Special Events David Elder Lecture - Prof Catherine Heymans

The Universe: Reality or Simulation?

Prof. Catherine Heymans

Scotland’s Astronomer Royal, Prof. Catherine Heymans, is having an existential crisis! Ever since her son asked, ‘could we be living inside a computer game?’ she’s been questioning everything she sees.

Throwing all the science that she knows at the problem, Catherine explores whether humanity could ever create a virtual universe as rich and diverse as our own. Unpack the rules that appear to govern our existence as we journey from the quirky quantum world, up into the wild dark Universe.

Will technology ever be able to replicate the complexity of life? Could consciousness be coded? Catherine invites you to reconsider what it means to be real.