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Stephen Wolfram thinks he may have found the theory that unifies physics: it's basically automata theory. According to his theory, the universe is basically an automaton running a simple set of computational rules. The link leads to his layman's summary of the work.
Even if this isn't how things work, it lends a completely new perspective: based on a relatively simple analysis of his idea, he derives the basics of relativity and quantum mechanics. His article makes for a mind-bending and fascinating read, but it's already a summary, and trying to do a summary of a summary here makes little sense. If you're into physics, mathematics or cosmology, have a look!
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Stephen Wolfram: The Universe Runs on Automata Theory
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(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 16 2020, @09:04PM (3 children)
But it isn't. Without matter there is no space. Without space there is no matter. Without time or energy matter has no persistence, and space is unchanging. It isn't. Fortunately we've had a lot longer than three hours to be is, so we can avoid being isn't in an existential sense... or at least I see only one dot, motherfucker!
And if you want some soda to go with that Scotch, then one might consider that without matter, space, time, or energy one has nothing but the potential of a nothingness which would be without form and void, with darkness being on the face of that deep. Sad that the author chose "earth" instead of existential nothingness.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 16 2020, @10:41PM (1 child)
Should reaaaaally avoid Rick and Morty references when discussing actual science, it is a comedy that uses Rick and Morty as foils to mock society. In that episode you reference Rick even finds his faith in God, that shoulda been a big clue!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2020, @04:53PM
Maybe. But while much of what he wrote is beyond me the notion that matter can exist without space and vice versa is Rick and Morty level science IMVVVHO.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday April 18 2020, @10:07PM
There's Kaluza-Klein models which take higher dimensional space and collapse it to 3+1 spacetime. In that way, one can take a massless purely geometric space and collapse it to a space with matter. So it is indeed possible to have space without matter.