Researchers Have Discovered a Way to Simulate the Universe

Researchers Have Discovered a Way to Simulate the Universe – on a laptop

2:3:31

2025-10-11

Cosmologists can now explore data faster than ever before with a new emulator.

As astronomers continue to uncover the mysteries of the universe, their work generates increasingly vast and intricate data sets. A recent innovation is making it possible for researchers to process these enormous collections of information using only a standard laptop and a few hours of computing time.

Dr. Marco Bonici, a postdoctoral fellow at the Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Waterloo, led an international collaboration to develop Effort.jl, short for EFfective Field theORy surrogate. This new tool merges cutting-edge numerical techniques with advanced data preprocessing methods, delivering powerful computational speed while preserving the accuracy essential in cosmology. Designed specifically as an emulator for the Effective Field Theory of Large-Scale Structure (EFTofLSS), Effort.jl allows scientists to analyze complex cosmic data more efficiently than ever before.

The idea for Effort.jl emerged from Bonici’s own experience running numerous computational models throughout his career. Each time he adjusted a single parameter, the process required rerunning simulations that could take several days to complete. This time-consuming and costly routine inspired him to develop a faster, more efficient way to handle cosmological analyses.

“Using Effort.jl, we can run through complex data sets on models like EFTofLSS, which have previously needed a lot of time and computer power,” Bonici said. “With projects like DESI and Euclid expanding our knowledge of the universe and creating even larger astronomical datasets to explore, Effort.jl allows researchers to analyze data faster, inexpensively, and multiple times while making small changes based on nuances in the data.”

How Emulators Transform Cosmic Research

Emulators are trained shortcuts that mimic the behavior of the full and expensive simulations, but run much faster, empowering scientists to test multiple cosmic scenarios without waiting hours for each one. Emulators also make it possible to use advanced techniques like gradient-based sampling to explore complex models efficiently.

“We were able to validate the predictions coming out of Effort.jl by aligning them with those coming out of EFTofLSS,” Bonici said. “The margin of error was small and showed us that the calculations coming out of Effort.jl are strong. Effort.jl can also handle observational quirks like distortions in data and can be customized very easily to the needs of the researcher.”

As smart as this tool is, it won’t replace the physics knowledge of the cosmologists who input and interpret the data. While the tool can make predictions, the knowledge from the researchers and the parameters they set make it truly powerful.

Looking ahead, Effort.jl is poised to analyze next-generation cosmological datasets and to support joint analyses with complementary tools. Possible future applications include weather and climate forecasting.