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Are we living in a simulation? - Zohreh Davoudi

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TEDEd Animation

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All life on Earth— living and inanimate, microscopic and cosmic— is governed by mathematical laws with apparently arbitrary constants. And this opens up a question: If the universe is completely governed by these laws, couldn’t a powerful enough computer simulate it exactly? Could our reality actually be a detailed simulation set in place by a more advanced civilization? Zohreh Davoudi investigates.

It is believed that the next generation of computers use the laws of quantum mechanics to perform ultrafast and massively parallel operations. What would be the impact of quantum computers on our approach to the simulation hypothesis?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Director Eoin Duffy
  • Educator Zohreh Davoudi
  • Narrator Christina Greer
  • Sound Designer QB Sound
  • Music QB Sound
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Fact-Checker Brian Gutierrez

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