Podcast Episode
In an essay published January 27, Neukart argues that time may not be fundamental at all. Instead, what we experience as the flow of time could be something the universe generates by leaving an ever-growing trail of information about events.
The theory builds on the recognition that information is not merely abstract bookkeeping but a physical quantity with real-world properties. Erasing information dissipates energy, and storing it requires physical resources.
The implications extend to explaining cosmic mysteries. If spacetime itself acts as an information storage medium, residual informational imprints could account for observations currently attributed to dark matter.
Time May Not Be Real: Physicist Proposes Radical New Theory
January 29, 2026
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A Leiden University physicist has proposed a revolutionary framework suggesting time is not a fundamental feature of reality but emerges from the universe accumulating information about what has happened. The theory could reshape our understanding of physics and potentially explain mysteries like dark matter.
A Quiet Revolution in Physics
For centuries, we have assumed time is one of the most basic features of existence, flowing steadily from past to future, governing everything from heartbeats to planetary orbits. Now, physicist Florian Neukart of Leiden University has published research suggesting this assumption may be entirely wrong.In an essay published January 27, Neukart argues that time may not be fundamental at all. Instead, what we experience as the flow of time could be something the universe generates by leaving an ever-growing trail of information about events.
The Problem With Time
Modern physics faces an uncomfortable truth: its two foundational frameworks treat time completely differently. Einstein's relativity folds time into the fabric of spacetime, while quantum mechanics treats it as an external backdrop against which events unfold. When physicists attempt to combine these theories into a unified "theory of everything," time often disappears from the equations entirely.Information as the New Foundation
Neukart's proposal shifts focus from traditional explanations based on entropy to information itself. In this framework, every physical interaction leaves a permanent record. As these informational imprints spread outward and accumulate, they establish a natural ordering of events, effectively generating what we perceive as time's arrow.The theory builds on the recognition that information is not merely abstract bookkeeping but a physical quantity with real-world properties. Erasing information dissipates energy, and storing it requires physical resources.
From Theory to Testing
Critics often dismiss "time is emergent" arguments as philosophical speculation. However, Neukart points to concrete avenues for testing. Experiments with quantum computers treating qubits as finite-capacity information cells have achieved significant success in recovering original quantum states, lending support to the framework's predictions.The implications extend to explaining cosmic mysteries. If spacetime itself acts as an information storage medium, residual informational imprints could account for observations currently attributed to dark matter.
Published January 29, 2026 at 7:33am
