A Physicist Has Calculated That Life Really Could Exist in a 2D Universe

Our entire living reality happens in a three-dimensional Universe, so naturally it’s hard to imagine a universe with just two dimensions. But, according to new calculations, a 2D universe could actually support life, too.

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Tau.Neutrino said:

A Physicist Has Calculated That Life Really Could Exist in a 2D Universe

Our entire living reality happens in a three-dimensional Universe, so naturally it’s hard to imagine a universe with just two dimensions. But, according to new calculations, a 2D universe could actually support life, too.

more…

single cell organisms?
Haven’t read your link.

> A Physicist Has Calculated That Life Really Could Exist in a 2D Universe

A physicist, me, has calculated (some 25 or so years ago) that life really could not exist in a 2-D universe.

So let’s look at the link,

> There are two main arguments levelled against the possibility of life in 2+1 dimensions: the lack of a local gravitational force and Newtonian limit in 3D general relativity, and the claim that the restriction to a planar topology means that the possibilities are ‘too simple’ for life to exist.

The second one is the issue.

> a scalar gravitational field could indeed exist in two dimensions

It could indeed.

> certain types of planar, two-dimensional graphs share properties with biological neural networks we find in life. Such graphs can also be combined in ways that resemble the modular function of neural networks, and even exhibit what are known as small-world properties, where a complex network can be crossed in a small number of steps.

So, nothing equivalent so atoms is postulated. He jumps straight from gravity to intelligence without considering the problems in between.

> If you’re finding it difficult to get your head around the idea of living in a 2D world, consider the thought that we might already be in one. Previous research has put forward the hypothesis that we are in fact living in a giant hologram, and being fooled into believing that we exist in three dimensions.

That is actually a very good point. Green’s function, where many properties of the interior of a space can be inferred from its boundary. But applying the holographic principle requires massive modifications to the time axis doesn’t it.

I can’t help thinking of Causal Dynamical Triangulation which is 1-D in space and 1-D in time. But the space component crumples up until it becomes effectively 3-D.