  It has been suggested that reality works like a quantum computer, but such
claims are just words if they are not backed up by sound mathematics. In
pursuit of the fundamental equations I look to string theory where physicists
led by Mike Duff have noticed useful connections between the quantum gravity of
black holes and quantum information theory. By building on my earlier work on
universal symmetry in string theory and using links between elliptic curves and
hyperdeterminants, I find intriguing clues that these connections may be deep
as well as useful. Ultimately any theory of the foundations of physics must
explain why there are four forces and three generations of fermions. In string
theory this would be a consequence of the choice of vacua. If a consistent
formulation of string theory constructed from quantum bits can be found, it may
be possible to understand the vast landscape of possibilities better and
reverse engineer the program that codes our universe.
