This essay hypothesizes that the Universe contains a self-reproducing neural network of Black Holes with computational abilities—i.e., the Universe can “think”! It then rephrases the Final Anthropic Principle to state: “Intelligent information-processing must come into existence in each new Universe to assure the birth of intelligent successor universes”. Continued research into the theory of Early Universe and Black Hole information storage, processing and retrieval is recommended, as are observational searches for time-correlated electromagnetic and gravitational wave emission patterns from widely separated Black Hole transient events indicative of the existence of a universal inter-Black Hole faster-than-light communications network

Green, William H.

English

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		 1	Do	We	Live	In	An	Intelligent	Universe?		William	H.	Green	Astrophysics	Group,	Department	of	Physics,	Florida	State	University		 ABSTRACT	This	essay	hypothesizes	that	the	Universe	contains	a	self-reproducing	neural	network	of	Black	 Holes	 with	 computational	 abilities—i.e.,	 the	 Universe	 can	 “think”!	 It	 then	rephrases	 the	 Final	 Anthropic	 Principle	 to	 state:	 “Intelligent	 information-processing	must	 come	 into	 existence	 in	 each	 new	 Universe	 to	 assure	 the	 birth	 of	 intelligent	successor	universes”.	Continued	research	 into	 the	 theory	of	Early	Universe	and	Black	Hole	 information	 storage,	 processing	 and	 retrieval	 is	 recommended,	 as	 are	observational	 searches	 for	 time-correlated	 electromagnetic	 and	 gravitational	 wave	emission	patterns	from	widely	separated	Black	Hole	transient	events	indicative	of	the	existence	of	a	universal	inter-Black	Hole	faster-than-light	communications	network.				“The	 Final	 Anthropic	 Principle”	 (FAP)	 states:	 “Intelligent	 information-processing	must	come	into	existence	in	the	Universe,	and,	once	it	comes	into	existence,	 it	will	never	die	out”	(emphasis	added)1.	Applying	the	FAP	broadly	today,	it	is	hypothesized	that:	(a)	Our	Universe	can	holistically	sense	itself	in	real	time2;	(b)	Black	Holes	are	interconnected	 through	a	5th	Dimension,	wormholes	or	quantum	entanglement	 to	form	a	real-time	neural	network	(Fig.	1)	 that	has	evolved	“intelligent	 information-processing”	abilities--i.e.,	it	“thinks”;	and	(c)	our	Universe	will	generate	new	universes	via	Super	Massive	Black	Holes	(SMBHs).	 			 		Figure	1.		A	network-like	structure	is	apparent	in	the	slices	through	the	SDSS	3-dimensional	map	of	the	distribution	of	galaxies	(Earth	is	at	the	center)	where	each	point	represents	a	galaxy.		Galaxies	are	colored	 according	 to	 the	 ages	 of	 their	 stars.	 The	 circle	 radius	 is	 two	billion	 light	 years.	Credit:	M.	Blanton	and	the	Sloan	Digital	Sky	Survey.			 2	Coming	into	existence:	The	Universe	appears	to	have	originated	from	a	vanishingly	small	speck	of	space-time	containing	an	extremely	high	amount	of	vacuum	energy	that	caused	it	to	dramatically	inflate	in	size,	and	then	convert	its	remaining	energy	into	particles	and	heat	that	gravity	arranged	into	galaxies,	stars	and	planets	where	intelligent	 carbon-based	 life	 eventually	 appeared.	 We	 have	 also	 learned	 that	 our	Hubble	volume	contains	~trillion	galaxy-centered	SMBHs	that,	like	non-sleeping	hard	drives,	 have	 captured	 and	 stored	 radiation	 and	matter	 coming	 their	way	 for	~13	billion	years.				Stephen	 Hawking’s	 final	 paper,	 with	 Haco,	 Perry	 and	 Strominger,	 provided	“incremental	evidence	….	that	hidden	conformal	symmetry	explains	the	leading	black	hole	microstate	degeneracy”,	suggesting	that	information	inside	BHs	is	not	 lost	but	may	 be	 fully	 determined	 by	 measurement	 of	 external	 microstates.3	 	 This	 is	 a	significant	 further	 step	 toward	 establishing	 a	 clear	 quantum	 link	 between	information	on	the	horizon	of	Black	Holes	and	information	inside	them.	Others	have	hypothesized	that	“black	holes	are	the	fastest	computers	in	nature.”4			Connecting	up:	The	speed	of	light	limit	on	information	transfer	in	our	4-D	spacetime,	as	embodied	in	Albert	Einstein’s	classical	General	Relativity	(GR),	allows	energy	to	concentrate	 into	 structures.	 It	 also	 makes	 possible	 the	 receipt	 and	 processing	 of	chronological	 cosmological	 information.	 If	 all	 communication	were	 instantaneous,	there	would	be	no	history	of	distant	events	 in	spacetime.	 	Rather	than	seeing	how	things	were	 the	 further	 out	 one	 looked,	 one	would	 see	 how	 they	are	 now,	 unless	information	could	be	stored	and	later	retrieved.5		But,	could	Black	Holes	have	formed	a	 separate	 neural	 network	 that	 bypasses	 this	 limitation	 and	 receives,	 stores,	processes	and	exchanges	information	in	real-time?		Never	 Dying	 Out:	 According	 to	 the	 current	 paradigm	 of	 LCDM	 cosmology,	 the	Universe	has	a	finite	lifetime	left	before	its	continued	exponential	expansion,	dilution	of	energy,	and	evaporation	of	Black	Holes	will	result	in	the	loss	of	its	ability	to	support	life	or	any	other	type	of	complex	structure.		Under	what	conditions	might	information	processing	continue?				Conditions	at	the	beginning	of	the	Big	Bang	and	at	the	centers	of	Black	Holes	connect	them	 mathematically.	 Each	 contains	 enormous	 amounts	 of	 energy	 packed	 into	vanishingly	small	volumes	of	spacetime	where	the	laws	of	physics	become	hazy	and	uncertain.		This	essay	postulates	that	they	form	a	continuum	of	physical	processes,	so	that	SMBHs	can	seed	successor	Universes,	each	with	its	own	separate	space-time	and	subsequent	time	evolution,	allowing	information	processing	to	continue.		It	appears	likely	that	in	some	regimes	inside	SMBHs,	the	fundamental	characteristics	of	spacetime	and	energy	are	entrapped	in	quantum	fluctuations	that	to	an	extent	may	be	 viewed	 as	 simultaneous	 collections	 of	 all	 potential	 outcomes.	 	 Thus,	 successor	Universes	could	have	a	wide	range	of	potential	laws	of	nature	that	would	not	take	on	specific	 values	 until	 joined	with	 incoming	 specific	 “information”	 to	 forge	 a	 viable			 3	union	of	the	many	possibilities.	 	Said	another	way,	 incoming	information	collapses	the	wave	function	to	establish	the	genetic	makeup	of	the	offspring	Universe.6			What	 “incoming	 information”	 could	 trigger	 a	 SMBH	 to	 consolidate	 the	 many	probabilities	and	eject	a	baby	Universe	with	its	own	spacetime	and	physical	laws?		It	could	be	as	simple	as	inputting	the	right	pattern	of	energy	in	just	the	right	time	and	fashion	to	trigger	“natural	processes”.		Absent	such	input,	a	SMBH	would	have	missed	its	window	and	just	evaporate	over	time	without	generating	a	successor.		Of	course,	for	 a	 Universe	 as	 large	 as	 ours	 and	 teaming	 with	 SMBHs,	 and	 perhaps	 also	 with	carbon-based	life	that	could	conceivably	have	a	functional	role	in	this,	the	probability	of	successful	reproduction	could	be	quite	high.				Information	 transfer	 requires	 the	 generation,	 relocation	 and	 processing	 of	 non-random	 energy	 arrangements	 of	 radiation	 or	 particles.	 Temperatures	 in	 the	 early	Universe	 far	 exceeded	 values	 at	 which	 this	 could	 successfully	 occur	 via	 “normal”	processes.		However,	if	information	transfer	took	place	at	an	even	earlier	“safe”	stage,	it	 might	 have	 initiated	 “processes”	 leading	 to	 the	 hot	 Big	 Bang	 and	 subsequent	evolution	 of	 our	Universe.	 In	 this	 scenario,	 the	 “safe”	 information	 transfer	 regime	existed	in	a	SMBH,	generating	a	successor	universe	that	possessed	the	4-D	GR	we	see,	the	right	inflaton	field	energy	to	power	inflation,	and	Standard	Model	quantum	fields.		It	 has	been	 suggested	 that	Dark	Matter	 consists	of	Primordial	Black	Holes	 (PBHs)	produced	 long	 before	 the	 hydrogen/helium	 plasma	 was	 created	 in	 the	 first	 few	minutes.7	 	 Such	PBHs	 could	be	 extremely	numerous,	 and	 their	mergers	 over	 time	possibly	 could	 have	 produced	 our	 generation	 of	 SMBHs.	 	 Are	 PBHs	 the	 natural	“pollen”	 produced	 by	 a	 SMBH	 predecessor	 from	 an	 earlier	 universe,	 seeding	 our	Universe	and	growing	into	a	subsequent	“intelligent”	neural	network	of	SMBHs?				Would	prior	universes	leave	a	detectible	signal	in	ours?	Hawking	radiation	from	PBHs	into	 our	 4-D	 Universe	 might	 carry	 information	 on	 what	 they	 collected	 earlier.	Analogous	to	encryption,	our	Universe	would	need	an	information	processing	ability	to	“download”	and	use	this	previously	stored	information.		Could	dark	matter	in	PBHs	automatically	 transfer	 key	 coding	 each	 cycle?	 	 G.	 Dvali	 et	 al.	 have	 suggested	 that	“primordial	quantum	information”	could	have	been	carried	through	the	inflationary	era	 by	 the	 “maximal	memory	 storage	 capacity”	 of	 the	 de	 Sitter	 vacuum,	 and	may	generate	 an	 observable	 “memory	 pattern”.8	 Then,	 nature	 could	 take	 its	 course,	reestablishing	the	laws	of	physics	and	the	space-time	scaffolding	in	each	generation.			L.	Smolin	long	ago	speculated	that	it	might	be	possible	for	Black	Holes	to	generate	baby	Universes	via	a	 type	of	natural	 selection.9	A	question	 raised	here	 is	whether	intelligent	life	might	play	a	role	in	this	process,	serving	as	an	“app”	in	a	Universe-wide	self-assembling	 and	 evolving	 computer	 program	 that	 discovers,	 arranges	 and	transmits	key	information	to	a	potential	offspring	Universe,	via	SMBHs,	making	it	also	life-friendly	and	capable	of	continuing	its	line.		Could	carbon-based	life	be	needed	to	ensure	 that	 the	 same	 basic	 laws	 of	 nature	 and	 key	 relationships	 of	 energy	 and	geometry	that	we	see	in	our	Universe	are	carried	forward?				 4	CONCLUSIONS	If	the	Universe	is	not	a	one-time	event	and	intelligent	life	(intentional	non-random	information-processing)	 has	 a	 functional	 role	 in	 its	 continued	 survival	 via	reproduction,	 the	 FAP	 should	 be	 expanded	 to	 encompass	 the	 entire	 process-i.e.,	“Intelligent	information-processing	must	come	into	existence	in	each	new	Universe	to	assure	the	birth	of	intelligent	successor	universes”.				Astrophysics	 research	 should	 proceed	 on	 the	 following:	 (a)	 very	 early	 universe	information	transfer,	(b)	Black	Hole	information	storage,	exchange,	processing	and	retrieval	 mechanisms,	 and	 (c)	 searches	 for	 “smoking-gun”	 gravitational	 and	electromagnetic	wave	signatures10,	such	as	time-correlated	emission	patterns	from	widely	separated	Black	Hole	transients	that	might	indicate	the	existence	of	an	inter-Black	Hole	faster-than-light	communications	network.11			1	J.	D.	Barrow	and	F.J.	Tipler,	The	Anthropic	Cosmological	Principle	(Clarendon	Press,	Oxford	Univ.	Press,	1986),	p.	23;	See	also,	Id.	at	658-677.	2	Classical	4-dimensional	General	Relatively	constrains	communication	times	to	the	speed	of	light.		In	our	93	billion	light	year	diameter	Hubble	volume,	information	would	need	to	travel	1020	times	faster	than	c	to	cross	it	in	1/100	of	a	second	or	less.	3	S.	Haco,	S.W.	Hawking,	M.J.	Perry,	and	A.	Strominger,	“Black	Hole	Entropy	and	Soft	Hair”,	arXiv:1810.01847	[hep-th],	13	Dec.	2018.	4	A.	R.	Brown,	D.	A.	Roberts,	L.	Susskind,	B.	Swingle,	and	Y.	Zhao,	“Complexity,	Action,	and	Black	Holes”,	arXiv:1512.04993	[hep-th],	10	May	2016;	See	also,	G.	Dvali	and	M.	Panchenko,	 “Black	 Hole	 Based	 Quantum	 Computing	 in	 Labs	 and	 in	 the	 Sky”,	arXiv:1601.01329	[hep-th],	6	Jan	2016.	5	There	would	no	Cosmic	Microwave	Background	or	view	of	the	galaxy	evolution;	instead,	one	would	only	see	large-scale	structure	about	13.8	billion	years	old.	6	E.g.,	See,	J.B.	Hartle	and	S.W.	Hawking,	“Wave	Function	of	the	Universe”,	Phys.	Rev.	D	28,	2960,	15	Dec.	1983.	7	E.g.,	See,	B.	Carr,	“Primordial	Black	Holes	as	Dark	Matter	and	Generators	of	Cosmic	Structure”,	arXiv:1901.07803	[astr-ph.CO],	23	Jan	2019;	See	also,	A.	Y.	Kamenshchik	et	al.,	“Non-Canonical	Inflation	and	Primordial	Black	Holes	Production”,	arXiv:1812.02547	[gr-gc],	27	Feb.	2019.			8	G.	Dvali,	L.	Eisemann,	M.	Michel	and	S.	Zell,	“Universe’s	Primordial	Quantum	Memories”,	arXiv:1812.08749	[hep-th],	20	Dec.	2018,	p.8.	9	L.	Smolin,	The	Life	of	the	Cosmos,	Oxford	Univ.	Press,	1997.	10	E.g.,	See,	L.	Z.	Kelly	and	M.	Charisi	et	al.,	“Astro2020	Science	White	Paper:	Multi-Messenger	Astrophysics	with	Pulsar	Timing	Arrays”,	arXiv:1903.07644	[astro-ph.HE],	18	Mar	2019,	describing	how	multi-messenger	studies	of	SMBH	binaries	will	revolutionize	our	understanding	of	the	co-evolution	of	SMBHs	with	their	host	galaxies	and	the	fundamental	physics	of	accretion.;	See	also,	M.	Colpi	et	al.,	“Astro2020	Science	White	Paper:	The	Gravitational	Wave	View	of	Massive	Black	Holes”,	arXiv:1903.06867	[astro-ph.GA],	16	Mar.	2019.	11	One	would	hope	that	both	Einstein	and	Hawking	would	have	been	pleased	with	the	foregoing	undertakings,	should	they	occur.																																																									

Do We Live In An Intelligent Universe?

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Do We Live In An Intelligent Universe?

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