Episode 585: Pass the Physics, Hold the Simulation

It's a big week over here, full of visiting parents, cosmic philosophy, and at least one host wrestling with the concept of leftovers. Let's get into it. Real Life  Ben is officially in pre-Thanksgiving hype mode because his mom is coming to visit (hi Martha!). There may or may not be a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on the table—Ben is thinking about it, which is basically the same as committing, right? He's also deep into a full-spectrum Percy Jackson immersion program: watching the movie, reading the books, and watching the new show. You can check out the show's current score here: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/percy_jackson_and_the_olympians This leads into Ben's latest tech spiral: trying to explain Valve to explain Steam to explain their new announcements. Yes, we're talking Steam Machine, Steam Frame, Steam Controller… all the greatest hits of "Valve makes hardware for some reason." Devon is dealing with some extended-family logistics involving his sister-in-law and also took a firm stance this week: he hates Thanksgiving atmosphere. The vibes? Bad. The leftovers? Worse. Respect the honesty. Steven stayed indoors and educated himself by way of extremely good YouTube movie documentaries. First up: a look at how Jurassic Park pulled off its groundbreaking effects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWtlIhVDl-M And then a deep dive into the behind-the-scenes of Interstellar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH6qRaOr8YY Not a bad way to spend a weekend. Future or Now  Devon brings us the most brain-melting story of the week: physicists have now mathematically proven that the Universe is not a simulation. A team from UBC Okanagan used Gödel's incompleteness theorem to demonstrate that reality requires a form of "non-algorithmic understanding"—something that no computational system can replicate. In other words: if this is a simulation, it's not one any computer could run. Read the research summary here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251110021052.htm So the Universe might be fundamentally unsimulatable. Which is cool, unless you were really hoping to blame your life choices on a bored cosmic programmer. Book Club  Next Week We're jumping into a choose-your-own-adventure-style sci-fi story with "Welcome to the Medical Clinic at the Interplanetary Relay Station" by Caroline M. Yoachim. It's weird, funny, sharply written, and perfect for discussion. Read it here: https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/welcome-to-the-medical-clinic-at-the-interplanetary-relay-station/ This Week We're covering "City Grown From Seed" by Diana Dima. Content warning: domestic violence / domestic abuse. This one is dense, metaphorical, unsettling, and beautifully written. It explores generational trauma, identity, and rebirth through surreal botanical imagery. Definitely one of those stories that sticks with you long after reading. Find it here: http://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/fiction/city-grown-from-seed/