For centuries, gravity has been understood from the perspective of classical physics. Starting from Newton’s ideas, Newton’s objects took root with each other, and later gradually bent space-time with Einstein’s theory. Yet despite these advancements, a fundamental question remains unsolved: Why are the objects of the masses completely attracted to each other? A bold new study may provide an answer, not from traditional physics, but from the fields of information and computing.
Dr. Melvin Vopson of the University of Portsmouth believes that gravity may not be the fundamental force of nature, but something that happens due to the behavior of information in the universe. His research, published in the Journal of Science AIP’s advancement, proposes the idea that gravity is the result of reducing information barriers, just like how computer systems store data efficiently. “Grativity is not a fundamental force, but a manifestation of data compression in discrete spatiotemporal structures,” Dr. Vopson said.
The result is eye-opening. By using the idea of information theory, this field studies the field of how data can be measured and transmitted in systems such as computers and communication networks. Vopson shows that gravity may be caused by natural drives to simplify and organize information. When particles are randomly dispersed, the system gets stuck in more information barriers. However, when these particles gather together, the system becomes more orderly. From a simpler perspective, gravity may be the way nature organizes its data storage more neatly.
The idea depends on a key assumption: space and time are not smooth and continuous, but are made of small building blocks similar to pixels on the screen. Each of these artifacts or “cells” contains a piece of information. As the substance moves, it changes the information stored in these cells. According to the rules of information dynamics (a study on how information changes and behaviours in different systems), the system will attempt to reduce its information barriers by moving the particles together. “Tracing and calculating the position and momentum (i.e., position and movement) in space is more effective than the position and movement of multiple objects,” Dr. Vopson explained.
To explain this, the study uses a simple example with a two-dimensional grid. Imagine placing four particles randomly on this grid. Over time, they move to each other and combine them into an object at the center, thus reducing the amount of chaos in the information system. This example matches what we see in the universe, where matter naturally forms stars, planets, and galaxies.
This means gravity may not pull objects together in the way we usually think. Instead, particles are rearranging themselves to reduce confusion in the information stored across space. If this is correct, it also supports a broader idea that the universe may behave like a computer running code. In this model, gravity is not a mystery, but a built-in rule that can help the system run smoother. As Dr. Vopson puts it, “gravity is just another optimization mechanism in the calculation process, which plays a role in reducing computing power and compressing information.”
Dr. Vopson’s theory also links classical physics (the traditional traditional understanding of motion, strength, and energy) in a fresh way, suggesting that they all may be derived from the same information principle. He even managed to recreate Newton’s law of gravity using only these information-based rules, suggesting that what we call gravity might be the result of a deeper information process.
This new approach does not throw away everything we know from science, but adds a new layer to it. As more and more researchers explore computing (using algorithms and logical systems) and that information theory is related to the laws of nature, this direction may give us a better understanding of reality – where physics and information are closely related.
Journal Reference
Vopson MM “Is gravity evidence the evidence to calculate the universe?” AIP Progress, 2025; 15(4): 045035. doi:
About the Author
Dr. Melvin Wapsen He is a physicist and senior lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, UK. His research has a background in experimental and theoretical physics, covering materials science, thermodynamics, and information theory. Dr. Vopson is known for introducing the concept of the principle of mass-energy-information equivalent, a framework that shows that information has a physical presence comparable to mass and energy. His recent work explores how information principles interpret fundamental forces such as gravity, thus providing new insights into the nature of reality. He also contributed to the second law of information dynamics, further linking data behavior with physical systems. In addition to his academic research, Dr. Vopson also works in the industry and is known for his ability to possess abstract theoretical concepts with real-world meanings. He is a voice advocate who sees the universe through a computational and information perspective.
