The holographic universe theory proposes that everything we perceive in our three-dimensional (3D) reality—including space and time—might actually be a projection of information encoded on a two-dimensional (2D) surface. This concept stems from insights in quantum gravity and black hole physics.
The idea originated from the holographic principle, developed in the 1990s by Gerard ‘t Hooft and Leonard Susskind, based on earlier work by Stephen Hawking and Jacob Bekenstein on black hole entropy. They found that the information content of a black hole is proportional to its surface area, not its volume—suggesting a deep link between surface data and bulk reality.
Key aspects of the holographic universe theory:
- The 3D universe we experience could be like a hologram, where the true “information” is stored on a distant 2D boundary (such as the edge of the observable universe).
- This idea is mathematically formalized in the AdS/CFT correspondence, which shows how a theory of gravity in a curved space (Anti-de Sitter space) is equivalent to a quantum field theory on its flat boundary.
- It offers a framework for unifying quantum mechanics and gravity, potentially solving problems like the black hole information paradox.
Although still theoretical, the holographic principle has become a powerful tool in string theory, quantum gravity research, and cosmology, challenging our fundamental assumptions about space, time, and reality itself.