Are you prepared for this answer? The question is quite complex, and I’ll do my best to explain without sounding too far-fetched. However, I assure you that some of what I say may challenge conventional beliefs, as it touches upon the very nature of reality.

The “Double-Slit” experiment remained on the shelf for over 50 years because of its challenging implications but let me try to break it down.

This reality is probabilistic and subjective. Contrary to popular belief, reality is not objective. In fact, consciousness and reality are deeply interconnected. We exist within a sea of probabilities.

Two renowned scientific experiments, the “Double-Slit” experiment and the “Quantum Eraser” experiment, demonstrate this interconnection between consciousness and reality.

When consciousness observes or measures reality, the most probable outcome collapses into existence (i.e., matter) at the speed of light. This collapse is why the speed of light remains constant, unaffected by an object’s velocity. The speed of light acts as a stabilizer, maintaining the consistency of our reality.

Moreover, this reality is shared—it’s a kind of multiplayer simulation. Now, here’s the thought-provoking part…

If you’ve never been to Iraq, does Iraq exist to you?

Not quite.

What exists is probability. You may have seen images of Iraq or spoken to people who have been there, but Iraq doesn’t actually exist in your direct experience. You might say, “I believe Iraq exists because of what I’ve seen or heard.” But now, suppose you fly to Iraq. At that moment, you can say, “I know Iraq exists because I’m here.”

However, once you leave and return home, does Iraq still exist for you? Again, no—it only exists as a belief, based on your past experience. The truth is, you weren’t really in a different spatial location because space itself is an illusion. You were merely experiencing a data stream defined as “Iraq.” Things you’re not directly observing (i.e., receiving data about in the present moment) don’t truly exist. What exists is probability.

You might think, “I believe Iraq exists because I see it on the news,” or, “I’ve been to Iraq, so I know it exists!” But the reality is that the past and future are belief systems and mental constructs. The only thing that truly exists is the present moment, the “now.”

Think of it like a video game: does the computer-generated world your character navigates actually exist? No. The game world is generated frame by frame. As your character progresses, the previous levels don’t persist in space; the world is created only as needed for the experience. Similarly, your reality is generated as needed for your conscious experience.

Once consciousness stops observing something (i.e., receiving data), it no longer needs to exist. Essentially, you live in a simulation. This reality is computed by consciousness and doesn’t occupy any actual space. What’s likely to occur depends on other conscious entities sending and receiving data.

When you sleep, does this reality still exist? No. It only exists for those having a conscious experience. When you wake up, this reality streams into your senses at the speed of light, making it appear consistent and real. Upon waking, consciousness uses your nervous system to receive data—you feel your bed, see your pillow, and taste your dry mouth. As a result, you assume that the dream world isn’t real and that your waking reality is, when in fact, it might be the opposite.