Is the Universe a Simulation? Andrew Pontzen [Ep. 466]

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win a meteorite Simulations today are powerful tools for exploring
the mysteries of our universe, but how close can they come to
replicating reality? Can we recreate everything through
simulations, or are there limits we can’t overcome? And how do
today’s powerful simulations shape our understanding of everything
from galaxies to climate change? Here today, to answer all of these
questions and more, is none other than Andrew Pontzen. Andrew is a
cosmologist and professor known for his expertise in using computer
simulations to understand the universe. He’s the author of The
Universe in a Box, where he unpacks the complexities of cosmic
simulations and their surprising limitations. Pontzen’s work is at
the cutting edge of how we model and predict phenomena ranging from
galaxy formation to climate change, bridging theoretical physics
with practical, big-picture questions about reality. As we head
toward an era where simulations and AI are central to scientific
discovery, these questions are more important than ever.  Tune
in to learn about the power and limitations of simulation! 
Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 00:44 Is it possible to simulate
reality?  04:49 Early simulation experiments  10:30 Fluid
dynamics and weather simulations  13:51 Judging a book by its
cover  16:01 End of the universe 19:13 Cosmic microwave
background and spinning universes 24:11 Verification and validation
27:34 Big Bang controversy and the JWST 31:35 Galaxy
simulations  42:23 Multiverse and quantum computing 
48:58 Ethics and energy impact of high-performance computing 55:34
Outro Additional resources:  ️ Learn more about Andrew: 
Get The Universe in a Box: https://a.co/d/2V7vuFR  ️ Follow
Andrew on Twitter: https://x.com/apontzen ️ Follow me on your fav
platforms: ️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 
Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list  ️ Check
out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/  ️
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