What if the universe isn’t built from matter and energy at its core — but from information? In The Information Engine, we explore a radical new way of seeing reality, where the galaxies, atoms, and even the flow of time emerge from patterns in a hidden informational “substrate” beneath everything. In this view, the universe behaves like the ultimate computer, constantly rearranging itself to get the most useful information possible for the least possible energy cost. This principle of information–effort optimisation explains not only the physics of the very small and very large, but also sets hard limits on what can be measured, computed, and built — from the precision of experiments to the power of quantum computers.
One of the most striking examples comes from the largest structure we can see: the cosmic web of galaxies and vast empty voids. Our work shows that this intricate network of galaxy clusters and filaments can be understood as the universe’s most efficient wiring diagram — a design that maximises cosmic “communication” while minimising the “maintenance cost” of keeping those connections in place. Using both mathematics and computer simulations, we reveal how this information–optimised design naturally produces the same web‐like patterns astronomers map across billions of light‐years. In other words, the same hidden rule that shapes particles and time itself may also be shaping the entire architecture of the cosmos.