated world? Does it matter?! What would you do if it was revealed that we do indeed exist inside a computer simulation? Would you change how you go about your daily life?Or a question related to drugs; are powerful psychedelics such as LSD and DMT similar to 'power-ups' in computer games, allowing us to interact with our simulated world on a different kind of level? Perhaps they represent glitches in the system and ingesting such a piece of 'code' temporarily allows us to gain access to a different part of the simulation until the glitch is repaired?Or maybe it's all a load of hogwash!So many questions. So many theories as to the nature of our existence and origin. But with this one currently entering the realm of scientific possibility and understanding, what is YOUR opinion on it?! :o- grahamgreene