Editing Computronium (section)

{{Short description|Best form of computing device}}
'''Computronium''' is a material hypothesized by [[Norman Margolus]] and [[Tommaso Toffoli]] of [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] in 1991 to be used as "[[programmable matter]]", a substrate for [[computer modeling]] of virtually any real object.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Amato|first=I.|date=1991-08-23|title=Speculating in Precious Computronium|url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.253.5022.856|journal=Science|language=en|volume=253|issue=5022|pages=856–857|doi=10.1126/science.253.5022.856|pmid=17751817|bibcode=1991Sci...253..856A|s2cid=43676333|issn=0036-8075|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

It also refers to an arrangement of matter that is the best possible form of [[computing]] device for that amount of matter.<ref>[http://www.singinst.org/upload/CFAI//info/glossary.html#gloss_computronium CFAI glossary: computronium] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420013420/http://singinst.org/upload/CFAI/info/glossary.html |date=2010-04-20 }}</ref> In this context, the term can refer both to a theoretically perfect arrangement of hypothetical materials that would have been developed using [[nanotechnology]] at the molecular, atomic, or subatomic level (in which case this interpretation of computronium could be [[unobtainium]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cake |first=Suzanne Gildert-Physics and |date=2011-02-11 |title=Why "Computronium" is really "Unobtanium" |url=https://gizmodo.com/why-computronium-is-really-unobtanium-5758349 |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-03-08 |title=Computronium is claimed to be unobtanium {{!}} NextBigFuture.com |url=https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2011/03/computronium-is-claimed-to-be.html |access-date=2022-09-03 |language=en-US}}</ref>), and to the best possible achievable form using currently available and used computational materials.

According to the [[John D. Barrow#Barrow scale|Barrow scale]], a modified variant of the [[Kardashev scale]] created by British physicist [[John D. Barrow]], which is intended to categorize the development stage of [[extraterrestrial civilization]]s, it would be conceivable that advanced civilizations do not claim more and more space and resources, but optimize their already available space increasingly, for example by building a [[matrioshka brain]] consisting of several layers of computronium around their star.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Matt |date=2022-03-13 |title=What is the Kardashev Scale? |url=https://www.universetoday.com/153167/what-is-the-kardashev-scale/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Universe Today |language=en-US}}</ref>

In the 2010 film ''[[The Singularity Is Near: A True Story About the Future]]'', American futurist [[Ray Kurzweil]] discusses a universe filled with computronium.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Computronium universe - computation limits of computronium and limits to the universe {{!}} NextBigFuture.com|url=https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2018/04/computronium-universe-computation-limits-of-computronium-and-limits-to-the-universe.html|access-date=2021-06-13|language=en-US}}</ref> He believes this could be possible as early as the late 22nd century and would be accomplished by sending intelligent [[nanobot]]s through the universe faster than light, e.g. by using [[wormhole]]s.<ref name=":0" /> According to him, such an endeavor would have the potential to prevent the natural [[ending of the universe]].<ref name=":0" />

In addition, the term computronium is used in connection with [[science fiction]] narratives.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Patra |first=Indrajit |date=2019-01-01 |title=Going Beyond the Limits: Exploring the Elements of Posthumanism, Transhumanism and Singularity in Some Select Hard Science Fiction Novels of the 21st Century |url=https://www.academia.edu/45011952 |journal=Going Beyond the Limits: Exploring the Elements of Posthumanism, Transhumanism and Singularity in Some Select Hard Science Fiction Novels of the 21st Century}}</ref>